Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-11-02
RECTOR'S WIDOW
DISCUSSES n. J..
DOUBLE SLAYING
FOR FIRST TIME
Seeks to Extricate Herself
From the CirCumStantial
Net in Which the MyS-
terry Has EnmeShed Her,
is PUT THROUGH AN
HOURS QUESTIONING
Falls Into None of the Traps
the Cross Examiners Pre-
pared for Her; Sheds No
LIGHT on Case.

New Brunswick. y. j.. Nov. l
(by the Associated Press) WHAT
comment could I make? OF course
that was not so. and that is ALL"
With these words. Mrs. Frances
stevens Hall opened today her
first interview-an interview plan
ned by her counsel so that she
might seek to extricate herself IN
the public eye. from the eircum-
stantial net in I'hict the unfold
ing of the Hall-Mills murder mys-
terry has enmeshed her.
For the first time since she was
made n widow by the Staying OF
the Rev. Edward Wheeler Hail ana
his choir leader. Mrs. Eleanor
Reinhardt Mills, Mrs. Hall emerg-
ed from the seclusion she mas
maintained for seven weeks meet
ing small arm" Of newspaper
writer's in her home. and subject
ing herself to an hours lombard
ment OF questions.
Wan. but Composed.
At the end she retired as she
had entered the room. wan but
composed. She shed no light on
fhe mystery. she had fallen into
none OF the trans the cross exam
lners prepared for her. Hers was
n negative atory. 1t ampllfIed put
did not materially alter the state
ments previously made on her pc
half by counsel and friends.
Briefly, it was that DR.. Hall had
started out to his doom. saying ne
was going on an errand OF mercy
to discuss with Mrs. Mills a hos
pital bill which he was paying
with church funds; that he was
slain by a person and for a motive
Of which she has not the slightest
conjecture; and that her memory
Of him is unsullied by the ugly
scandal in which his name has
been involved.
1t was 2:3O O'clock when TIM
othy N. Pfeiffer Mrs. Halls law
yer. escorted her into the quaint
library of the big Hall home, where
the reporters were waiting in SER
ried ranks.
He introduced her and with
drew, leaving her alone with her
ordeal OF personal publicity--ar
ordeal from which she had said
she he'd shrunk since youth.
How She Was Attired.
Attired in n gown OF black can
ton creme, with q light scarf OF
black silk about her shoulders, she
seated herself in an old fashioned
rocker and let her gray eyes rove
over the strange scene her familiar
library presented.
The BACKGROUND of greenlsh gold
wall paper hung with medley or
classical prints and portraits of
ancestors: the mantel with its
bric-a-brae and vases. the antique
hook cases, one topped with a
child's tinker toy-all these were
familiar elough. But the rugs
had been pushed back. chairs clut-
tered the room, and in each chair
sat II reporter There were score
of men and two women.
At q table at her side sat two
court stenographers to make a.
transcript of the interview.
PLUMP Woman of AZ.
The reporters matching her row.
ing gaze with intent stares. saw n
rather plump woman of 4T-pale.
obviously tired. and slightly ner-
vous.
She braced one hand on each
arm of her rocker and the inter-
view began.
"Have you any comment 10
make, Mrs. Hail." the spokesman
began. "on that part of Mrs. Glib
sons story tMrs. Jane Gibson, the
so-called eye witness OF the slay-
ing) in which she says you were
Continued on Pare Two