davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
Reporters He'd To Do
Their OWn Sleuthing

Stricker was asked to discuss the case with
several representatives Of newspapers who
would represent the swarm Of fifty or sixty re-
porters who were concentrated at the court-
house They volunteered to give him all the
information in their possession and asked HIM
TO tell them as much as he could without en-
dangering his case. The President of tho
United States does that twice week. But
Stricken?
Say, I'm no rube prosecutor" he declared
himself. s'I'm no hick."
Mr. Stricken is still on the defensive.
Shorn of the privilege of getting news of
the murder and of the investigation from Off
clal sources the reporters were driven to work
They had to do their own investigating. and
within few hours they discovered that there
was possible motive for the reluctance Of the
prosecutor to discuss the case concealed in the
TACT that the county investigators were doing
practically nothing. For more than week
the county detectives thought" of avenues of
investigation after they had read about them.
County Detective Totten of Somerset County
paid no attention whatever to the century-old
house on the Phillips farm until after he had
read that state troopers had searched it. That
was an error. The men who searched the
house were reporters, not troopers. The serv-
ices Of the troopers had been declined by De-
tective David on the day the bodies were found
Ine following day Totten went through the
completely furnished residence, but it had not
seemed to occur to him before that there
might have been some connection between the
house OF mystery and the two bodies lying
practically in the front yard
Failures Of this sort kept cropping up every
day. The harder the reporters worked the
more apparent it became that the county de-
tectives were not doing any of that painstak-
ing investigating that produces results far
more more often than the Conan Doyle type. Re-
porters talked to scores of persons who knew
DR.. Hall and Mrs. Mills intimately and found
New-York tribune., 1922-10-22

that only few of them had been interrogated
by officials
The number of unsolved murders listed in
the prosecutors Office at New Brunswick indi-
Gates that normal amount Of work was being
done. But to men who have watched the eff
cient Ellis Parker, county detective of Burliag-
ton they seemed to be doing hardly anything.
Day after day, extracts from letters written
by DR.. Hall to Mrs. Mills were published. Did
Mr.. Stricker ever try to get his hands on any
of these? He was asked several times IL he
had any letters in the handwriting of DR.. Hall
and addressed to Mrs. Mills. He always denied
knowledge of the existence of such iersars and
said that the letters he did have gave 40 ciew
as to the identity of the murderer. Apuar-
emily he believed none of the letters worthy Of
his notice. although naturally If the couple had
been meeting clandestinely it was to be ex-
pected that they would mention their rendez-
vous in these notes.
Mr.. Stricker's attitude remains a mystery
Clearly he could not have been seeking to curry
favor with Mrs. Hall. Her lawyer in asking
Governor Edwards to replace Stricken and
Beekman with a fearless state officer"
squelched any such notion as may have existed.
New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
By BOYDEN sPARKEs

ample of legal irony. They had hoped with
out success to frghten the girl by locking her
up into telling something they believed she
knew about Raymond Schneider and the watch
worn by DR.. Hall the night he disappeared,
They also believed the girl might have known
something about the pistol with which the
rector and the choir singer were killed. They
thought Schneider might have have been
tempted to take this as a souvenir of his ex-
perlence in discovering notable crime. But
Pearl told them nothing. Instead, the follow
ing morning she whispered, or if one would
be dramatic, hissed, few words into her
sires, ear. He withdrew his charge against
her with suspicious Haste
Since then Nick has been locked up, re-
gardless of the old belief that he exercised
powerful drag" with officials. The charge
against him is, according to County Judge
Peter DAILY, the most despicable that can be
lodged against father. Would Nick have
been locked up before the Hall-Mills murder?
It is doubtful. Nick has long been able to
marshal votes. He is in Jail now because the
civic conscience is beginning to experience
growing pains.
There still members of the Behmer fam
lily free to come and CO. one being "Happy,"
Nick's son, who has just reached what for
want of better word we will cali manhood.
Happy" has been arrested eight times this
year on minor charges, such as disorderly
conduct and assault. Sometime he will throw
brick a little harder or fight a trife more
viciously and will gain some dignity through
more serious charge. negro roustabout
was acquitted of murder charge few years
ago after disemboweling "Happys" uncle
The jury accepted plea of justiiable homo
eide. Nick himself has served two years
the minimunl-for highway robbery,
New Brunswick cannot ignore the fact that
its legal and hild-protecting machinery failed
to function when Nick Behmcr was permitted
to raise family. At the meetings of the
Rotary Club, the Kiwanis, the Lions,and SINH
lar organizations of business men there are
beginning to- be heard faint rumbles of pro
tests; whisperings Of "For Coos sake do
sonlething!"
New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
L'uss That the Murder
brought to Light

