Evening journal., 1922-09-22

TO finding finally whether the goi
sip about Mrs. Mills. member {
the choir, and the minister reall
amounts to something or is merel
the back stairs little tattle resultin
from the manner of the crime. ]
is already known that there ha
been no complaint against Hall, tina
he was looked up to and that he wa
known and highly regarded by al
most every one in New Brunswick
This man was no newcomer or spec
tacular preacher; he had actuall
made a place for himself in tn
community.
That the action mentioned is Il
be taken was stated today by As
sistant Prosecutor Toolan, who ap
peared to be In charge of the case
His chief. Joseph e. Stricken, whC
is also political manager of the Sill
ger Gubernatorial boom, was away
from his office all day.
Toolan threw a wealth of light or
the case in two long interviews
bringing out these facts:
Mrs. Hall. the rector's wife, not
| only went TO the church at o'clock
in the morning looking for her hus-
band, but also went to the Mills
home. found it dark and did not
even knock.
The gun that Willie Stevens, half
witted brother of Mrs. Hall, boosted
was the only one in the house. was
corroded and of a different caliber
from that with which the crime was
committed.
Henry Stevens. trapshot expert,
the other brother of Mrs. Hall. has
not been located, though the au-
thorities would like to question him.
His whereabouts since last Tuesday
lis being checked up.
Neither of the pistols that have
come into the possession OF the au-
thorities is an automatic. though the
crime was unquestionably committed
with such a weapon.
Mills, husband of the dead choir
singer, was being sought today and
could not be found. but authorities
did not regard this as of Importance.
No credence is placed in the the
DRY Of robbery. advanced indirectly
by members of the Hall family
Have you any reason to believe
that Henry Stevens was in or about
New Brunswick on Thursday night
of last week." Toolan was asked.
After a long pause he replied: II
don't know that I could call It a
reason, but we think that he might
have been. Regarding the story
current that indirectly Mrs. Hall had
let it be known she favored the the
DRY of robbery Toolan said: If tkey
are suggesting theories they are be-
ing eliminated today and not before.
They haven't been burning up the
telephone wires with suggestions to
this Office"
Toolan Is Still Opeumlnded.
Toolan let II be clearly under |
stood that as far as he is concerned |
no one has ben eliminated from CON
He said that Mills had /
not intimated 10 the prosecutor that I
he knew previous TO the crime of /
his wife's possible conduct with the
minister. but 10 a direct question he |
said that he had some doubts as %
he sincerity OF the attitude OF both
Mills and Mrs. Hall on the question
Oi their belief in their respective
spouses.
The Assistant Prosecutor de-
rlared also that he did not know
any keys had been found
on Hall when the body was discov-
cred. He knew the minister's gold
watch was supposed to be missing,
but the family had not been able to
supply the authorities with the
OF the watch so that it
might be traced. He acknowledged
that It had been found impossible
10 far TO check up the movements
of Mrs Mills and Hall after the
lime they left their houses on the (
night they were murdered. That
hey had met frequently before the
line of the murder, he said, had
been well established. He said:
I'VE are going to call practically
III the members of the vestry the
principal church members and
others who knew the dead man s
veil. We have called many of 4
hose already. and all they have J
lone Is to hold up their hands in :
lorror and say that the whole :
hing Is beyond them and they
now nothing. OF course they have
o say that. for 1t would look bad (,
they knew anything irregular in 7
he actions of the rector and did :
ot investigate II.
'hccldng Up Stories.
~ have reviewed the stories of =
fr. Mills and Mrs. Hall. which !,
ave tailed fairly well, but we are \
,oking into them carefully. Willie :,
tevens has the mind of a child.
ut It is evident also that, like a ,
HID he can be told TO do or say a i
hing and will obey. He showed
nat in his examination, answering
arrotlike."
Does your investigation tend to
how that there was any struggle
r fight before the killing" he
as asked. II
mo. To the contrary. I would II
y t. was a very quick job and was
one in very few seconds and with
nciency." II
A stupid story current tonight was II
lat Mrs. Mills had been poisoned in II
10 Hall home only a short time II
20. Behind II lies the simplest of II