The New York herald., 1922-09-27
HALLS s1O,OOOSTOCK
Being sought Since
Staying OF COUPLE
Disappearance of Legacy
From Stevens Estate Hints
at Blackmail.
WIDOW is SKEPTICAL
Sexton, Reiterating Inno-
cence, Says Nothing Can
Be Put on Him.
TRIPS TO N. Y. REPORTED
Detectives Say Rector and
Singer Often Visited City
Together.
TRIPS TO N. Y. REPORTED

New BRUNSWICK. NJ j., Sept. 26.--
Further examination of James Mills
and inquiry as to the whereabouts Of
$40, 900 in securities owned by the Rev.
Edward Hall, rector of the Church of
st. John the Evangelist. who with his
choir singer. Mrs. Eleanor Mills. was
killed mysteriously almost two weeks
ago. were the outstanding develop
ments to-day in the official inquiry
being made by the prosecutors Of Mid
dlesex and Somerset counties, and a
half dozen county detectives.
A. M. Beekman, county prosecutor
of Somerset. announced tonight that
the authorities ARE lcloser than ever
before to the solution of the mystery.
However, persistent rumors of forth
coming arrest proved groundless, as
did reports of an arrest and con-
fession.
This latter report followed the ex-
animation of Mills. who was called to
the court house this morning and re-
NAMED for hours. Departing. he went
back to the school. of which he is jani-
tor. resumed his overalls, and went
about his duties. He was interviewed
again. but told nothing of Importance
He contends stoutly to his interview
ers:
or knst lie
than you do. have been over the story
again and again, and haven't changed
1t any. I'm innocent and they can't put
anything over on me-"
Tells of Row I'm Mills Home.
Mills's neighbor. Miss Mile Opie of
81 Carman street. told to-day of row
she overheard six months ago In the
Mills home between the church sexton
and his wife In the course of which
Mills said. according to Miss Opie:
Il care more for DR.. Halls little
finger than for your whole body" Mills
said later:
Il don't remember that"
The fact that Mills was examined
again and at length, is considered proof
that the authorities are not making
knows is in the minds of his inter-
viewers quite readily and seemingly
without fear. He called attention to-day
to the fact that Mr.. Hall weighed about
1S0 pounds. contending that 1t would
have required two men to overcome him.
Mills himself Is short and thin. and not
the sort OF man who ordinarily would
make much of a showing in fight.
Two detectives have examined Minna
Clarke. wife of Addison Clarke. who Is
generally understood to have been Mrs.
MIlls's closest friend and who on the day
before the killings was one OF the party
the Halls drove to Lake Hopatcong.
The Clarke house is in Redmond street.
a little distance from the Hall home and
In the same general direction Hall would
have followed on his last trip toward
the downtown district of New Bruins
wick.
Tracing Halls Last Trip.
The last trip OF Halls. il was stated
unofficlally, has been partly traced. IL
appears that he probably walked sew
eral blocks TO the trolley line and then
rode downtown as far as the post office.
II Is stated, too. the authorities have
beer informed. that at his home the be-
lief is he changed from his clerical
an ordinary cut that 1t might have
passed along the street unnoticed. He
wore a shirt with stiff bosom.
The crectors of theories and the county
detectives assert that the condition Of
this shirt when the body was found
shows conclusively there was no fight
prior to the shooting of the couple.
That there were no blood stains on II
is taken by some OF the same theorizers
as showing that the pair were shot
where they were found
BY processes such as these II has been
determined, but with the time table
qualification. subject to change without
notice." that the shooting occurred at
the spot where the bodies were found AT
10:40 In the evening. and that the pair
must have been killed from ambush. II
may be stated, however, that though
the locust thicket near the old apple
tree. where the bodies were found Is
pretty thick. there was not the slightest
indication OF an ambush there, when
the crime was discovered.
There has been a lot of official dig
ging around the spot during the last two
days. the purpose OF which, seemingly.
IA to determine whether a bullet entered
the ground after passing through the
head OF one OF the victims There has
rouffuuod nm Pare Three