The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-12-07
HALL GRAND JURY
FAILS TO INDICT
Widow Hears Statement in Court
House After Vain Effort to
Tell Jurors Her Story.

S0meryfie, J--For reasons
which seem to them sufficient and
controlling. the Grand jury took no
action in the Hall Mills murder case
and laid the matter over. This does.
not mean necessarily that the matter
cannot be taken up again by this or
subsequent grand Jury"
With these words. Foreman Gibbs.
Of the Somerset county grand jury.
made known the fact that no indict-
ment had been returned In one Of the
most mystifying murder dramas that
has faced the country IN many years
FOR Ave days Special Deputy Attor
ney General Mott had been present.
ing evidence 70 bolster his theory as
10 who killed Rev Edward W Hall
and his choir singer, MRS. Eleanor
II. Mills. on Phillips farm the night
OF September Is The prosecutor
presented his star witnesses and then
settled back TO await the jury's &C
ton
Outside the jury room some one
else was awaiting the decision. II
waa Mrs Frances Noel Hall. the rec.
tors widow, who had rushed 10 the
courthouse IN the hope OF appearing
before the grand jury and who had
DOT been granted access.
She received the decision as she
has received all other developments
In the case -stoically. with scarcely a
trace OF emotion slight biting OF
the lips. a little tug OF her handker
chief. that was all that showed the
stress under which she must have
been laboring.
She received her first word OF the
iury's decision from a member Of that
body Coming out Of the jury room.
be handed a piece of paper 10 her
lawyer. Timothy n Pfeiner, Of New
York. who throughout the day had
been seated IN the foyer Of tho court.
house with Mrs Hail and her conn.
dantee. Miss sallie Peters. lie at
once communicated the message TO
bis client
Then. while Forem9u Gibbs was Is.
suing his formal statement, Mrs Han
rose. Assisted by lawyer and friend,
phe passed from the foyer IN which
an day she had snEicci 2 herself 20
the staros Of the curious, and made
ber way TO her car The trio set out
at once for the Hall home IN New
Brunswick
Mr. Mott. appointed 20 direct the IN.
Vestigauon because Of criticism q the
manner Ia which Il had been handled
IN the early stages. pinned his hopes
10 The story told him by Mrs Jane
Gibson. the quaint character who mad
appeared in the mystery drama under
the caption OF "the pig woman.
The woman swineherder, whose
story was that she had stumbled
across the double shooting while pur
suing on mulo.baek thieves who had
been robbing her cornhelds was the
next 10 last witness called She was
ushered into the jury room. passing
Mrs. Hall and her party. The women
exchanged just one glance. a tashlag
glance,
Then the door closed behind the
woman VINO cihtlhto 10 nav A1Nob
oized members OF the death group be
Meath the old apple tree on Phillips
,arm
But Mrs. Gibson was not the only
witness on whom Mr. Mott counted
He called before the jury, as a sur
nrise witness. Charles Alpavgh. iit
ney driver from someryilie The
state maintained that his testimony
regarding machine he had seer
standing near 8 lane leading g th'
scene of the murders on me night thel
occurred would serve 10 corroborat'
ne Identification e Mr Gibson
Foreman Gibbs declined tQ eniarg'
~ Bis formal statement ana Mr Aou
also maintained strict silence So tha
some doubt remained iu he M4na
of newspaper mea as % whether th'
iarF actually haa haiIotod report
tJ OF lal fae.dy aErced not g con
alder tle case further