Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-09-23
RECTOR WIFE LAYS
MURDER To Thieves

2l.-MrS. EDWARD wheeler Hail
widow Of the minister who was
found murdered near here with his
choir leader, Mrs. James Mills, stated
today that she believed robbery was
the motive of the killing of her hus'
band.
"On Thursday evening my hus
band told me that he was going to
the Mills home with lot of money,
as he wanted to pay a doctor bill
contracted by Mrs. Mills as the re-
suit of an operation. :
''He was going to pay this money
to DIR. r. L. McKeirnan, of New
Brunswick. The money was being
paid by the church, to be repaid by
Mr.. Mills through weekly install
ments from his salary as sexton.
''Mr. Hall had this money in a
wallet in his pocket when he left
the house. When the bodies were
found this wallet and a valuable
gold watch, which my husband al
ways carried, were missing. 1 saw
my husbands relations with Mrs.
Mills while she was choir leader, and
I know there was nothing between
them.
"Our marriage was an ideal one.
On Thursday evening Mr.. Hall went
out at z o'clock, saying he would be
back in little while. I waited until
o'clock the following morning for
him, and when he did not return I
went to the church with my brother,
Willie Stevens, to look for him. The
church was locked, and we returned
home.
II tossed all night and could not
sleep"
Mystery Penetrated
The mystery of the ''ghost house"
near which the bullet-riddled and
bruised bodies were found, was pene-
trated today.
The past of Mr.. Hall and Mrs.
Mills, whose husband was the sexton
in the Church of st. John the Evan
gelist, was dug up in an effort to
find a solution of their murder.
Prosecutor Stricken, working on
the theory that the two were either
lured to. or surprised in the deserted
mansion on the Phillips farm and
then brutality murdered, went over
every foot of the house, searching
for a clue.
The dwelling presents a mystery
which even rivals the deaths of Mrs.
Mills and her pastor. Although un-
occupied for six months, Stricken
found that it was, with the excep-
ton of rugs, completely and ele.
gantly furnished. A pitcher of
sparkling spring water was on
table and there was not particle
of dust to be found.
Conclusions Drawn
From this examination of the
premises authorities drew these two
conclusions:
1. That the Rev. Hall and Mrs.
Mills were surprised in the house,
where they had gone to meet, by
person or persons who set them
selves up as moral censors to the ex-
tent Of taking life.
2. That the two, innocent Of any
clandestine love affair, were lured
to the house by persons seeking
revenge for some unknown injury.
Samuel Levine, guardian Of Willie
Stevens, 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 nv-
ing fairly close to the Phillips place
brought forth startling revelations.
Heard Woman Scream
The most significant tale was told
by Charles Jones, an auto mechanic,
and his wife. They stated they were
up late Thursday night caring for
the wants Of troublesome baby,
when a woman's piercing screams
rent the quiet night. Several shots
were fired following this, the Jones
said. This was, investigators stated,
about five hours after the minister
left his wife and the choir leader
left her husband without announcing
their respective destinations.
ST ran to the window and jerked
back the curtain" said Mrs. Jones.
II saw two automobiles dashing by
at a terrific speed. They were
headed toward New Brunswick"
Other persons in the neighborhood
stated they also heard the scream
of a woman and the shots.
Every person in New Brunswick
knows of the tragic end of the Rev.
Hall and Mrs. Mills but one-the
aged mother Of the minister.
Played on Farm
The old Hilltop farm where the
murdered bodies Of Mr.. Hall and
the leader of his choir were found,
was a playground for the ministers
wife and her brothers when they
were children, it was learned from
a former occupant, Mrs. Charles
Amide de 5russy.
Every nook of the place and of
the old, unoccupied house that over
looks it is familiar to Mrs. Hall and
her eccentric brother, Willie Stew
ems, whose movements on the night
~f the murder have been under in
quiry by detectives, Mr.. de Brussy
said. The Stevens children used to
come there often to play, she ex-
planned, as the families were warm
friends.
The de Brussy's sold the farm in
1906, after it had been in their fam
ilv for more than 100 years. During 6
the Revolution and the War of 1872,
Mrs. de Brussey said, the home was
a rendezvous for army officers and
the setting for many a gay party.
The quiet old place, unoccupied,
but well furnished, with a wealth OF
antiques in many of the rooms, was
so still and lonely that it got on the
nerves of Mrs. de Brussy, she said,
and that is why her family gave il
up. She was drawn back to it to-
day, she said, because once she had
remarked to friend that it seemed
so desolate as to be an ideal place
for murder. Since the bodies were
found under crab apple tree in
the orchard, sh. added, she ha6
dreamed that the murder occurred
in the west room upstairs. This
chamber, as all the other rooms. bore
no indications of any struggle.
The mother lives in a boarding
house and was taken for rides fire
quently by the minister. Although
she attended her sons funeral