Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-10-31

some OF the reasons lot TINS ma,
be Is follows:
Mrs. Jane Gibson. who described
herself as a widow. and on WHOSE
credlbility Mott must depend. is MOI
. widow but a Mrs. William p. Eas-
ton, whose husband lives with hex
part of the time
The wagon Mrs. Gibson says che
followed has not been located. nor
has the motor car she says fhe saw
been identified.
The new girl witness. who was said
10 have seen some of the things Mrs.
Gibson said she saw. is not forth
coming.
According to the story told by
this mysterious girl, Mrs. Mills
lodged into the bushes at the side
of the road and tried TO hide from
man who pursued her, but was
dragged back 10 the crab apple tree
and shot as she stood beside the
body of the dead rector OF the
Church of ST. John the Evangelist.
II may be that this is part of Mrs.
9ib.ons story. a revised version or
something. but there seems little
likelihood of the new girl witness
being brought forward.
The only corroboration of the
Gibson story which officials have
obtained relates to minor details
such as the clearness OF the moon
on the night o. the murder and the
time tho Middlebush bus passed the
Gibson house.
In the face of such tdlngs. the
oficiak, including Lieut.. James A.
Mason, Mr.. Motifs chic. investigator
devoted their time to trivial clews,
II indeed they are olews at
all. The case IS at a standstiii,
pending a discrimination by Mr..
Mott on whether he will be drawer
than Azariah Bcekman and take
Mrs. Gibson. whose right name $
Easton. before a grand jury. The
Gibson story seems 10 be all the new
prosecutor has to go on.
1t was only last evening that Mr..
Mason and the State troopers and
Mr.. Mott heard ahcuf Mrs. Gibson.
On the other hand. Detective George
Totten. who has known her seven
years and is largely responsible FOR
the large part she has been playing
On this drama. has known IL all
along. and doesn't think very highly
OF the husband. who Is toolmaker
in q New Brunswick factory.
Mrs Gibson. as she calls herself |
had said that her husband is dead |
and that he was a minister. She l
insisted her name was Gibson, even
when 1t was learned her sons name
was Esston or Eastman. Never
fheless william II. Easton gives as
his address Box Is on Route 6, r.
+. D.. and that is the tin affair that
stands before the road leading to
the pig farm on Hamilton road. On
the records of the concern for which
he works Easton inscribed the name
of his wife as Mrs J. Nj. Easton."
Mrs Gibson ia listed in the tele-
phone book as Miss ]. Gibson" so
that 1t becomes quite difficult 10
know how to address this woman
who raises pigs and sells mules.
Mrs. Gibson's tall, thin son has
. chum by the name of John Bos-
ley and John knows Willie as Will
lie Easton and his mother as Mrs.
Easton. Bnston, who admits he is
her son. was asked what he thought
of the story she has told and he
said:
She tells an afnazing story. She
has = brilliant mind"
Totten and Mason both believe
the wuman's story. Totten feels
that the woman has had a hard
lire. but that she is telling the
truth. Mason is proceeding on the
strength Of her story. Totten
thinks wen OF her explanation that {
she did not tell OF her second visit
20 the scene of the crime that night
because she was waiting until her !
story was attacked on the stand. in
tending to "cone back" at the law !
yer for the defense. I
The investiEa tors are trying TO I
this story. and II Is to {
that end that the wagon she said {
she was following is sought. There Z
was a report that it had been found,
but MasoR said this was not true. I
although progress had been made" =
The one automobile which the in
vestigstors suspected has been elm {
mated. b
Meteorological records corroborate G
Sfrs. Gibso1. II being ascertained h
from Recorder Moves at the Tren- II
.on Observatory that in view OF
lighting and climatic conditions on \
he night Of the murder, Il was quite v
possible for Mrs. Gibson TO see quite q
'lesrly what she says she did II she 4
vas in the position she says she h
ras. &
The moon rose at 1926 that night p
snd for about an hour afterward II : a
gave no apprecisble light. This q
would bring the time when the moon b
shone distinctly 10 after one O'Clock. a
The time which Mrs. Gibson gives as il
tbs hour when she returned 10 the 7
scene and in the light of the then Il
risen moon saw tho same woman in a
The gray coat bending sobbing over o
the bodies under the tree"
IL was possible for Mrs. Gibson TO n
have seen figures under the tree, but Z
whether or not IN the earlier DINNER =
light and at the distance which she z
gave she could identity anyone Is Z
another matter and one over which Z
counsel might have some rare argu- 8
nents If the case ever goes to trial. 3
The moon incident serves again to "
attack Mrs. Gibson's strength for de- n
ais, for just such a matter led TO
ger being rejected as witness by
Prosecutor Beekman. She had said .
Ihe met Mrs Hall at a rummage
ale in the basement OF a certain Z
shurch on a certain corner. Beck
nan ,otrfad ont that fhere was M i