Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-09-23
RECTOR HALL MAY
HAVE BEEN SHOT
IN AN AUTOMOBILE


| tuNvs osetV Stb~s
IN AN AUTOMOBILE
Continued from page 1.
Although witnesses have told tho
authorities of secinK two rapidly NOV
Ing automobiles on the roads near the
spot whore the bodies wero found,
neither Of the cars has been identified
New Brunswick, N. j., Sept. 2S.--
Greater activity and also even greater
silence than heretofore marked the
connection OF County Prosecutor
STRIKERS ONCE with the Hall-Mills
tragedy today. From Official sources
directly little OF Importance came. but
from other sources some striking facts
were learned. Among the most Inn
portant were these.
Edward w. Hall, rector OF tho
Church of at. John tho Evangelist was
very probably shot as no rode In an
automobile. Tho direction the bullet
took through his head. downward from
the back, coming out through the chin,
indicated that the murderer shot
standing UP behind. the rector.
Mrs. Eleanor Mills. choir singer In
the church, was probably not shot nj
tho same time. but little later after
the automobile had been driven to the
Phillips farm. She was shot from In
front. the bullet entering her forehead.
A surprising additional fact tending
color TO this theory was learned last
night when Hubbard, the undertaken
from whose place Mrs. Mills was
buried, announced that he had found
one OF Mrs. Mills ankles broken. NO
word of thi, had come previously from
DIR. Long. the Coroncr's physician. OF
Somerset county. This might be e1-
planned by an attempt by Mrs. Mills
TO Jump from an automobile, and tho
same attempt might we'll explain the
4 deep scratches found on Mrs. Mills'
right arm.
Tho authorities are gradually sban-
doning the jealousy theory. as indicat-
ed by a statement given out yesterday
bv Prosecutor Stricken asking Tor
volunteer witnesses, those called by
tho power OF the Office Stricken holds
apparently not supplying enough evil
dpnCN 10 warrant an atItSN.
In connection with the theory oil
Hall being killed in an automobile, de-
tertiyes are endeavorlnR TO learn wha'
partie. were at the roadhouses about
New brunswick on the night o.
Thursday. September IA: who compos'
ed these parties and whether relatives
Of either OF tho murdered pair ~er'
present.
Charlotte Mills, daughter OF the slair
woman. In an interview reversed he'
attitude toward one OF the person.
most frequently mentioned In the case
declared herself a "flapper" and evinc
cd a strong distaste for those who OK
. not like fappers She Is to be ques
TONED again and at length by the de
=. tectives.
The theory that Hall was Killed u
= an automobile r. held not only ID!
$ some of the detectives working on IN
4 case. but also by members OF the Hal
family. II Is based primarily on the oil
j rection taken by the bu<let that kille'
I the man. II IL supported In part by Tn
J. story Of Mre. Harry McCabc. IN
!. t..dre tenders Wife. who asserted
\ she heard the screams OF two womer
Q She ampllfed her statement last nigh
= by indicating that tho screams cam
q FIRST from one direction. then sceme
q 10 come from n nearer point.
Rector Probably Didn't Walk.
Another point IN support OF the AL
u tomobile theory Ia that the dead recto
wa. never known, IN recent years.
y walk more than n few blocks. He wa
:. a thick set, heavy man and had asth
ma and the members Of his famil
e firmly believe that had he intende
d on the night he was murdered to g
II further than the church. or perhap
the Mills home. he would have take
n the car he usually drove.
In support Of the talk of road nous
" parties IL the fact that there ar
= many such places and a younger &c
IS of n sort in New Brunswick the
knows all about them. They are TO b
l., found along all the principal road
If leading out OF town. but PARTICULAR
Ie along the River road. This road. how
:. ever. is far from the spot where III
bodies were found.
"a The blackrnail theory has many sur
d porters in that II permits OF explana
N ton Of otherwise contradictory dt
.s velopments and details. AS to whethe
: If blackmail was the original purpo<
l. of the murderer, the plot had bee
carefully laid, or whether II was hatcf
= ed In revenge for interference wit
some OF the innocent pleasures"
which the New Brunswick youngstei
10 like to indulge, is purely matter
. conjecture.
o. But as witnessing the waning Inter
est in the jealousy theory upon whic
, so much unproductive work has bee
done, here Is the statement issued lai
:, night by Stricken:
- ITO the Public-The Prosecutors o.
flee will welcome information concern
ing any phase of the Hall-Mills mu
der that may be in possession OF pei
sons who have not as yet been in con
munication with the Prosecutors o
fee, and who undoubtedly are reluc
a. ant to give such information b.
80 cause of publicity that may be incidel
to furnishing the same.
"If any data are in existence II
same will be received by this office
DC the strictest confidence. IL the perst
49, possessing the same will communica
with this office. Arrangements w
=, be made to receive such informatic
49, with out disclosing the Identity OF Il
informant.
1.-THE Prosecutor calls upon all Gil
| zens to perform their duty to the Sta
| and to communicate to this Office al
| data which may throw light upon II
i matter.
Joseph Il. Stricken,
| Prosecutor OF the Pleas"
/ The theory OF blackmail is held