schneider is mental weakling. He quickly
ufted from his mind the Baptist standards
. nus parents and took on the loose and tenn
fUarly comfortable code of the Behmers, in
shlch the Golden Rule is: "Don't get caught.
sssH Schneider and Pearl are both IN Jail be-
-ase their romance had advanced further
@aa tne laws of New Jersey will tolerate.
saas law is an excellent law, but it would
'ssst have been applied to Schneider
'M rearl if their lives had not been sub
sSs'sa 70 critical scrutiny after they re-
,ssseu finding the bodies of DIR. Hall and
4 rs Miils while out picking mushrooms on
sanctioned farm, where mushrooms are
s ordinarily found.
,ss sasl was not locked up at first because
prunswick's, or rather Middlesex Coun-
0heial conscience is especially sensitive
Sa.'s' we morals of children. No. Harassed
faolie elanior, state politicians were de-
. 4'''s action, and the detectives working
] rfosecutor Joseph Stricker persuaded
~sts father, Nick, to lodge complaint
.ss aef Of incorrigibility. The perfect ex-
New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
~ r. rs d 4 h
I'll wa. the
IA stronge $ t
s e r m o N

ever preached by
the Rev. Edward
W h e eler Hall.
Phrases that were
merely platitudes
when uttered from
his pulpit were re-
vealed rich with
wisdom when a Sep
tember sun shone
New-York tribune., 1922-10-22

:: : :: :: :: ): !: !: !: : ::
a EfHH merely platitudes
aHSsD when uttered from
2ds9 his pulpit were re-
vealed rich with
wisdom when a Sep
tenber sun shone
dawn ON the. forms of the New Brunswick
rreaeher and the sexton's wife. The sermon
in his death is being heard, and will be
teeded, BY congregation as large as the
community in which he lived.
But for the fear of being accused of utter
ing a kind word for the ancient and much
sbused institution of murder one might saw
that it was the eel-jacketed. monosyllabc
words of a .32-caliber automatic pistol that
saught the ear of the naticn The nation is
not likely to be vitality influenced or changed
because one minister and one sexton's wife
cane to tragic end but New Brunswick is.
Pnbllc Conscience Comes
0M Of ITS Coma
The convection grows, after more than a
nenth Of daily contacts with the people of New
Bunswickmerchants, policemen, bootleggers,
durchmen, lawyers, taxicab chauffeurs-yea,
aud efieials-that some positive chemical re-
setion is being worked on this community Of
aore than 10000 persons. Whether it is the
add Of publicity or their own consciences or
plain common sense, there can be no doubt
that since the killing of DR. Hall and Mrs.
Mills and the train of consequences, public
sentiment has been realigned on numerous
matters of public concern.
Nick Behner is a symbol for one of the con-
Gd@s in New Brunswick that should, and
Ytosbly will, be changed. Nick is a sort of
political boss in the Hungarian section Of this
factory and college town., that is merged
with ghetto, which in turn mingles it's odors
@ cooked garlic with an Italian community
These racially insoluble groups dwell in tene-
rats in unswept, crooked streets that follow
Mcourse' of the Raritan River and its para
as canal, on the east littoral of which the
nor portion OF New Brunswick is built
It's neat arrangement on the surface. The
American" element of the town dwells apart
from all this squalor and takes pride in tree
shaded avenues of houses like those that illus
trate the real-estate pages and women's maya
zines. They fancy themselves as far removed
from the tenements as Fifth Avenue feels it
is from Third Avenue, and just as mistakenly.
In New Brunswick 'sthen hunkies" seem to be
law unto themselves.
1t is as much of a fallacy as the outworn no.
ton that segregated vice district keeps the
rest of the community pure. Take the case of
Raymond Schneider. His career never was
likely to have been brilliant one, yet he
might have lived useful and happy life. His
PARENTS live close by Buccleuch Park, which is
across the town from Nick Behmer's saloon.
Whatever we may have said in recent years
about the manners and customs of invading
Serman soldiers, no one has successfully
6dged complaint against German house
spng or German cooking. Ray Schneider's
faaer and his loyal old grandmother of eighty
hsssed him with the consideration that is
ednarily reserved for reigning princes, and
sasn he got to running after Pearl Behmer,
daughter OF Nick.
New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
A One-sided Resolution
Ignores the Woman

