The Washington herald., 1922-10-13

NEW BRUNSWICK, n. J.. Oct
12.-Mystery has settled down again
over the double murder of Rev.
Edward Hall. Episcopal minister,
and Mrs. Eleanor Mills. choir
singer. which took place under an
old crab-apple tree on the lonely
Phillips farm here a month ago
Clifford Hayes, the young former
service man who was charged with
the murder by his pal, has been re-
leased and the accusation dis
missed. He was promptly set free
from the Somerset County jail
when Raymond Schneider. a young
ne'er-do-well here retracted his
recent confession" which accused
Hayes of the crime.
Schneider, weeping from remorse,
told county authorities he had
thought Hayes was trying to i'm
plicate him In the double murder
and made the charge against his
old school chum out of revenge.
Governor May Act.
Now the authorities of Middlesex
and Somerset counties are seeking
new clues. Citizens here, who
never believed Hayes guilty. min
lease with impatient criticism of
the authorities. Reports were cir
culating that Gov. Edwards. who
has been demanding more vigorous
search may send the State attor-
ney general here to handle the
prosecution. There is such a tanEle
Of local infiuence-political. finan-
cial and social-that the residents
are beginning to fear the guilty
person or persons will not be
found.
1t is intimated the prosecuting
authorities will drop the theory
that the minister and his COM
panion were mistaken for another
couple and killed. The former
theory that the murders were COM
mitted out of jealousy is to be
taken up again. \ coat and scarf
belonging to Mrs. Hall, which were
sent to Philadelphia some time
after the murder. have been taken
for examination. A knife found
near the Phillips farm is also be-
ing examined.
Crowd Welcomes Hayes.
Hayes was the center of the
drama today. He has been pictured
here as martyr. Huge crowds
gathered at his home to welcome
him back from Somerset County
Jail after he was released in custody
of his two attorneys. His aged
mother. who has been prostrated by
her sons arrest, got out her Sunday
dress for her boys return. She
waited nervously on the porch after
word had come that he had started
he Sol
back in the automobile of former
Senator Brown, one of his attorneys.
Thomas r. Haggerty. city attorney,
and the other counsel for Hayes.
accompanied them. The crowd rec
ognized the car a block away. A
shout went up. Mrs. Hayes broke
away from the little group waiting
with her She ran down the walk
and threw her arms around the
boys neck as he got out of the car.
MY boy. my boy" she soGbed as
she kissed him. Then she kissed
both of the attorneys. The fatheR
stood by. his eyes filled with tears.
There was a firm, silent handshake
between father and son. Then the
crowd surged around and cheered
Hayes as he pushed his way, with
his arm around his aged mother,
into the house.
Schneider Is Overcome.
His release came after a dramatic
session in the conference room OF
the Somerset County jail at Somer-
willie, where Schneider. held as ma
terial witness. faced Prosecutor A
NJ. Beekman. Warden Major, stem
ographer and several reporters
Schneider's previous confessions,
different in many details, accused
Hayes. his old schoolmate, of the
double murder.
But he had been overcome with
remorse as he sat in his cell ana
saw the parents Of Hayes, broken
with grief. visit their son in the