The New York herald., 1922-09-18
DEAD RECTOR'S WIFE ADMITS
BEING OUT DURING MURDER

sound mentally. The Senator stressed
the point that all through the ordeal Of
the morning. when Beekman was ques-
tioning Mrs. Hall. she had insisted on
her implicit trust in her husband She
had not attempted to explain the mys-
terry. nor could he. the lawyer said
Neither would she say anything about
the letters
Henry Stevens. the other brother. he
said. was famous trap shooter. When
he came to New Brunswick he invari-
ably stopped at the Hall home. but the
Senator did not believe he had home
there or ever left any OF his clothes
or by chance his trap guns there. He
could not recall when Henry had paid
visit to the Hall home prior to the
crime. He laughed at the thought of
Mrs. Stevens being interested in trap
shooting also and was quite positive
that she is not a member of the New
Brunswick Gun Club. which is con-
nected with the country club.
"Oh, that would be utterly unlike
Frances Stevens" said the Senator.
The Senator. when telling of the
Stevenses and their relationships, spoke
Of the fact that Mrs. Hall was possibly
SO. while Hall was more than eleven
years her junior. He was asked whether
whether he had regarded 1t as love
match. His reply was: That Is hard
question to answer. I think he HALL
saw an opportunity to insure his
future"
Mills Stricken by Tragedy.
Mills appeared again to-day the dumb
victim of circumstances, at a loss to un-
derstand what had befallen him or why
he should be the center OF such a tur-
moil.
"She was a sentimental woman" he
said of his wife, little proudly. "She
read books, romance lot, and many OF
her letters were really copies of books
she had read. I don't believe those let
ters were ever sent She wrote many
letters and had habit of carrying them
around in her scarf pocket"
So Mills went on talking lot and
saying little, but he was emphatic that
he had not suspected his wife and never
had a thought that Hall was anything
but what he appeared to be--a good
friend. He told how Hall had visited
him when he was i'll and how he helped
Mrs. Mills nurse him, and almost
shouted:
why. l thought more Of Mr. Hall
than did of my own brother
He said, too. that he had not heard
any gossip about the two and had never
asked the minister about such things.
Hall and Mrs. Mills Out often.
Mills said his wife and Hall had often
been out together In an automobile. but
usually he or Mrs. Hall was along.
Their being tcg-ther was natural be-
cause Of the church work. He even be-
lieved he said. that Mrs. Mills had
given Hall some suggestions for his SER
mons and he had used them.
Mills Is going about without let or
hindrance. helping to make arrange
ments for his wife's funeral. Her
brother, Fred Rhinehardt. Jr.. was one
Of the visitors at Millss abode In the
second story dingy flat to-day. He says
he believes In his brother-in-law.
Appearances to the contrary, notwith-
standing there Is large element in this
town and in the congregation of St
John the Evangelist that retain. as Mrs.
Hall Is reported to do, implicit conf
dence In the dead minister. kilograms.
too. have been received in numbers at
Halls home sympathizing with the
widow and expressing belief in the dead
man. Some kilograms have come from
Portland. Ore. where the Episcopal con-
vention is in session.
The vestrymen OF the church. too,
made known their views early to-day.
Ralph Goslin. speaking for the entire
vestry, said:
I'VE had meeting last night at which
we adopted resolutions OF our confidence
in Mr.. Hall. We have implicit faith in
our dead rector. ! have lived with him
and eaten with him, and l was init
mately acquainted with him in the
n III
man. The expression of the vestry
speaks volumes for him.
And the services ip the church this
morning. sparsely attended though they
were. showed in what high esteem tho
congregation had held this man and how
their faith remained despite everything.
There we're between thirty and forty per-