Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-11-29
NO INDICTMENT
IS RETURNED BY
GRAND JURY IN
DOUBLE Staying
"For Reasons Which Seem
to Them Sufficient and
Controlling" No Action
Is Taken, Says Foreman
HALL MILLS MURDER
CASE IS UNS0LVED
Decision Comes After Five
Days Spent by ProSecu-
tor Mott in an Effort to
Fix Responsibility

Someryllle n. j., Nov. IS (by the
Associated Press For reasons
which seem to them sufficient and
controlling, the grand jury took
no action In the Hall-Mills mur-
der case and laid the matter over.
This does not mean necessarily
that the matter cannot be taken
up again by this or a subsequent
grand jury
with these words Foreman
Gibbs of the Somerset county
grand jury late today made known
the fact that no indictment had
been returned in one Of the most
mystifying murder dramas that has
faced the country in many years.
For five days, Special Attorney
General Mott had been presenting
evidence to bolster up his theory
as to who killed the Rev. Edward
Wheeler Han and his choir singer,
Mrs. Eleanor Il. Mills, on the Phil
lips farm the night OF September
"A. Today the prosecutor present
ed his star witnesses and then set
tied back to await the jury's de-
CisiOn.
Outside the jury room some one
else was awaiting the decision. II
Was Mrs. Frances Noel Hall Tho
rector's widow, who had rushed to
the court house this morning in
the hope of appearing before the
grand, jury and who had not been
granted access.
Received Decision StOically
She received the decision as she
has received an other develop
ments in the case-stoically with
scarcely a trace OF emotion.
She received her first word OF
the jury's decision from a member
Of that body. Coming out Of the
jury room, he handed piece OF
paper to her lawyer, Timothy n.
Pfeiffer Of New York, who
throughout the day had been seat
ed in the court house with Mrs
/ Hall and her confldente. Miss Sal
/ lie Peters. He ut once eofnmunis
Gated the message to his client.
Then, while Foreman Glib was
issuing his formal statement Mrs.
Hall rose. Assisted by lawyer and
friends. she passed from the foyer,
where. all day she had subjected
herself 70 the s,arrs OF the curious
and made her way to her car. The
trio at once set ont for the Hall
home in New Brunswick.
Mr.. Mott, appointed 10 direct the
Investigation, because OF criticism
Of the manner Of which 1t was
handled IN early stages, pinned his
hopes to the story told him by
Mrs. Jane Gibson, the quaint char
acter who had appeared in the
mystery drama under the caption
of the pig Woman"
The woman swineherd - whose
story was that she had stumbled
across the dopble shooting While
pursuing on muleback hunting
thieves who had been robbiug her
cornfields--was the last witness
but one called today. She was
ushered into the jury room. pass
ing Mrs. Hall and her party. The
women exchanged just one flashing
glance.
Then the door closed behind the
woman who claimed to have rec
ognized members OF the death
group beneath the old crab apple
tree on Phillips farm.
t0lFDFl~t w
But Mrs. Gibson was not the
only witness on who Mr.. Mott
counted He called before the jury,
as a surprise witness, Charles Al
paugh, jitney driver from SOM
eryille. The state maintained that
his testimony regarding a machine
he had seen standing near n lane,
leading to the scene of the mur-
ders on the night they occurred
would serve TO coToborate tho
Identification Of Mrs. Gibson.
Foreman Glbb declined to en-
large upon his formal statement
and Mr.. Mott also maintained
strict silence, so that some doubt
remained in the minds of the news
paper men as to whether the jury
actually had hallotted. as reported,
or had tacticly agreed not to con-
slider the case further.