economic Standing IN New BRUNSWICK. 81.
Johns Church links them quite as closIy as
their ties of blood, and it is through their at
tendance at church services that they see most
of one another. The church has been sup
ported largely by funds given by the Stevens
family Every man who sits in pew at ST.
Johns on Sundays represents tentaee Of
influence reaching out into the town.
DR.. Hall had been found dead under circum-
stances that were no more compromising for
him than they were for the sections wife, who
was also the mother of two children and the
principal sooist of the choir. The vestrynen
gave out a statement in which they said they
had implicit faith in the dead rector. That
was on the day after the finding of the bodies
Five days later, when they had had ample time
to weigh their actions, they adopted this reso.
luton:
The wardeas and vestry of the Church of
st John the Evangelist, now assembled in
meeting, wish to express their heartfelt sor-
row in the death Of their dear rector, Edward
Wheeler Hall. and wish to emphasize their con-
tlnued faith and trust in him, believe him to
have been loyal and true to his God and the
Church, and desire that copy Of this resolu-
ton be sent to his widow and family and the
press and be spread upon the minutes"
Not word about Mrs. Mills, whose husband
had placed the chairs III which they sat as they
phrased the resolution; who had lowered the
windows and brought a pitcher of ice water.
Why did they ignore his wife? She was more
than member of the church. She was the
wife of the sexton and admittedly the most
earnest assistant the rector had. The vestry-
men insist they know nothing that would
throw light on tha murder. Shall their failure
to mention Mrs Mills be classified as charity?
Or what?
just such resolution might have been
adopted by Adams friends, if he had pos
sessed any. after the fall 81
Reporters who sought information about
the ownership of the old Phillips farm me-
tored about five miles out into the country
to see old Asa Phillips, who moved away
from the place about year ago to spend
the remainder of his life with his married
son. Mr.. Phillips explained that he had sold
the l50-acre tract to Mr.. Joseph Porter. /
trust officer Of the New Jersey National l
Bank.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03
L|QU0R-[ADEN TUG
SEIZED UNDER FIRE
Bullets Fly When Dry Agents
See Launches Attempt
to Remove Cargo
II OF CREW ARE ARRESTED
BY the Associated Press

New York. June 3.-Federal prohi-
bition agents early today seized the
ocean going tug Ripple in the harbor
of Brooklyn. arrested twelve members
of her crew and fred thirty pistol shots
at nearly a score Of launches which
had gathered to take off a cargo of
liquor. As the agents had no craft the
launches escaped.
The tug, which was used as mine
layer during the war. arrived off Am
brose Light three days ago. but waited
until last night before attempting 70
slip into the harbor. Under protection
of fog the Ripple snenked up through
the Narrows and the launches soon ap-
peared. acting as convoy.
There was leak in the plans some-
where. however, and seven agents. dis
guisrd as longshoremen. searched the
water front. finally locating the tug
near the Erie basin. The agents said
they saw cases of liquor, wrapped in
burlap. transferred from the tug to a
lighter.
At a signal. the agents. who mean i,
while had been re enforced by a detail
of police, rushed for the tug. The
lookout shouted n warning and the fleet
of motor boats scurried In all directions
while the agents emptied their pistols
Mt them.
When the agents climbed on board the
tus they said they saw the crew throw
ing rifles into the water. There was
a hand to hand struggle before the ere"
was arrested
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03
W|THHOLDS PAPERS
IN STEEL INQUIRY
SchiH Refuses to Produce Doc
uments Called For by Lock-
wood Committee
ASSERTS THEY ARE PRIVATE

New York, June 3.--Mortimer l..
Schiff, of Kuhn, Loeb & Co.. today
declined to produce documents relating
to the Republic -Midvale- INLAND Steel
merger, which the Lockwood Legislative
Committee ordered him to turn over to
them.
His refusal was based on a claim that
the papers were private documents
which the committee had no power to
acquire.
When Mr.. Schiff sought to qualify
this refusal by saying he would con.
suit counsel about the advisability Of
complying with the request, Samuel
Untermyer, counsel for the committee,
asked II he would produce the papers If
directed to do so by the committee
chairman.
II won't decline, and I won't say
yes was the reply.
The papers merely dealt with mat
ters of private nature---earnings Of
companies in the proposed merger and
such subjects. he said.
In negotiating the merger, the wit
ness declared. he had not conversed
with J. p. Morgan, or made any in
quiries whether the merger would be
agreeable to him or to the United States
Steel Corporation.
Thomas l.. Chadbourne, counsel for
the Republic Iron and Steel, the Mid
vale and the Inland Steel Companies,
during negotiations looking to their
merger, was called to appear before the
committee today and explain the details
Of the consolidation.
A subpoena was issued for Mr.. Chad
bourne yesterday after Mr.. Untermyer
had denounced the officials of the three
companies for the manner of the merger
announcement and the fact that they
had not explained the details of the new
company's financing by Kuhn, Loeb &
John N. Topping, chairman of the
board Of the Republic Iron and Steel
Company, was called to take the stand
again today to tell of n stock bonus ar
rangement with the bankers. Yesterday
MIR. Untermyer drew from Mr.. Topping
tho admission that among the unpub-
lished details Of the merger was a deai
with Kuhn, Loeb 4 Co. TO raise $65. .
0OO,00 to underwrite the merger and
$40 1000. 900 to make a market for the
new North American Steel shares,
This $50. 900, 900. Mr.. Untermyer dc =
clared, was to be used for trading In
the market so that when the stock
reached a proper high level the "in.
siders could unload and the outsiders
could load up"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03
DEATHS

