Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-20
Deny Politics
In Death Quiz
Officials, Criticized by
Citizens, Call Cos.
sip Nonsense
By n Sto1 Correspondent

New Brunswick, N. j.. Sept. 90
Gossip persists Of political influence
playing part In the investigation OF
the Hall Mills murder mystery. gossip
which county officials brand as utter
nonsense.
The gossip may arise in part from
the fact that former Senator Thomas
Brown. of Perth Amboy.. counsel for
the Now Jersey Public Utilities Com
mission. has been selected as counsel
for the wealthy Hall and Stevens fam.
lilies.
Senator Brown is not unknown In
the Office of Prosecutor Stricker. OF
Mid1lescx County. Assistant Prosecutor
Toolan was a law student in Senator
Browns Office. It was Mr.. Toolan who
yt terday. before the selection of Sena.
tor Brown was announced. declared that
ian arrest will be made in a few hours,
II one has not been made already
Prosecutor Beekman. Of neighboring
Somerset County. said. when told OF
this statement. that "the man who made
It did not know what he was talking
about
Brown Former County Prosecutor
Senator Brown Will be associated with
former Senator William r. Florence In
looking nfter the interests Of Mrs.
Frances Stevens Hall and the stevens
family. senator Florence is Democratic
boss Of Middlesex County. Also he was
the predecessor as County Prosecutor of
MIR. Strickcr. who hir'sclf Is very ac-
tive In Democratic politics.
In fact political engagement ap..
rcared yesterday to be the cause OF
Prosecutor StrGckcr's postponement ot
nm announced interview with members
of the Hall household.
Mr.. Strirker had said that during
the day he would quiz both the Mills
and Hall families. He did question
James Mills twice. early in the morn
ing and again in the afternoon.
! During tho carly part Of Yesterday
Mr.. Stricker's plans were set nwry
seemingly by the visit Of james Baker
head of the state Tax Board and chici
lieutenant of Mayor Frank Hague. o'
Jersey City. The Mayor is II power
ful figure in jersey politics. lie is thu
admitted Democratic boss of the State
Mr.. Baker is believed to hav" cnllet
10 confer nbont the candidacy Of George
Silzcr, who is running on the Demo
crntir ticket for the govcrnorsh!p. Mr.
Strickcr Is Mr.. Silzer's campaign man
ngcr.
Townspeople Are Complaining
The political conference interfereC
with Mr.. Stricker's plans to such NJ
extent that he announced Inter that IN
did not know whether he would sum
mon the Hall household for examination
or not. He did not. 50 far as any on,
could learn. II they were questioned
it was by two automobile loads of do
tcct!ves who made mysterious mid
night trip last night. departing In tn
general direction os the Hall home ol
Nichols avenue.
Tho townspeople nrc complainin
about the apparent slownrss Of the nu
thoritics in making an arrest, and ar
asking some very pointed questions
Some days ngo II was intimated tha
Mrs. Hall would employ private dc
tcctives to work on the mystery an
trace her husbands murlerers.
private detectives have been put t.
work they are keeping under cove
, very successfully.
, Many persons arc demanding tina
Ellis Parker. Burlington County dc
, tective and New Jerseys most note
solver Of murder mysteries. be employc
in the case. Mr.. Parker said todn
i that he had not been asked to ente
the investigation by the county au; hor
tiles. and even il he were. would b
: obliged to decline because of the pres
of work in his own county, where th
+ Grand Jury is about to consider thrc
important murder cases.