Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-11-20
HaW-INilZs Murder Is
Probed by Grand Jury


singer sweetheart were found jus
over the county line in Somerse
county the jurors were summoned q
the courthouse here, IS miles from
tn scene of the crime. Somerville 4
the county seat.
Discussion by the jury of Mrs
Frances n. Halls request that she b,
permitted to testify Immediately was
expected to occupy some time and
the authorities indicated IL might be
several days before they got around
to direct questioning of witnesses
Mrs Hall. widow OF the slain pastor
has requested permission TO be heard
in her own defense before an indict-
| ment Is returned.
Charlotte Mills. motherless victim
OF the tragedy OF Phillips farm was
among the first witnesses summoned
TO appear before the grand jury.
There will be about so in all IL nee
essary, Mott has indicated.
Probably Mrs. Jane Gibson the
pig woman" who claims she saw
the killing and that Mrs. Hall was
present, will be the star witness
for the STAGE. The testimony of Mrs.
Russell, a colored woman who says
Mrs. Gibson's story is not true will
be second in importance.
The presentation will take prob
ably four and perhaps five days. BY
the end of the week IL should be
known whether there are to be in
dictments.
The Grand Jury will sit every day
from 10 until 4.
Three women are on the grand
jury, Maud S. CASTOR of Somerville
and Elizabeth Taylor and Agnes IL.
Banks of North Plainheld. The
women prominent in the case are
Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Jane Gibson, the
woman farmer, who makes the chief
accusation against the woman in
gray" she says she saw at the MUIR
der scene on the night Of the crime;
Mrs. Nellie 10 Russell. Negress,
who asserts that Mrs. Gibson was
not at the Phillips farm on the night
in question, and Charlotte Mills,
daughter Of the murdered choir
singer.
The grand jurors other than the
women referred TO are:
Russell l.. Cruiser, Hillsboro;
Henry w. Spice, Franklin; Frank
Warren; william J. Cor
telyou, Franklin; Arnold owens,
Bedminster; Sanford w. Tunison,
Bernardsville; Frank Rowley, North
Plainheid; Parker T. Ramsey, Pea
pack Cornelius X. Compton, North
Plainfield; Michael Ruggieri. Bridge
water; Alfred B. Glib (foreman),
3ernardsville; Andrew Koehler
Leighton A. Nevins. Bed
Charles r. Welsh. Ber-
lardsvllle; c. Clifford Nevius, Frank
in; Peter c. Van Mus, Somerville;
.rthur A. Cannon, North Plainheld;
larry II. Miller. Peapack; Charles
/. Miller. Bound Brook; Nathaniel
sproul. somerville; David J.
NTH, Somerville.
Mr.. Mott by no means is certain
hat he will be able to obtain indict-
tents for the murder. He made that
lear in this statement.
Everything is now ready to lay
efore the Grand Jury. do not say
ow, and 1 never have said, that I
m confident of gaining an indict-
" presenting the case to the Grand
ury. 1t is up 20 them to decide
whether there shall be an indict-
nent. l have my evidence in shape
nd 1 am now prepared to go before
hem and let them pass Judgment"
This statement Is entirely in accord
nth information obtained from
Their sources on the strength OF Mr..
lofts case. As has been said. the
violence against the so-called wo-
nan IN gray Is strong, in view of the
sstimony OF Mrs Jane Gibson. but ,
ne evidence against any man Is
ardly strong enough TO warrant the
eturning of a true bill. Mrs. Glib
,n's story does not accuse the wo- :
ian in gray OF having done the kill
lg.
A partial list of the witnesses It is
nown Mr.. Mott will call has been '
lade up. Necessarily Pearl Bah {
er and Raymond Schneider head G
as they found the bodies. Mrs. I
dward Striker, from whose home q
Ie telephone message was sent TO c
lie police by Schneider, will be 1
He'd next. Then the two police a
en-. Garrigan and Curran, who \
Iarded the bodies until the arri- a
Il from Somerville of County De- h
ctive George Totem, will appear v
rank Deiner, reporter for a local
tper. who aided in the identiflca- 4
on of the bodies, also is to be
illness. The members of the YES
y of the church are Charles f. d. =
helps, senior warden; II. l.. Barth-
omey, junior warden; Robert
lrton. William G.. Bearman. Will
I'm Goodwin, Richard Parker,
AIRY Della Bar Carpenter Sidney
Carpenter, Ralph V. NJ. Gorsline,
lillian Hubner and Franklin
okes. All will be called and so
III some members of the choir, in {
uding Mrs. Addison Clarke. Mrs.
.ssie Jameson and Mrs. Alva T. Ia
,rtian. Three Of Mrs. Mills sis k
RS. Mrs. Elsie Bernhart, Mrs ei
igusta Tennesson and Mrs. r. m
hitaker. will be witnesses. James a.
ills and Charlotte Mills, husband ei
Id daughter, are included. al
William Phillips, the Waterman m
no saw Mrs. Hall enter her home al
rly on the Friday morning, and cl
II. Bennett. whose dog awak-
ed him at the same time, will be "
lied. and William O'Rourke and p'
5 wife, who saw Mrs. Mills and al
all near the Phillips farm in the Ia
rly evening. Then there is Thomas X
,yne. the motorman. who rode
tn Mrs. Mills on the Lexington
enue trolley. Mrs. A. c. Falley. et
10 lived close to the scene OF the Il
inc. and her boarder. Sigourney Il