The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-09-17
SECTIONS WIFE
and RECTOR
SHOT TODEATH
Bodies Were Found in Secluded
Lane Under Apple Tree in
Small New Jersey Town.
CORONER SAYS IT'S
CASE DOUBLE MURDER
Mrs. Mills Had Gone Out in Her
Newest Clothes Without Tell
ing Family Her Destination,
(By Tho Associates Press)

NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j., Sept. 10
The Rev. Edward w Hall, rector of the
Protestant Episcopal church of St. John
the Evangelist, and Mrs. James Mills,
wife Of the sexton of the church, were
found dead from bullet wounds today un-
der an apple tree in a secluded lane in
Somervile township. The two had been
missing from their homes since last
Thursday night
Coroner r. M. Long, of Somerset coun-
ty, declared it a case of double murder
He said the two had been dead at least
SO hours before the bodies were discov-
cred and was emphatic in stating he be-
lieved that the shooting did not occur in
the rustic lane. No weapon was found
near the bodies, which were lying about a
foot apart. Near the woman's side, how
ever. the exploded shell of 80 calibre
bullet was found. The woman had been
shot between the eyes. Marks of c1inched
fingers bruised the left arm. The body Of
was over the left eye and two in the
neck. Scattered In the greatest profus
ion about the mans body were cards TAX
en- from his pockets
Mills was questioned by the authorities
and gave an account Of his wife's move
ments up to the time she left her home on
Thursday night He Is not being held.
Police tonight were stationed about the
Hall home permitting no one except Of
flcers of the law to enter or leave the
house. Officials said the guard was
maintained to see that no one molested
OIL x1yhn pros
trated.
Mills said on Thursday night shortly be-
fore o'clock his wife received tele-
phone call which she told him came from
'.Henry's", the neighborhood grocery
store. Turning from the phone. Mrs.
Mills, he said, went upstairs, where he
heard her moving about in her room for
nearly half an hour. When she appeared
again she was wearing one Of her newest
street dresses and her newest hat. ma
turally, I asked her where she was going
Mills is reported to have said, land she
told me that If I really wanted to know
I could follow her and find out.
Playing on the front steps as she went
out was Mrs. Mills sixteen year old
daughter, Charlotte. In answer to a
question from the girl the mother IS
said TO have replied she was going out
for little while
Mills told the authorities he did not
follow his wife. He said as the evening
wore ON he was too nervous to go to Deu'
He said that at o'clock in the morning
ha went for a walk. His walk led him up
the hill to the little church of st. John
the Evangelist, an edifice which crowns
q rising knoll-the church which he mas
sorva5 ss sexton, where his wife sang as
one OF the leaders of the choir, where
ana1l. but rich congregation worshippeo'
and where Rev. Hall had been assigned as
rector for ten years.
Mills said he entered the church ana
cat down In one of the pews. Near dawn
be said. he got up and returned TO MS
home. to find that his wife had not re-
turned. Again at 9 o'clock that mornlns'
be aaid he wandered back to the ohurch
On the front stoop he met Mrs. Hall, the
~ac+or,s wife. She csked him. he said' II
he had seen her husband. He deciareu
tha+ he countered by telling her that MS
wife was missing. Mrs. Hall then went 10
the police station.
r was not until nearly twenty -lout
ho,,r. later today, that Raymond snyoer
ord pearl Bahmer. went to stroll IN nus
ro,,,s lane a quaint rustic way, known
-, ,,ounp swains of the countryside as
..I oyer,s Lane" The apple tree midway
avn the lane YVES the objective OF tHeli
strolI and there they found the bodies Oh
.ho -actor and the sections wife