The Washington times., 1922-09-18
MESSAGE:
ON PHONE
new CLUE
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working upon the theory that jeal.
ousy led to the crime.
The fragments of torn letters found
beside the bodies have been pieced
together. They were evidently writ.
ten by Mrs, Mills TO her pastor.
From what they have learned, the
police and detectives are convinced
that DIR. Hall and Mrs. Mills had
carried ON q clandestine affair to-
gether for some time.
A theory of blackmail was ad.
vanced, and this has not yet been
entirely discarded.
However, there were no signs of "a
struggle where the bodies were found.
This opened up two avenues OF con-
jecture-either that the murderer
crept up from behind and fired, or
else that this person was knc.Vn to
both and fired Unexpectedly while in
conversation with them. The clergy
man was shot from behind.
1t developed that the Church Of ST.
John the Evangelist had been pay
ing the bills incurred by Mrs. Mills
while she was in the Middlesex Hos
pital last winter. Mr.. Hall left his
home last Thursday. It was under
$1,000 DV Ills WllC was bSAAo "
the vestry to look over some bills
that had been sent from the hospfs
tai
Husband IL Defended.
The operation was of such a seri.
Gus nature that Mrs. Mills gave IN
structions for the disposition OF her
body In the event she succumbed.
These instructions will be followed
af kax- ft.nAral
Through her lawyer, State Senator
Edwin w. Florence, Mrs. Hall said
abe had every confidence in her hus-
band, and did not know he had a
single enemy in the world.
Mrs. Hall Is on the verge OF col.
lapse from shock, grief, and worry.
Bishop Albion knight, of Trenton,
occupied the vacant pulpit Of the
Church of st. John the Evangelist
yesterday.
When Mrs. Halls brother, Will
fam Stephens, was about 10 make
q statement yesterday. he suddenly
checked himself, exclaiming:
II can say nothing. ! am bound
by the honor of my sister and by
the honor of our family"
In addition to admitting that
she was out late on the night Of
the murder. Mrs. Hall last night
said that her husband had paid
for an operation performed on
Mrs. Minis last February, but that
the money was later deducted from
the salary of Mrs. Mills husband,
who Is sexton OF st. Johns Church.
Result or Autopsy.
After performing an autopsy
over the bodies. DR.. w. H. Long.
county physician. made the follow.
ing statement:
''One bullet was found In each
head. am not certain what caused
the mark on Mrs. Mills throat. be.
cause the body IL so badly decom.
posed that 1t is Impossible to deter
mine. 1t might have been caused
by the tightness OF her scarf.
II am unable to determine whether
the hole In the Rev. Halls neck was
made by bullet or not. There were
, two bullets. probably three. fired
altogether.
"The consensus OF opinion IL that
they were both murdered and their
bodies arranged by the slayer"
The absence OF the murder gun
and the placing Of the bodies are the
factors determining the belief in the
double murder theory.
Prosecutors Statement.
Azaria Beekman, prosecutor Of
Somerset county. made the follow
ing statement:
Mrs. Hall said that she was tho
woman who entered the gate carly
Friday morning as reported by VII.
liam Phillips, q watchman, near the
Hall estate. She said that her hus-
band left the house Thursday night,
saying he was going to attend to
Mrs. Mills hospital bill. This bill
was paid with his checks, but these
checks were a loan to Mills. whose
weekly salary was applied in re-
payment.
"she said she was 50 worried over
her husbands absence that she left
the house about o'clock IN the
morning in search of him She said
he had never remained out that late
without having previously tele-
phoned he would not be home.
'She said she was accompanied
by her brother. William Stevens, and
that they went 10 the church, be-
lievtng that her husband had fallen
asleep in his study there"
The prosecutor. when asked II he
accepted, Mrs. Halls statement as
TO her reason for being out so late
at night, replied:
That is what abe said"
10 was learned that Mrs. Hall IL
an expert markswonian, being par
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