The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-10-14
REcTOR'S WIDOW
FILES PROTEST

- 9AN0 - ~ ~
New Brunswick, N. j., Oct. H.
Asserting that Mrs. Frances Stevens
Hall ana her family can not longer h
silent regarding the food of false
run,ors conferred upon them in the
double murder 'of the Rev. Edward
Whesler Hall and Mrs. Eleanor Rein
hardt Mills, Timothy N. Pfeifer, Mrs.
Halls attorney, tonight requested
Governor Edwards to place, the in
yestigation exclusively in the hands
0f competent fearless officers Of the
state. The lawyer made public let
ter 70 the governor eriticising severe
" the tactics Of the present county
tuyesti9ators and the conflict between
thnm.
"The atmosphere of New Bruns-
wick Is charged with every sort of
rumor that political pressure, money
and officials have been made use of
BY Mrs. Hall and her family to hin
der and delay the administration of
justice in this case,p Pfeifer wrote
"In the mind Of the public Mrs. Hall
10 held responsible for the present
impossible condition of affairs. In
truth, it is due to the bungling
stupidity Of the officials of these two
counties and now the evidence is un-
riistakable that the authorities Of the
one county are at odds with the au-
thorities Of the other, county, with the
efforts of the state troopers standing
between the two rendered abortive."
The attorney told the governor that
further silence on the part Of the slain
rector's widow and her family would
possibly be continued by many as an
admission of the false accusations
ievelled against them.
"Mrs. Hall, her brothers and all her
relatives, the letter said, "are now,
and have" been from the beginning,
desirous Of submitting to every test
OF their complete innocence which a
thoroughly comprehensive, intelligent
and coherent investigation demands.
But II the investigation is toScontinue
in the hands of officials who cause an
arrest tor murder upon the accusation
81 an admittedly irresponsible person
and then state they are not Interested
in vhether the accusation is or is not
true, then neither Mrs. Hall nor any
'one else 10 free from the menace of
6 Aeial hystsria and tyranny.
"a Iii - ;SoFn4 - .sxina
81 ~ 81 $
native state, and share with yoG
deepest respect for the traditional in
tegrtty Of its institutions of govern
ment. ] can not without protest sec
their integrity debased. 1 respectful
ly request, therefore, that as governor
Of fFtAe state you take such, action at
once as may be necessary tn cause
the conduct of this investigation to be
under the executive authority and
jurisdiction Of a competent, fearless
officer of the state, who will not be
subject to county limitations, politi-
cal ENHANCEMENT or petty disputes be-
tween rival detective forces, but VINO
will be one of the MIND and de.
termination to establish the truth and
to bring. the guilty to speedy JUS
tice."
Mrs. Halls attorney urged the gov
ernor to use his moral power to bring
about thoroughly comprehensive
Intelligent and coherent investigation
of this hideous crime"
"Such an Investigation has not been
made" Pfeifer@ wrote, "nor do the
methods hitherto employed by the
present prosecutors indicate that it
ever will be or can be made by them.
The best result Of their activities up
to the present, so far as solution of
the crime or the development of any
clue reasonably looking toward the So
luton Is concerned, is absolutely nil. !"
The appeal to the governor was
gwen out after a family conference
at the home Of Mrs. Hall lasting over
an hour. 1t followed unofficial reports
today that the investigating authori-
ties intended again to question the
rector's widow. She was said to be in
poor health, but her condition was not
considered serious. It could not be
learned whether Mrs. Hall would pos
itively be examined again, but it was
said there was still . probability she
might be asked few questions to-
morrow. $
When informed Of rfeifer's letter
to Governor Edwards, Joseph E..
Ssricker, Middlesex county prose-
.utor, said:
"Any information Mr.. Pfeifer can
procure about the case will be well
coined, but at the same time I do not
think 1t would be wise to take him or
anvbodv else into nv con1fidence II,