Evening journal., 1922-12-02
SEES BOTCH IN
MURDER PROBE
Lottie Mills Says Her Testi-
mony Was Ignored by
Grand Jury
EFFORT WAS MADE
TO BESMIRCH HER


I Definite plans for the continuation
OF the investigation into the Hall
Mills murder mystery have been e
vised at Trenton between Col. Nor
man schwartzkopf Of the state po
lice and sergt. John Lamb. who hai
been in charge OF the troopers here
The plan will be carried out "for tn,
sake OF the good name OF the State
and the tradition of Jersey" as 4
has been put.
On the other hand. the investi.
CATION OF the county prosecutors ap.
pears for the time being TO have
stopped, unless, as Prosecutor Strick-
er OF Middlesex county intimated in
Trenton yesterday. II Is to be carried
on under cover. As TO the activities
{ OF the State police. Sergt. Lamb said
tonight:
/ We will stay here until we break
/ the case. We have no definite new
leads that can be talked about, but
we are hopeful"
Sir Basil Thompson Of Scotland
Yard IS expected here on Monday
and arrangements are being mad
to give him an opportunity to view
the scene OF the.famous crime in case
he should be interested. II is pos
sible that a local detective will en-
| tighten the English detective as to
the methods of county detectives
IN New Jersey.
Charlotte Mills made scathing re-
marks yesterday about the investi-
cation that failed, especially regard
ing the Prosecutor OF Somerset coun
~ Azariah Beekman. Il was as
certained in other quarters that r.
the Grand Jury room at Somerville.
when Mr.. Beekman was doing the
questioning, little progress was made
toward establishing the necessary
prima faoie case.
Taken In conjunction with the
statement made in Trenton by Pros
ecutor Stricken. the criticism Of Mr..
Beekman is somewhat significant.
Stricken said that II newspapermen
ana csmeramen were eliminated
from the case the investigation would
be conducted according TO the US
ual lines, and that the guilty person
or persons would be apprehended in
due course.
There has been altogether too
much outside interference. Mr.
Stricken declared. He went on 10
say that there was no idea OF dron-
ping the Investigation. that he nm
derstood Prosecutor BeelVman would
go on with the inquiry and that ne
himself would give all the assistance
he possibly could. Meantime" he
continued. "the State Police will be
retained in the case"
Charlotte Mills had this TO saw.
Il don't think this case will ever
be solved so long as Beekman Is
permitted 20 handle Il. Nv experi-
ence with Mr.. Beekman inside the
Grand Jury room and out convinced
me that he was much more interest
ed In the slanderous reports concern
ing my own life since my mothers
death than he was in finding out
who the persons are who were guilty
of murder.
My two aunt-. Mrs. Barnhart and
Mrs. TennysOn, who were witnesses
before the Grand Jury, and 1. TOO.
believe IL will be useless for the IN
vestigation TO be continued under the
direction of any OF the officials who 4
have been handling It so far. L
would like 10 see the Governor. or
some one else who has the power.
pick out a man OF experience who
has no connection with New Jersey +
politics or affairs. and put him in
charge OF the case.
Until to-day I have remained
silent about the attempts 10 blacken .
my own character that have follow
ed since my mothers death. have
known right along Of the malicious
ISLANDERS about me since a few weeks
after the murder when there vas
public interest in my family and my
self. I didn't protest because I
thought the solution OF the mystery
was OF greater importance. for a
-lrpe any way. than the protection OF
my own name. I wanted the person
who killed my mother punished, and
hat, knew, ! could take care OF
myself. Now I guess l can speak
1ut
From what I went through i
couldn't help gaining the impression
hat those who were ofic. ally identi-
led with the investigation seemed a
whole lot more interested in throw
ns discredit on me and in the nasty
'eports thar they had heard. and
Ieemed more anxious TO talk about
ne and my family than they were
n finding out who was guilty and
them to jail. I know of
me detective that did all he could
o get evidence that I had visited
roadhouse near New Brunswick.
At that time, when might have
'een asked a hundred questions that
would have brought answers really
'earing on the crime the people
Who questioned me simply went on
skiing insulting questions about my
wn behavior, which had nothing TO
o with the case anyway. Some of
hese people have gone so far as
o suggest and even to propose TO
ny father that 1 be put away in
ONE Of some sort. Both my aunts.
irs. BarDhart and Mrs. Tennyson.
ave been all wrought up because
instead % being asked questions
hat would have shown what the
tate Of things was before the muir {
er, they were asked what they j
bought about me and whether they !
.dn't think it would be a good thing
D send me away. I
why should / be put away? Just c
ecause my mother was murdered 6
ust because l didn't hesitate to say