New-York tribune., 1922-12-04
Officials Deny
Calling Flood to
AidHalIInquiry
Whereabouts and Mission
of Detective, Reported
Assigned to Case, MyS
terry in New Brunswick
Not Employed by Widow
Mott Expected to Withdraw
Tomorrow in Conference
With Attorney General
rrnm a SOC corrr.pordsrf


In spite Of persistent rumors that Ber-
nard A. Flood, widely known detective,
attached 20 the staff Of the District At
torney Of New York. had entered the
Hall-Mills investigation, his where
abouts and his mission remained n
mystery to-day.
He was pictured as being assigned
temporarily 20 aid tho New Jersey su-
thorities in response 70 a special ap-
peal 70 Police Commissioner Richard
i. Enright. All the authorities to-day
denied any such move. and Flood could
not be found here. in Somorvillo OF in
Bound Brook. One Of his duties In the
District Attorneys Office Is 10 execute
warrants. and II Is thought that he may
have come 10 New Jersey for this pur-
pose instead OF TO take hand In m
investigation that is at a complete
standstil.
The theory that he might have been
called In by Mrs. Frances Stevens Hall
was promptly exploded by Timothy
Newell Pfeiffer. her counsel. who said
tonight that he had no knowledge
whatever Of Mr.. Floods entry into the
ease. Because Of hIs association With
Felix Dc Martini In the District Attor-
ney's once. II was thought that he
might have taken o leave OF absence 20
help solve q mystery that Eow has baf-
fed the authorities for nearly three
monthA De Martini Is Mt Pfeifior's
chief assistant on the Hall case, and
the announcement was made several
days ago that they intended 70 pursue
an Independent investigation.
Onieisls Deny Seeking Aid
The state authorities profess utter
ignorance Of Floods movements and
emphatically deny that no Is In the
case unless as an independent inves-
tigator Attorney General Thomas f..
MeCran said that he had certainly not
sought assistance from tho Manhattan
Police Headquarters nor from the Dis
trict Attorney. He added that he
doubted very much that Special Prose-
cutor Wilbur A. Mott had taken any
such action. Detective George Totten,
Of Somerset County, added his quota
to the general denial, saying he knew
nothing about Flood. Detective Ferd
David, Of Middlesex County, was
equally In the dark. and Prosecutor
Azariah Bcekman, who Is most directly
concerned with tho Investigation now,
said:
I'm afraid this IS nothing but
rumor. We have not invited nor ac-
cepted aid from the New York authori-
ties and do not intend to seek t."
There still remains the theory that
the authorities in New York may have
come into possession Of some evidence
bearing on the murder Of the Rev.
Edward w. Hall and Mrs. Eleanor R.
Mills. In this eventuality, the local
prosecutor would have been the first
to be informed Of II. Flood Is not
registered at any Of the local hotels
and a consistent search for him has
been fruitless.
Mott Expected TO Withdraw
The conference between Attorney
General McCran and Special Prosecu-
tor Mott, scheduled for tomorrow. Ia
now postponed until Tuesday. Il will
DO held in the forenoon at Mr.. Me-
Grams Office In Trenton. So far Mr..
Beekman has not been invited 10 share
In H. Until this conference occurs.
the case will stay exactly where II has
been since the grand jury adjourned
last Tuesday, having failed TO find In
dictmcnts.
ostensibly four agencies are at work
the Somerset County authorities.
Middlesex County authorities, state
troopers and Mrs. Halls representa-
tives. Actually nothing will be done
until Mr.. Mott announces that no Is
ready to shSi the mantle Of authority.
This Is the Motive Of Tuesdays con
ference. He will leg before Mr. Nc.
Gran the results Of his investigation
and is expected to withdraw from the
case. Thls will leave Prosecutor Beck
uSn in sole charge.
On the same day Raymond Schneider
will 90 to trial for perjury. Thelkeen-
est interest is felt In this event, since
much Of the testimony will have A
direct bearing on the Hall-Mills case
and may even shed some new light on
II. Schneider Is the youth who found
the murdered bodies and afterward ac-
eused Clifford Hayes Of having com
mitted the crime. His charges were
made under duress, Schneider says.
He will be tried before County Judge
Peter +. DAILY and a jury. John f..
Ioolan, Assistant Prosecutor OF Middle
sex County, will act for the state AZ
prosecutor. Joseph +. Stricker is 10 be
called as a witnegs