a, KTMKBfIRiEzMAs Trfa,.S HEapNRSSoN rs :,
william ~ r. ,na Rsas,ys' s,n.,.
her late residence. 0Os Berkeley ave-,
Second-day 5th inst. at $3.50 p. NJ. l64
light-saving time). Interment private. Kin
tom. tom. Philadelphia. a. 100 ?. N. tsissisi
KENNEDY.-June 1. 1929, ANNA. dsu.
ter Of the late John and Margaret Kenno9
Relatives ra and friends are iTyited s.S.ns e s
her sister. Mary Richie. 1880 Pike It,
omn requiem mass St. Stephens ChurcA.
A. N Interment Holy Sepulchre cemse1]
FtSHER.-June l.; at Hampton, N
Fisher. formerly Of Haddonheid. N. j. r.
tives and friends are invited to attend Z
neral. Monday. June. 8: from grandpersss
,esidence; Mr.; Joseph Z; Turner; m.,s, HamSc
N'Ssai.i"H aAIGXGHER&Jume M III e"aaS ,oa2 JOHN d
husband OF Elizabeth Gallagher (nee Sen1
Church. are INVITED to attend funeral. ~
day. $50 A. NJ. from his late resides
PIT e. Wishart 1t. Solemn requiem mas
the Church Of the Nativity. 10 A. ~
on June 3. 1929. FANNIE D.. widow
Aionzo Gibbons. Relatives and friend: r
hs sa oSsr IL the .efxfs Sas Sag 81 ussssS ssS
cIRxRp.NJune 3. !sa!' 'ss FANNIE, Fi'Ss ~
q Paul Gtrard. aged 7s. Funeral ioW
greenway ave. Interment Mount Mort
. sWAN;;-Iune 2; EMILY NJ. xit
Se1rse NJ swan. Fnneral service, Mo1ss'] sasss
Mrs 4hur H. fs:asnss HssSs Of hSsrssns Ssr
lance, N. j. 1nterment private.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03
PROBERS BAFFLED
BY YARD PRISONER

White Plains. N. V, June 3.-West.
chester County officials today began
their second da-'s investigation Of
James J. Cunningham's story of the
killing Of Clarence Peters, which in
wolves Walter s. Ward and his state
ment of an attack by blackmailers.
The Grand Jury will consider the
case next Monday, 1t was learned today.
Fifteen or more witnesses will be sum-
moned. 1t was understood. including
George 8. Ward, father of the confessed
slayer; Mrs. Walter s. Ward and two
maids in the Wards New Rochelle
home. Lulu Barrows and Amy Mild.
Cunningham, who apparently is a
we'll known character in the under
world, only laughs when he is told his
stories do not stand investigation. He
seems embittered by his arrest and says
that the authorities will get no more
help from him 50 long as he is held in
Jail.
An attorney for Cunningham ap-
peared yesterday at the Jail here with
the prisoners mother and stated that
he had been retained in his interests.
He said he would attempt to free Cum
ninghan on a habeas corpus writ unless
officials examined Cunningham quickly
and gave him his freedom soon.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03
DISAPPEARING SAH
PART OF WILL F|GA
Vanished After Dr.. M. 1. Nam
Died and Contained Testa.I
ment, ls Testified "
RETURNED WITHOUT PApEp

