The New York herald., 1922-11-02
Answers Calmly, Coldly and
With Remarkable Dis
play of Reasoning.
INFERENCES REPULSED
Discusses Murder, Divorce and
Insanity, but Puts No Light.
on Mystery.

Special Dispatch 70 THE New YoRK HERALD.
NEW BRUNSWICK, n. j., Nov. L.
without displaying a single spark OF
feeling, with never a tremor of the
lips, and without n single tear dim
ming for an instant the cold, steel
gray of her eyes, Mrs. Frances Stevens
Hall, widow of the murdered rector
of the Church of st. John the Evan
gelist, submitted this afternoon to an
interview lasting fffty-three minutes
and talked. largely in monosyllables.
of the crime that deprived her OF her
husband.
Minute by minute she answered
questions calmy carefully, thought
fully, without hesitation. Minute by
minute she withstood the scrutiny OF
more than twenty pairs OF eyes. Item
by item she met the differences and
insinuations that the state OF the
FHall-Mills murder mystery make in
evitable Step by step she went over
her own movements on the night OF
the tragedy. She talked of murder, OF
divorce, Of property, OF insanity, OF
her husband and the possibility OF his
infidelity. She talked. carefully and
thoughtsully, of every aspect OF this
extraordinary case-for very close TO
an hour-sitting in the library of her
home. where, unquestionably. she and
her husband had often sat together.
Not Bit yindictfve.
Not once did her voice lulver. Not
! once did her eyes fin Not once did
she shift uneasily. Not once did her
| eyes dim Not once did her lips twltch.
Not once did her brow wrinkle. Not
once did she show resentment and not
once did she display. even for an In
stant. that gentleness. that tenderness,
that sorrow that might have been ex-
pected Of a woman of gentle breeding
who had lost her husband within mat
ter of weeks.
On the other hand not once did Mrs.
Hall show a sign OF vindictiveness. Not
once was there an evidence of high feel
ing we'll controlled. Not once did pas
sion of any sort shine in her eyes, and
never. never in all the fifty three min
utes cid Mrs. Hall evince the slightest
real interest in what was going on, in
what had happened. or in what Is surely
about TO happen.
At the close of this remarkable Inter-
view. which is probably without paral-
tel. there was gleam OF light. The
time had been set In advance for the
oiose-2 80. The hour had arrived.
Timothy n. Pfelffer. counsel for the
woman, who had remained without. had
reentered the room. One interviewer
suggested another question. Mr.. Ffciffer
looked at his client and clearly with
consideration for her said; IL think
It has lasted long enough Mrs Hail
standing. Strengthened her shoulders just
trifle and said with slight asperity:
Yes they have asked questions enough
7 emper. disdain. pr.de-especiany pride
lay behind those few words and the
slight movement OF the shoulders.
Throws No New Light.
Mrs Hall when the time comes. as II
will. will make a wonderful witness.
She can stand croi ois-exam'nation as few
women can. She has wonderful reason.
ing power and no imagination whatever.
Her mind and her features she has
Under absolute control. She WI. make
no mistakes and she will display abso-
lutely no emotion. She gave the Inn
preston to-day that she Is wholly with
out emotion. That. Of course. clnnot be
SC But II there are emotions within.
depressed. only Mrs. Hall knows IT, has
known II or ever will know e. Pride
In the answers that Mrs Hall gave
10 countless questions there Is to be
found little that Is new. little that
throws any light or the mystery itself.
little that can change, even in the de-
tails. tho events as they have been
ehronicled in the last six or seven
weeks.
Mrs Hall Is a. She Is short. with
heavy figure and the head and features
10 -
as a steel trap She half closes them
az times but not 20 hide their depths.
for they have no depths Her brows are
heavy Her Jaw Is heavy. firm. hard
Her lips arc thin. her nose as heavy as
the rest Of her face And her ears IL
should be remarked. inasmuch as others
are always 20 be observed in cases OF
this sort run down into her cheeks.
with not "a sign Of a lobe.
Any Question Permitted.
To-day Mrs. Hall was dressed In a
plain none too well cut dress OF black
canton crepe. About her shoulders was
a scarf OF crepe de chine. bordered with
crepe two inches in width The woman's
hands and feet are small i'm proportion
20 her build and her features She wore
plain black silk stockings and plain
low cut black shoes. ON one hand was
"tVuiuh IlHA anu 'utSlue lt on tne
Same finger ring with three dia~
wonds She wore NO other ornaments.
The -lSirt was ~ the panel sort now In
vogue. but more voluninous than usual.
s0 that the figure was well hidden At
The waistline were GONE rosettes--an
odd touch OF dressmaklng
The setting OF the interview was the
library IN the Hall home a ground
floor room with a double door leading
90 the hallway and another wide en-
uance 20 the dining room beyond Nue.
Of the furniture Is mahogany the onA
thlng that caves the room from utt
medlocrity. There is too much furnituit.
too many ornaments, too many odd pic