Evening journal., 1922-09-20
LETTERS FROM MRS. MILLS
TO RECTOR NAY LEAD
TO MURDER SOLUTION


everything just as It was. we
brought nothing away except our
personal belongings. I don't know
why that was stipulated, for. as far
as l know. no one has ever occupied
the place since.
The house has a staircase Of ma
hogany and its rooms are very large.
1t was built 95 years ago by the De
Russys, who owned all the land
whereabouts and had owned It
for 200 years. The house was erect
ed after the original De Russy home
buried down.
Il bought the place in 1906 from
Amity and Julia De Russy. brother
and sister. They now live in Wood
bridge, n. ]. Porter has never lived
there. He lives in Highland Park.
They tell me the place looks clean
and tidy inside and I can't quite
understand that, for as far as know
there has not even been a caretaker
there"
What Phillips says is interesting
because through the windows furni-
ture can be seen In place. rugs on the
floor and the blinds drawn, just as
though the family had gone away for
a days automobillng. inside the
place looks spotless. The porches.
too. are clean. except where in one
place a dying rosebush has shed a
lot OF leaves. The windows looked
today as though they had been
washed within n week. The grounds
were a little disordered. and the
house appeared old. but thoroughly
Inhabitable.
One OF the first stories told after |
the bodies were discovered was that !
Hall in his character as a minister 1
went frequently 10 the Parker Home |
'or the Aged in Easton avenue. and |
Mrs. Mills accompanied him TO lead /
he singing in the services held by |
he minister at the home. This was
he immediate explanation of the
wo being seen together frequently
It now appears that the visits OF
he rector to the home were never
requent. and that Mrs Mills Is not
Inown 10 the secretary In charge
yer 10 have been In the place. The
ignihcance OF this may be judged
When II is known that the Phillips
iouse. apparently deserted. though
ully furnished. and bought some
lonths ago by the trustee of Willie ,
tevens. whose guardian Hall is I'M
erstood to have been. is directly
cross the road from the Parker
lone for the Aged
At the same time IL is hidden
in the trees. as isolated J
) il It were miles from any habi-
ltion. as appropriate a trysting Z
lace for those unafraid Of the dark
} it Is admirably suited for the 4
ommission OF n capital crime. The r
ructure Is a two and a half story
anne dwelling. built on large lines. +
1t faces south, turning its back on y
aston avenue. 1t faces a wide I
wn in poor condition and miles +
: fields beyond. The entrance Is ;
= a winding road from DeRussy's
ne. though there are other half ?
dden roads in the fields. II was at \
Ie point where the road from DE !
ussy's lane turns through break r
the row of trees and underbrush :,
veritable thicket. that the bodies
the murdered couple were found.
It is understood that one Of the :
les of inquiry that the county de- G
,tives are following will lead to =
cir learning whether Hall, Willie
avens or any member OF the Hall
mily had a key to this empty Il
use. II will be learned tomorrow.
,. who owns the place now. In n,
I the Phillips farmhouse appears pr
ely to become the most important so
u in the whole case. ~ n,
Il appears. as far as the official ri
were concerned, that c,
ere is TO be a lot milling around w
tn some division of authority and TO
great deal Of courteous consider d,
on for the other fellows feelings OF
e authorities of Middlesex county mr.
e reluctant to start anything that wi
~ hurt the sensibllities of their La
others over. IN Somerset county So So
d vice versa. The bodies were ST
1nd in Somerset county. where I'M
e Phillips farm Is, but the prin-
,als in the case all live or lived in Sc
ddlesex county. in which the town wa
New Brunswick lies. GO
Iestloncd Before Funeral On
Mills. the husband Of the dead WI
DIR singer, had busy day and pc
smed, strangely. to stand It rather tn
tier than he did the first day Of co
exciting experiences He was &c
ting ready to go 20 his wlfes flu
raj when at eight o'clock Joseph
Stricken. county prosecutor of
ddlesex. sent for him. He was
estioned for an hour and then
Mt TO the funeral. He was brought
* afterward and questioned /.
lin. Then he entered a taxicab
avoid photographers and was
ven home with a detective as
npany But the detective left him
soon as he was safe from the CT
,tographers who have been snap
g the poor man into distraction
three days. AZ
he authorities have found a wea-
that may or may not have been tic
nected with the crime. but they IN
not find It in the Mills house IN
TN