The mysterious disappearance v
replacement Of small safe In tn, ~
Of the late DR.. Maurice L. Mallas r
Spruce street, was among Other
teresting incidents described today -
probate Of a copy of the physic,s,I
will was resumed before Resist., !
Wills Campbell.
DR.. Mallas died at the Jewish ~
pital April 9. He left an estate v,Is1
at $4,000. He shared the Spruce ~.
Offices with DR.. David NJ. Sidlick n
days before he died he is said to ~
executed a will. leaving all his 49,
to his widow with the exception Of y
Office equipment. DR.. Mallas left "a
to DR.. Sidlick. n
The will was turned over to Dr., ~
lick but disappeared mysteriousl,
copy Of 1t was then offered for =:
bate. Two brothers Of the phydciss
DR.. Jules and DR.. David NJ. MsIS2
fled petitions objecting to probsts
the copy.
Testimony regarding the safe =
given by Shadrack Forester, a ~
employed by DR.. Maurice Mallas.
said that two days after the physiciass
death the two brothers came to tn r
dee and searched the place. After ~
had gone, he said, a small safe =
missing. The witness said he infor's
DR.. Sidlick and that when they locS
In the Office again 1t was back In r
place. -. b
Dr. Jules, Mallas said the will. n
legged to have been left by his brcti
was q! surprise. The witness dr.
taking the Office safe, but admitted "
ing the Office. =
Mrs. Reba Mallas. the widow, ~
she accompanied her husband to r
Jewish Hospital and he told her he r.
tended, leaving everything to her p
DR.. Sidlick. She said Drs. Jules n
David Mallas tried to push her a.
from her husbands side at the hospi1
and told her she was hysterical.
Register Campbell said decida
would be given later,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03
Sheridan's Horse to Be
Shown for Last Time

New York, June 3.--Winchester.
the horse ridden by General Sheri.
dan through fifty battles in the Civil
War, will be placed on view at 2:3O
o'clock this afternoon at Governors
Island for the last time and then
will be shipped to the Smithsonian
Institution at Washington.
The horse was presented to Cen
eral Sheridan by officers Of the Second
Michigan Cavalry at Rienzi. Miss,
in 1862. He was of Black Hawk
blood and was reported to have been
always cool and steady under fire.
He died in 1878, was mounted at
Rochester and brought to Cover
nors Island soon afterward. Win.
chester became famous by his twenty
mile run at the Battle of Cedar Creek
October 10, 1864.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03
SLEUTHS STILL ON ALERT
''eookies" and Tipsters Watched by
Arqus-EYed Police

The police are on the alert against
renewed activities Of gamblers here who
base their fortunes on the well known
fact thar one horse can run faster than
another.
The big raid OF Thursday was stag
gering blow to the organized betting
fraternity here. 1t was regarded as
Mayor Moores vigorous answer to
whispers of protection for some ia
yored gamblers.
Police officials are continuing their
check on all pnorooms suspected as
headquarters for 'bookies. " Other
raids, as swift, secret and decisive as
Thursday will follow If further cv-
dence is unearthed.
In giving the addresses Of persons
arrested in the gambling raid Thurs
day night the police erred in giving Gl2
Farragut terrace as the home Of Ely
Kennedy. This house Is the home of
Thomas X. Coombe, whose two daugh-
tsrs, are in the employ of the city.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-03

frozen wastes. Included in. the mp
paratus on board the Maud is one OF
the most powerful wireless sets made
BY the Marconi company. with which,
Captain Amundsen says. he will be
able to send wireless messages over q
radius of 1000 miles. This means that
he will be in touch with wireless sta =
tions in Alaska. Behring Sea and Nor
way. Linked up with this equipment
will be one of the best wireless tele-
phone sets manufactured. .-... 60
One of the two ,airplnnes on board
the Maud is an nll-metal monoplane,
the gift of J. l.. Larsen. president OF
the J. L. Aircraft Corporation: The
other is mn A"ro airplane of British
make. which was selected because OF
its dependability. The Larsen mono
plane is equipped with skis, pontoons
and wheels and is capable Of landing
and taking off on snow. water or land.
The machine itself weighs about 24Oo
pounds, with thirty-foot wing
spread. and is capable of carrying 5000
pounds, or one and quarter times its
own weight The cost Of the machine
was s40,0OO.
Ship Especially Built
The ship which will be the home OF
the party for the next five years was
built especially to Withstand the I'm:
mense ice pressure to which she will
be exposed daily. She Is constructed on
an egg shaped frame, which, her build
ers declare, will stand the gaf II any
thing will. On board, in addition to
the scientific apparatus, are piano.
phonograph, a large library and food
enough to last seven years. Included
in the party is Cakonita, the younger
of the two Eskimo children whom
Amundsen has adopted.