New-York tribune., 1922-10-03
Slain Rector's Widow Sent
Clothes to Cleaner Four
Days After Bodies We're
Found, Detectives Learn
Girl Servant in
Home Questioned
State Police Search Farm.
Empty Wells and House
for Further Evidence
BY Boyden Sparkes

NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j., Oct. g
The aid of the Philadelphia Police De-
partment was enlisted to-day by the
officials of Middlesex and Somerset
counties in search for certain facts
about bundle Of feminine wearing
apparel received from the Hall home
by Philadelphia cleaning and dye
ing company four days after the dis
coverv Of the bodies of the rector and
the choir singer.
Detective Charles Collins, of Prose
cutor Stricker's staff, went to Phila-
delphia secretly and saw Lieutenant
Belshaw, in command Of the murder
squad there. He assigned Detective
Shelter to assist Collins in getting in
formation from Bornot's cleaning and
dyeing establishment at Twelfth and
Walnut streets.
Afterward it was learned from Lieu
tenant Belshaw that clerks in Bor-
not's Office remembered receiving this
clothing, which they understood was
the property of Mrs. Hall. The clerks
said with the clothing they received
instructions to dye the garments black
None of the clerks, according to Lieu
tenant Belshaw. recalled that the cloth
ing was stained or spotted noticeably.
When Detective Collins was asked
about this phase of the investigation
upon his return to New Brunswick he
became enraged.
Servant Examined
"This is the first real piece of news
we'd got and somebody had to 90 and
spill it," he complained, and refused to
divu'oe any further information. 1t
wasteJon after his return that detec-
tivessasere sent to the Hall home for
Louise Geist, bob-haired servant
She was brought to the courthouse and
questioned at length.
Timothy Pfieffer, former Assistant
District Attorney in New York, who has
been acting as Mrs. Halls counsel, said
tonight that Mrs. Hall turned over to
long brown ,ilstar and scarf which
she asked to be sent to the Philadel-
phia establishment to be dyed black.
This was on September 20, Mr.. Pfieffet
said, and the articles have not yet been
returned.
The chase to Philadelphia was but
one phase of the most active day the
county Investigators have had since
the discovery of the crime.
Pressure from Governor Edwards
was reflected in many ways, but in none
more clearly than in another interrc-
cation of Charlotte Mills, the fifteen
year-old daughter Of the murdered
woman. 1t was Charlotte's letter to
the Governor complaining against the
failure to find the person who killed
her mother that moved Governor Ed
wards to send state troopers here.
Girl Gets Lawyer
One of Prosecutor Stricker's detec-
tives went to the high school and sum-
moned the girl from her class. She was
hurried to the courthouse and taken
into the office of the prosecutor. Later
her experience.
Prosecutor Beekman asked me why
had complained to Governor Ed
wards" she said.
"He asked me: Don't you think we
are hunting as hard as we can for the
murderer p"
1 replied: "No, + do not. want the
murderer arrested
Charlotte said she also informed
Prosecutor Beekman that she was sick
and tired Of being taken to the court
mouse LU Dc IldUG 10 repeat duSWGlS "
lot Of silly questions"
"that I was not going to submit to any
more abuse and that / had retained
Florence North, a woman lawyer, to
protect me. Then they sent me back to
school,"
While Mr.. Beekman was talking with
Charlotte state troopers were making
the first complete official search that
has been made on the deserted farm
where the bodies were found. Ser
geant Lamb. Corporal Frank Spearman
and trooper Henry Dickman, all of
the Netcong troop of the New Jersey
Constabulary, divided the 150 acre tract
into zones before beginning a syste-
matte hunt for evidence.
Search Farmhouse
Working with reporters, they cleaned
out several wells, searched the farm
house, basns and thickets. In one of
the bedrooms in the house they found
a strip of mating stained with what
at first was believed to be blood, but
which proved to be dark red paint.
County detectives who made what
they called search Of the house about
though it was beside the only bed in
the house from which the mattress was
missing.
During the day the troopers went to
the office Of Prosecutor Stricken and
asked tc See the clothing that was re-
moved from DR.. Halls body. 1t WAS
shown to them.
1t was after a conference between
the two prosecutors that Mrs. Addison
Clarke, member of the st. John the
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