New-York tribune., 1922-09-21
Witness Strengthens The
ory Rector and Singer
May Have Been Alb.
Quoted Before Killing
Evidence Too Hazy
To Warrant Arrests
Taxi Driver Insists He
Saw Minister With Won1-
an at Farm August p
From a staS Correspondent

NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j., Sept. 90
Detective George D. Totten, of Somerset
County, after searching the deserted
| dwelling on the Phillips farm to-day
for additional evidence in the Hall
Mills murder, received information
from residents Of that sparsely settled
region that two automobiles had been
heard racing from the scene last
Thursday night after those nearby had
been awakened by shots and screams.
The news Of the presence Of auto
mobiles at the scene of the killings
strengthened report the authorities
have been investigating that the Rev.
Mr.. Hall and his choir leader were
surprised at a rendezvous, forced to
enter an automobile, driven to an
isolated farm and there were put TO
death. This kidnapping theory has
persisted since the day the bodies
were discovered.
Various agencies have been accused
| of responsibility-white cappers, out
ragged churchmen and what not-but
the investigating officials have found
little to support such belief. They
are convinced that at least one auto
| mobile figured In the crime. Their
problem is to And and identify its
| owner.
Willie Stevens Examined
| In further effort to dovetail the
| scraps of information that have coll
! leeted, Prosecutor Joseph Stricken had
! Willie Stevens, the murdered rector's
mentally incompetent brother-in-law,
| brought to the courthouse and ques-
toned this afternoon. Willie, whose
| him, was escorted from the home of
| Mrs. Hall, his sister, by Assistant
Prosecutor Toolan, and Detective Fitz-
patrick, of Middlesex County, and De-
| tective Totten, of Somerset County.
| Gle is not under arrest" explained
| Mr.. Toolan as they assisted Willie
from the automobile. The middle aged,
shock haired, black mustached man
had to be led up the stone steps like
| blind man because he had buried
his face in his hat to avoid swarm
| of photographers. His examination
! lasted for an hour and ten minutes,
the automobile, his face still hidden,
and returned to his sisters home.
/ For half an hour Assistant Prose
cutor Toolan remained at the house.
| Departing, Toolan and Fitzpatrick, ac-
| companied by Willie, entered the ga
rage and examined the sedan and the
| touring car there.
No Evidence for Arrest
! Prosecutor Stricken, who is cam
paign manager for George Silzer,
Democratic candidate for Governor of
New Jersey, in explaining to-day why
he had not examined Mrs. Hall as
thoroughly as he examined Mills, the
sexton, said: eve can't force Mrs
Hall to come to us and talk. She has
good legal advice. Florance is very
capable gentleman"
In addition to that, although Mr..
Stricken did not say so, Mr.. Florance
is former prosecutor of the county
and leader of the Democratic party
here. Mr.. Stricker also said:
"We have in the way of evidence
some letters and pistol. [ don't know
whether it was the pistol used by the
murderer"
"Can you make any prediction as to
when an arrest will be made" he was
asked.
"We haven't enough evidence in
hand to make such a prediction pos
sib]e at this time. But it does not
matter who is hit II we get the evl-
dence there will be an arrest"
Detective Ferdinand David of the
prosecutors staff was in more con-
fidential mood than usual when he ad-
mitted:
Everybody is shooting at the moon;
None of the people who are supposed
fcontnued On paqe three)