New-York tribune., 1922-11-27
Speedy Arrest to- Follow Re-
turn of Amy indictments
and Prisoners VIII BE
Lodged i'm Soanerville Jail
Can Open Trial in 3 Weeks
Less Than Score of Witnesses
Still to Testify, Including
Vestryman and Mrs. Gibson
speesas psspatcn % The 7rseuns

Rev. Edward w. Hall.
Present expectation is that the
urors will cons@Iete their task by
Thanksgiving Day with the return Of
Indictments or eloe with dismissal
Of the whole casz. This latter alterna-
live would mean the end of all effort
% solve the mystery of how the rector
md his choir singer came to their
deaths under the crab apple tree on the
phillips farm last September.
Forty witnesses were examined In
De course of three days last week,
'eaving less than score still to ap-
pear, including the vestrymen of the
hurch of st. John the Evangelist.
ars. Jane Gibson, star witness for the
tate, will undoubtedly be on the stand
OF several hours and probably will be
called after all the other testimony is
sn. The state is endeavoring 90 prove
jealousy AS the motive for the crime
md will examine all witnesses who can
contribute to this theory before they
launch the "p1g woman's" spectacular
story.
Rough and masculine in her hear
ng but smooth of tongue and clear
Il her thoughts, Mrs. Gibson will tell
If seeing woman in gray and a
bushy-haired man in the glare OF auto
mobile lights, of shots and two falling
igures under the crabapple tree, and
II seeing the woman in gray later by
he light of the moon sobbing over the
.ectors body.
Mrs Gibson's story of her night ride
m her mule and subsequent events
'gill be the sensation Of the jury pro-
ceedings unless the unnamed witnesses
nysteriously limited at by the state
-uaterialize. 1t is expected that the
aking of testimony will be concluded
re devoted to balloting. II indict-
nents are returned arrests will be
made Immediately and the prisoners
will be lodged in the Somerville Jail.
Nhe trial could come off within three
weeks, if desired, as the calendar is
7irtually empty. Should the grand
ury fail to complete it's work by
Wednesday it will undoubtedly ad-
ourn over the holiday and reconvene
ng the sessions over three weeks.
Mrs. Gibson, who is guarded night
and day by the state police TO keep
way the crowds that find their way
. her farm. was resting yesterday
morning and would not see reporters.
IN week day she can always be
3ound working around the farm, but
on Sunday she stays inside her shack,
Except for the short time devoted to
saeedine her stock.
Mrs. Frances Stevens Hall, on the
other hand, was seen out walking in
tront of her house this morning on
The arm of her friend, Miss Sally
Peters. She quickly attracted
crowd on the sidwalk, as it is rare for
ner to leave the house. She wore no
nat and her white hair and peculiarly
heavy head identified her at once as
she widow of the rector. She made
her appearance about church time,
but was soon driven inside by the un-
aelcome attention she attracted from
passing cars and pedestrians. Since
he discovery of the murder she has
not entered the Church OF ST. John
he Evangelist.
The romance between the rector and
mis- choir singer, as members Of the
De aired before the grand jury this
week. Ralph M. Gorsline. vestry-
nan and Mrs. Minnie Clarke, who was
close to Mrs. Mills, will be called on
70 tell what they know. Their com
plete stories have never been made
public. They will be closely ques-
Toned about the letters, which are be-
lieved to have been taken from a
secret letter box in the church the
day before the crime and given to
Mrs. Hall. Fingerprint testimony
will be introduced at this point in the
proceedings. The letters from Mr.,
Hall to Mrs Mills and his diary viii
De read in their entirety to the grand
Jury. This, in itself, will take con-
siderable time, as the correspondence
held by Florence North, attorney for
charlotte Mills, was voluminous.
James Mills, husband of the mur-
church to-day closing up the building
after the. morning services. He was
as lugubrious as usual, plying himseIf
COR his sad domestic state, but nursing
no rancor against any one. WheS
asked what he thought of the grand
5ury proceedings there was Just The
slightest touch of bitterness In the
ones of the meek sexton as he said:
Maybe they did do me an injustice.
mats all right. I'm not complaining,
But | want whoever did ehis crime to
9e brought to Justice and punished to
he full. They should not be allowed
20 get away with 1t. No one should
ne allowed to get away with it. am
convinced that 1t was done from a
Jealous motive and that the letters had
something to do with is. / think they
we're hidden in the church and some
body came in and took them to Mrs.
Hall.
7 always trusted my wife and Mr..
dali, TOO. My wife was great friends
with Mrs. Hsll. They would 20 on
Jrips together and even spend nights
gogether. think they cooled off after
etse Point Pleasant trip in July, though.
mad - y bad known what was going on
~ouia .+saS have stopped it. wouldn't have
W;j,a LOT anything like that, no sir.''
tse,, 80, - making pathetic effort TO
Ioot ~ ae4 WIN his caretaker duties and j
~ u sas own home and young
, me is lanltor OF school as well |
$'s church sexton. Charlotte j. rareIg
q nome and DOES NOT bai, snsky
She is bright in her stna; nei s aS'neI.
,ather wants her to be sehoo, 4na +ns.h ne.
like her mother, she il mnr,eaa ; :,
plays the piano well. At one ts,,, atsa ah
vas in the choir. s1nAe she
Curious people flock each Spndax, !.
ehe UNCOVERED church of st. John 4s ~
evangelist in the spirit that drew thans sne
2 the Phillips farm and made tina aran
FOUND round the crabappie tree smooth as :
billiard table. 90 q
Inc jurors will hear witnesses fb;s
Iseh with mental background Of
ensif own OF the actual scene of the
-, ,ina; y; ihey were advisted by Proseeu.
NaH. a Il