The Washington times., 1922-10-20
advantage of the talk to try 10
blackmail DR.. Hall.

advantage Of the talk to try TO
blackmail DR.. Hall.
Knowing him to be a clergyman
they might have decided that he
had a greater incentive than the
ordinary layman to keep his name
clean and above reproach. He
| could not afford to have his name
linked with clandestine love nor
with blackmai,.
These desperate characters-if
they really committed this crime
knew that DIR. Hall could not have
bis name linked with a member OF
the. ch6ir and they probably be-
lieved that he could be induced 20
pay a large sum for silence rather
than have certain circumstances
made public"
Knew or Halls Money.
TT was known that DIR. Hall had
| money or that he could obtain II
from friends in case of need. II
was known furthermore that nay
sister, Mrs. Hall, had money, or
could get 1t If need be to suppress
! a scandal, l. -.
"The telephone messages which
were reported to have been sent
to DR.. Hall and Mrs. Mills on tho.
night OF the tragedy Sept. 14 may
have been part Of the plot to lure
the victims to an unfrequented
spot where they could be jointly
accused and the demand for hush
money made. p
'Dr. Hall was athletic and strong,
He could put up a fight. Now, IL
is within the range OF supposition
that. IL the circumstances were
such as ! have outlined, DR.. Hall
may have become infuriated at
his accusers and attacked them,
A struggle may have followed
which might account for the
abrasions which, I understand,
were found upon his arms after
the bodies were discovered.
Slain To Hide Crime. ''
Seeing that they were being
thwarted, the supposed blackmail-
er's may have decided that, to es-
cape denunciation to the police,
with subsequent arrest; the safest
policy would be to- shoot DR.. Hall
and thus silence him forever, That,
according to my. impression, is very
likely what happened.
But there was Mrs. Mills to be
reckoned with. 1t cannot be sup
posed that she remained calmly
BY, One could imagine her terror
ana horror. With her still alive
and DR.. Hall dead there remained
the possibility that she might be
able to furnish a description to
the police of the blackmailers,
which would lead to their speedy
arrest. - -
Therefore these desperate char
acters deemed 1t best to- kill Mrs.
Mills as well as DR.. Hall. Mrs.
Mills was killed. That is self.eyi-
A,s H..
we'll as being shot is a question for
speculation. 1t may have been
done for the purpose >ef throwing
Off the detectives from the trail
when the crime was discovered.
Perhaps the woman in the party
may have done this. or perhaps
not. ....- .s.... ...
t'No one Tof course, knows Just
what did happen except the GRIM
inals who Were on the scene. Why
the bodies were laid out In orderly
manner after. death and the alleged
| leve letters were scattered about
is another element of the mystery
Eof which, i. of course, know moth.
Ing. We can only speculate ON
these things. 4
ut is ali a. mystery. 'spdti. a ms
| terry as has surrounded thousands
Of other crimes. They say murder
will out No living being Is more
anxious than fSthat che truth shall
be discovered about this frightful
decd.
Admits His Bitterness.
II will not deny that felt Bit
ter because Of the manner in which
my name has been linked with this
double crime, and without justifi.
cation or facts upon which to base
any insinuation. Many statements
have been made In newspapers &c.
cusing me Of knowing more than I
have told. !
"one instance is the assertion re.
Gently made that on the morning
after the murders the speedometcr
on my automobile showed that Il
had covered 1872 miles since the
day and night OF the killing. The
fact is that my car Is a Ford which
is so old that only use II to ride
around in the neighborhood. I
doubt II II would stand a trip to
New Brunswick about 100 miles"
| EtRvona then fAaL tha ..nx-s.-