New-York tribune., 1922-09-30
Assures Charlotte Mills
Entire Power of Office
Will Be Used TO Detect
Slayer of Her Mother
Autopsy Shows
3 Bullet Wounds
Prosecutor Admits No
Thorough Examination
Was Made Before Burial
By Boyden Sparkes


NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j.. Sept. 2s.-
Justification for the charge Of official
bungling of the investigation Of the
Hall-Mills murder was found to-day
when belated autopsy was performed
on the body of Mrs. Eleanor Mills.
Afterward Prosecutor Azariah M. Beck
man, of Somerset County, admitted that
ne had never ordered County Physician
William Long to perform autopsies on
either of the bodies
Tonight. presumably after Governor
Edwards at Jersey City had learned
these facts, he wrote letter in reply
to one from Charlotte Mills, daughter
Of the murdered choir singer, in which
he said he was placing the entire state
police at the disposal of the prosecu-
tors Of Mtddlesex and Somerset coun-
ties to aid them in tracking down the
murderer of her mother. Charlotte had
visited the Governors office in JERSEY
City during the afternoon, but did not
see Governor Edwards. She talked
with his secretary and the letter was
written some time after the high school
girl had started back to New Bruins
wick.
Doctor Explains
Prosecutor Beekman's admission was
made after DR.. Long said:
Il was never asked to perform an
autopsy on either OF the bodies. /
was asked to make an examination of
the external wounds. I take my in
structions from Prosecutor Beekman's
ofilce and / was only asked to make
a report on the condition Of the
bodies"
When this was repeated to Mr.. Beck
man he said.
well, I never gave DR.. Long any
Instructions about this oase. 1 sup
pose County Detective George Totten
gave what Instructions he received.a
nevertheless for two weeks DIR.
Long, in series of interviews, has
glveE. newspaper men the definite i'm
preston that he did perform an
autopsy on the body of Mrs. Mills. He
has said that he did not make such a
thorough examination Of DR.. Halls
BODY because 1t was apparent to him
that there was only one wound in the
head and that this had caused the
rector's death. On one of these oc.
casions he volunteered the information
that he had performed about five hun
dred autopsies and therefore knew
what he was talking about.
Open Grave by Night
1t was 2 O'Clock this morning when
q group of grave diggers and detec
tives went to the low mound of earth
that marked the burial spot of Mrs.
Mills In Van Liew Cemetery. They
worked swiftly by lantern light, speak
ing only in whispers. Long before day-
break they had lifted the coffin from
the grave and. taken it to the under
taking establishment of Coroner John
V. Hubbard.
At $3.50 o'clock this morning Prose
cutor Beekman, detectives of both
counties and four physicians gathered
to perform the autopsy. The physi-
Somerville; DR.. l.. a. Smith, of New
Brunswick; DR.. Long, County Physi-
clan of Somerset, and DR.. e. l. Cronk,
Health Officer Of New Brunswick,
1t was Dr. Cronk's statement that
there were three bullet wounds in Mrs.
Mills's head that first attracted the at
tention of investigators to the sup
posed autopsy Of DR.. Long. He had
said repeatedly that there was only
one wound in Mrs. Mills's body, and
that was at the top of her forehead.
midway between the eyes. DR.. Cronk
had made his examination of the
bodies at the behest Of the family of
tho murdered clergyman.
Neck Nearly Severed
Or. Cronk's statement was complete
ly justified by the autopsy The physi-
clans learned that one bullet had
entered the woman's forehead at the
line of her hair. This missile proba-
bly, was responsible for fracture Of
her skull that was discovered to-day.
a second bullet had passed through
the right cheek and lodged in the brain
tissue. A third had penetrated the
right temple region above the ear.
passed through the skull and had raised
lump on the scalp behind the left ear.
In the upper lip, Just below the nose,
was fourth wound, that might have
been made by spent bullet. It had
not penetrated to the taeth. This
suggested the theory that it was
bullet that had previously passed
through the clergyman's head
a studious examination of the
wound in Mrs. Mills's throat revealed
what was described as u necklace in
CONTINUED on pass four)