The New York herald., 1922-10-14
MRS. HALL APPEALS
TO EDWARDS TO GET
REAL Crime HUNTER
Widow of Rector Complains
of Official Incompetence
and Tyranny.
BIG MENACE Is SEEN
Lawyer for Widow Blames
POLITICS ana Flgntln9 OF
County Officers.
BLACKMAIL rs SUGGESTED
Officials Change Opinion of
Time Of Murder and Place
1t Occurred.
BLACKMAIL rs SUGGESTED


NEW BRUNSWICK, n. j., Oct. 13.-
Asserting that recent official actions
in connection with the so-called in
vcstigation OF the murder of the Rev.
Edward Hall and Mrs. Eleanor Mills
SAVIOR of official hysteria and tyranny.
and constitute a menace Timothy n.
Pfeiffer. counsel for Mrs. Frances
Stevens Hall. wife Of the dead rector,
asked Gov. Edwards of New Jersey
tonight to turn the investigation over
to n competent and fearless officer of
the State, who will not be subject 70
county limitations, political entangle-
ments or petty disputes between rival
detective forces.
Pfeiffer's request was made in letter
form: and the letter constituted a
scorching, almost bitter. arraignment
Of the officials. principally Prosecutors
Stricken and Beekman, who have been
conducting the inquiry. Pfeiffer did
not suggest directly that the Attorney
General be brought into the case.
ever, Stricken, replying tonight to
Pfeiffer's structures. expressed his will
lingness to have the Attorney General
take hand and Beekman had ox-
pressed similar willingness before
the Pfeiffer letter was made public.
short Freedom for Schneider.
The letter to Gov. Edwards and the
comments thereon were the outstand-
ing developments of the day In the
case. though Raymond Schneider, the
young chap who accused Clifford
Hayes Of the murder and then re-
tracted. was released as material
witness and immediately was ar
rested on charge of perjury and an
additional charge of impairing the
morals OF Pearl Bahmer, his sixteen
year -old sweetheart.
Bail was set at $1,000 on the first
count and $4,000 on the second.
Schneider is in the Middlcsex County
Jail tonight instead of the prison in
Somerville. Somerset county.
Arrangement of Schneider brought out
two interesting points, the papers IN
the perjury charge revealing that the
officials have abandoned the belief that
the murder was committed after mid
night on the night OF September IA. and
that they admit they have rot de-
termined whether the killing occurred
where the bodies were found
10 fnn ffrrvt ~,
established nothing whatever. despite
the statements OF the prosecutors that
they are making progress but cannot
wisely take any one into their conf
Cence.
Public Sentiment swerves.
Meanwhile, there is decided change
IN public sentiment here, and the sug-
gestion that blaclSmail may have been
the motive Is now TO be heard wherever
the case is talked OF, and that means
everywhere. There is also a disposition
TO show leniency toward Hall and TO
admit the possibility that he may have
been maligned, aiIu his relations with
Mrs. Mills not so bad as they seemed.
This is sentiment, however, and the
facts TO warrant it are not forthcom-
ing.
The old Phillips farmhouse has been
brought into the case again with the
report that the State troopers are work
ing on the theory that the place was
used as a gambling house. visited at
night by parties Of men who played for
high stakes. With this goes wholly
unconfirmed rumor that young Schneider
had key to the place and sometimes
cleaned II Zip after n late party.
The whole story, which is not entirely
new. is not being taken seriously BY
the State troopers or any one else.
Letter Sent TO Governor.
The Pfeiffer letter. dated to-day ana
addressed TO the Governor at the Capt.
tol, Trenton, reads as follows:
Sir: The course OF action pursued
by the prosecutors OF Middlesex and
Somerset counties In the investigation
of the murder Of the Rev. Edward Hall
and Mrs. Eleanor Mills in particularly
their course OF action during the past
week. confpels me as the representative
Continued on Page Three.