New-York tribune., 1922-10-30
Master British
SleutI, Doubts
Hall Witness
Mrs. Cibson's Murder Story
Too Theatrical, Says Sir
Basil Thomson, Former
Chief at Scotland Yard
RcalLife Sherlock Holmes
English Expers Recalls No.
Parallel Case, bms Won't
Try Wits on Mystery

Sherlock Holiness closest approxi-
nation in real life arrived in New
YORK yesterday, glanced with almost
an air Of boredom at the "high lights
IN the Hall-Milis murder mystery, and
then announced that in his opinion the
eyewitness" story Of the double slay.
ing narrated By Ars. Jane Gibson~-re-
garded as nainstay Of the case the
Jersey authorities are now building up
appeared too theatrical and fantas~
tic" for credence.
lie was Sir Basil Thomson, K. C. 3.
former head FOR many years OF the
british secret service and Of the crimi-
Hal investigation department Of Sect
land Yard. London. and Internationally
known as one OF the worlds greatest
cE1minoiogists.
Master British Detective
For many years" reads u descrip-
ton of him, "Sir Basil was a power
behind the British police, filing, to a
great extent, the role of such heroes
OF imaginative fiction as the Sherlock
Holmes of SIR Conan Doyle and the
Craig Kennedy OF Arthur d. Reeve. As
tho head OF the great detective force
of Scotland Yard he often was con
fronted with problems which the most
experienced men found it impossible
TO solve. Frequently a few slight
elews enabled him to lay bare the facts
of an intricate crime and with unerr-
ing judgment to reveal its perpetra-
tors"
Sir Basil arrived in the morning on
the Caronia and was met by Frederick
Cunliffe- Owen and q representative cf
the British Consulate. Previously
Mayor Hylan arranged that he be a
guest Of the city, and he was driven in
Police Department car to the Wal
dorf-Astoria, where he later received
interyiewers. He is here for three
months lecture tour on MY Expert
ences at Scotland Yard" which is to
be opened next Sunday night at the
Broadhurst Theater.
The subject Of the Uall-Mills mur-
der case was preached almost inme-
diately. and Sir Basil said ne had first
heard Of it while in mid-Atlantic.
Declines to Intrude in Case
con the way over" he said, II was
agked by radio TO begin an investiga-
tion Of the crime for New York
newspaper. but was forced to decline
] felt that such an undertaking on my
part might be regarded as an intrusion
by. the American authorities. Two
other reasons were that I am not suf-
icientiy familiar with American Gus
toms to take up such case, and that
no longer have the Scotland Yard or
ganization at my DISPOSAL"
He was asked whether he had been
informed of details of the murder nys-
terry and replied he had glanced over
accounts of it in the morning news
papers.
at is an unusual case and all e'e-
ments entering into it are most in
teresting to the student Of criminol-
ogy," he said. II doubt whether | can
recall a parallel case in all my Scot
land Yard experience.
after reading of the morning
newspaper accounts, my first judgment
as to one point, the story told by Mrs.
Jane Gibson that she WAS at the scene
of the murder just before it was com
mitted, would be that this is too the
atrical and fantastic. Her narrative
sounds too true to be true, if you know
what l mean"
A puzzled frown appeared above Sir
Basi's ginllet gray eyes.
Tell me-" he asked, whether it is
an American custom for town people
TO go walking about lonely fields at
night?"
He was told that some do and some
don't, but that it was hardly likely that
half the town of New Brunswick would
have been present at the supposedly
secluded trysting place on the night
Of the murder.
81 agree" said Sir Basil. "At that
rate thousands of people would have
been rushing to the road from the
fields the moment the first shot was
hred, supposing' possibly, it was
intended for them.
Notoriety Seekers
But seriously, following the com-
mission of such a crime, have found
there are many persons who apparently
take great delight in the publicity OF
4 being regarded as identifers. ] re-
member cases where at least a half
dozen persons described q fleeing muir
derer taking train from railroad
WooxH,ox, Ros