The New York herald., 1922-09-23
HALL KILLED IN CAR,
MRS. MILLS LATER
IS INDICATION NOW
Bullet Into RectOr's Head
Plowed Downward,
Wound Shows.
SHOTS WERE HEARD
Two Women's Voices Dis
puted Loudly on Night of
Murder, 1t Is Said.
WIDOW OF RECTOR is ILL
Daughter Says Mother Was
Slain by Jealous Woman
Y for Revenge.
WIDOW OF RECTOR is ILL

Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
NEW BRUNSWICK, n. j., Sept. 22.-
Greater activity and also even greater
silence than heretofore marked the
connection of County Prosecutor
Stricker's Office with the Hall Mills
tragedy to-day. 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 the
Church of st. John the Evangelist, was
very probably shot as he rode in an
automobile. The 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 at
the 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 lending
color to this theory was learned tonight
when Hubbard. the undertaken from
whose place Mrs. Mills was buried. an
nounccd that he had found one of Mrs.
Millss ankles broken. No word of this
had come previously from DIR. Long, the
Coroner's physician. of Somerset county.
This might be explained by an attempt
by Mrs. Mills 10 jump from an automo-
bile. and the same attempt might well
explain the doep scratches found on
Mrs. Mills's right arm.
Abandoning jealousy Theory.
The authorities are gradually aban-
doning the jealousy theory, as indicated
by statement given out to-day By
Prosecutor Stricken asking for Volunteer
witnesses, those called by the power OF
the office Stricken holds apparently not
supplying enough evidence to warrant
an arrest.
In connection with the theory OF Hall
being killed in an automobile detectives
are endeavoring TO learn what parties
were at the roadhouses about New
Brunswick on the night of Thursday,
September IA: who composed these par
ties and whether relatives of either of
the murdered pair were present.
Charlotte Mills. daughter of the slain
woman, In an interview reversed her
attitude toward one OF the persons most
frequently mentioned in the case, de-
clarcd herself a "flapper" and evinced
strong distaste for those who did not
like flappers. She Is to be questioned
IL. h,y ha Infn
The theory that Hall was killed in an
automobile is held not only by some
of the detectives working on the case,
but also by members OF the Hall family.
1t Is based primarily on the direction
taken by the bullet that killed the man.
1t Is supported in part by the story Of
Mrs Harry McCabe, The bridge tenders
wife, who assorted she heard the
screams of two women. She amplified
her statement tonight by indicating
that the screams came first from one
direction. then seemed TO come from
a nearer point
Rector Probably Didn't walk.
Another point in support of the auto
mobile theory Is that the dead rector
was never known, in recent years, to
walk more than few blocks. lie was
a thick set heavy man and had asthma
and the members of his family firmly
believe that had he intended on the
night he was murdered "a go further
than the church. or perhaps the Mills
home. he would have taken the car he
usually drove.
In support OF the talk Of road house
parties is the fact that there are many
such places and a younger set OF sort
IN New Brunswick that knows all about
them. They are to be found along
ali the principal roads leading out OF
Continued on Page Three.