Imperial Valley press., 1922-09-21
IS
MOT|vEF0R
MURDE:RERS
Wife of Slain Pastor Tells
Why She Believes Man
Killed for Money
MYSTERY HOUSE CLUES
Garage Man Heard Shots
and Screams of Woman
on Murder Night
MYSTERY HOUSE CLUES
United Press Leased Wire

NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j., Sept. 81.
Mrs. Edward Wheeler Hall, widow
OF the minister who was found murder
ed near here with his choir leader, Mrs.
James Mills, stated today that she be-
lieved robbery was the motive of the
killing of her husband.
con Thursday evening my husband
told me that he was going to the Mills
home with lot of money as he wanted
to nav a doctor bill contracted by Mrs.
Mills as the result of an operation.
"He was going to pay this money
to DR.. r. l.. McKiernan of New Bruins
wick. The money was being paid by
the church to be repaid by MI. Mills
through weekly installmcnts from his
salary as sexton.
"Mr. Hall had this money in wallet
in his pocket when ne left this house.
When the body was found this wallet
and valuable gold watch was missing.
| saw my husband s relations with Mrs.
Mills while she was choir leader and L
know that there was nothing between
them.
"On Thursday evening Mr.. Hall went
out at clock, saying that he would
be back in little WHILE
The mystery of the ''ghost house y
near which the bullet-riddled and bruis-
ed bodies of millionaire minister and
his choir leader were found, was pene-
trated today.
Mystery House Figures
The past of the Rev. Edward Hall
and Mrs. James Mills, whose husband
was the sexton in the church of st.
John the Evangelist, was dug up in
an effort to find solution of their
murder.
Prosecutor Striekler, working on the
theory that the two were either lured
to or surprised in the deserted mansion
on the Phillips farm and then brutally
murdered, went over every foot of the
house searching for a clue.
From this examination of the preml-
ses, authorities draw these two con
clusiOnsx
l. That the Rev. Hall and Mrs. Mills
were surprised in the house where they
had gone to meet a person or persons
who set themselves up as moral censors
Ito the extent of taking life.
2. That the two innocent of any
clandestine love affair, were lured 10
the house by persons seeking revenge
for some unknown injury.
| Samuel Levine, guardian of Willie
|iStevens, the eccentric brother of Mrs.
Hall, stated that he was the only one
who held the key to the "ghost house.
| Cross-examination of persons living
|Ifairly close to the Phillips place brought
llforth startling revelations.
Heard Shots Fired
The most significant tale was told
by Charles Jones, an automobile mceh-
anic and his wife. They stated that
they were up late Thursday caring for
I the wants of troublesome baby,
when woman s piercing screams rent
the quiet night. Several shots were
fired following this, the Jones said.
! This was, investigators state, about five
hours after the minister left. his wife
and the choir leader left her husband
| without announcing their respective
| destinations.
| 81 ran to the window and Jerked
back the curtain, " said Mrs. Jones. :"
| saw two automobiles dashihg past al
terrific speed. They were headed to
ward New Brunswick.
Other persons in the neighborhoot
stated they also heard the screams Of
| a woman and the shots.
Every person in New Brunswlei
knew of the tragic end of Rev. Hal
and Mrs Mills but one--the aged moth
err of the minister.
The mother lives in n boarding hous