New-York tribune., 1922-11-13
New Witness
SWears Gibson
Story Is False
Negro Woman Says Farm
Amazon Was With Her
and NotWatching Murder
From Back of Her Mule
Mrs. Hall Gets Affidavit
Widow Gives 1T to State as
Proof That Accuser's
Charge Is Imaginative
By Boyden Sparkes

NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j., Nov. IL
Tho case that Wilbur A. Mott, Special
Deputy Attorney General, has been
building up against Mrs Frances
Stevens Hall was attacked in vital
point tonight. when representatives
of the widow of the murdered rector
placed in Mr.. Motifs possession an aft
davit of a woman who says Mrs. Jane
Gibson was visiting her at the hour
the pig-raising Amazon says she was
astride her mule watching the double
killing
The new witness is Mrs. Nellie Lo
Russell, negress, who lives in shack
within six hundred yards of Mrs. Glib
sons farmhouse. Her story was re-
peated to newspaper men here tonight
by Timothy Newell Pfeiffer, Mrs.
Halls lawyer. who explained that he
had just come from the Edgemere
Hotel, at East Orange, N. j., where he
had been in conference with Prosecu-
tor Mott and his chief Investigator,
James Mason.
Stolen Dog Involved
Mrs. Russell's story is that on the
night of the murder at the very hour
Mrs. Gibson says she was observing
the killing of DR.. Hall and Mrs. Mills,
the farm woman actually was engaged
in conversation with her about dog
Mrs. Russell's story is that this dog
had Disappeared and that soon after
she wound her alarm clock at 9:45 her
other dog began to bark. Then there
was a knock at the door. 1t was Mrs.
Gibson, according to the colored
woman's story, and her neighbor had
come to tell her that she had the
missing dog locke.i in hencoop, hav-
was leading it away on chain. She
said she gave Mrs. Gibson ST for re-
covering it.
When Mrs. Gibson was reached over
the telephone after she had barred her
self in her home and told of the col
ored woman's affidavit, she exclaimed: :
Are you trying to kid me?"
She was assured that Deputy Attor-
ney General Mott had received a copy
of the affidavit.
"There will be some people called up
and hung up the telephone receiver.
Mott to Investigate
"I turned over to Mr.. Mott an origi-
nal of Mrs. Russells affidavit" said
Mr.. Pfeiffer. NATURALLY, | wanted
Mrs. Russell's story in affidavit form,
and she came to my Office in New York
on Friday, November TO-, and it was
made in duplicate originals. 1t was
one of these that I gave to Mr.. Mott.
He informed me that Mrs. RUSSELL s
story would be investigated.
"On November Mrs. Russell wrote
a letter to Mrs. Hall, which was de-
livered at the Hall home on the follow
ing day. On the day after that, No
vember 8, went to see Mrs. Russell.
Felix Dimartini, former member of
the New York Police Department, was
with me. The woman told US the in
formation contained in the affidavit.
Since then we have investigated her
and we are satisfied that she is an
honest woman"
New Affidavit
The affidavit made by the new wit
ness follows:
"Nellie Lo Russell, being duly sworn,
deposes and says that she is thirty
eight years of age, that she resides on
Churchill Avenue in the County of
Somerset, State of New Jersey, and
that the said place of residence is a
short distance back of the farm occupied
by Jane Gibson, near Hamilton Road,
in the said county and state, and that
deponent has resided there since the
18th day OF March, 1921; that she
has known Jane Gibson since about the
18th day of March. 1921. and has from
time to time visited Jane Gibson at her
(Continusd on page seYcn)