The New York herald., 1922-09-20
CHURCH MURDER NET is DRAWN TIGHTER,
BUT ARREST IN NEW BRUNSWICK DELAYED


set county, questioned in Somervilie this
afternoon. was reluctant TO make any
definite statement. because he had not
been In New Brunswick He did point
out. however that the letters taken
from the study of the slain rector haa
afforded the authorities substantial as
sistance and that the investigation had
been materially helped by the details
in the half dozen or more missives.
Were these letters signed by Mrs
Mills?' was asked.
THAT is something / cannot say. for
various reasons he replied.
"Well. do they give you sufficient In
dications as to any motive for the crime
committed?'
Substantially they have been help.
That is all l can say just now. You
can appreciate my position In the case
as ] have to keep secret the details
of those letters until we have completed
our Investigations
Are there to be any arrests In the
near future?" he was asked. There
were statements by some of the Prose-
cutor's staff of Middlesex county that
an arrest would be made to-day"
The man who said that didn't know
what he was talking about" was the
decisive answer.
1T is my opinion that most OF the
New Brunswick. That Is where most OF
the persons connected with the case
are. aren't they?" he said.
To direct questions regarding the
principals In the case he answered: l
am not in any position TO say anything
definitely. more than that our investi-
cations have proved very fruitful alons
! certain lines"
lie then asked that the reporters re-
frain from referring TO him in inter-
views as having entire charge of the
case. as he was working in cooperation
with the Middlesex authorities and did
not want them to feel that he was Civ
ing out information that they might
wish withheld.
Predicts an Unusual Move.
He intlmated that some unusual de-
velopments would take place soon, and
from the general trend of his talk 1t
was apparent that ii was to take place
within n number OF hours rather than
days. He explained that in event OF an
arrest that the suspect or suspects
would be held in the county in which
they were apprehended until proof had
been established that the actual crime
had taken place elsewhere, when they
would then be taken to that county.
A few persons witnessed the funeral
of Mrs. Mills at the Hubbard under
taking establishment this morning. Rel
atives. few friends and n dozen OF
the curious were the only ones present.
Charlotte. the Is year old daughter
seemed 10 be managing the affair and
though Mills was present he did not
appear to be grief stricken.
Perhaps the feature OF the funeral
was the elaborate coffin in which lay
the body of the dead choir singer. clothed
as she had requested in her choir vest
ments. 1t was of mahogany. costing
about $500. This was so obviously ex-
traordinary that the undertaken was
| asked II the expenses were to be paid
by Mrs. Hall. He refused to answer
this question, but acknowledged thai
payment Of his bill had been assured
though by whom he did not say.
Charlotte wanted to have a last lool
at her mother and went to the under
takers before the ceremonies. She wa.
not allowed to see the body. as it was
sealed. She was so insistent that hei
father had to be sent for to explain the
reason IL would be better for her &
remember her mother as she had knowr
her alive.
Former State Senator Florence, thu
stevens and Hall family lawyer, who
by the way, is a political power IL
Democratic circles and. therefore. II
close contact with Prosecutor Stricken
who is campaign manager for the Demo
cratic candidate for Governor. Georg
S. Silzer, said to-day that the Hall ant
\ Stcvcns antilles IL not tho
gaging private detectives. and that III
would know II such action was contem
plated or had been taken.
IL is understood that the servants II
| the Hall home are to be questioned
again. but just when is not determined
Willie Stevens and Mrs. Hall are alst
70 be asked further questions, amont
them whether they were moving abou
and talking together on the lower flool
OF the house about IL o'clock. and wher
II was exactly. that they left the house
that night. These two will probably b.
questioned tomorrow. either at the Hal
i home or In Somerville.