New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
Prosecutor Asserts He Is
Ready to Ask Indict-
1r,enK Of Trio as Slay-
ers Of Jersey Couple
Feminine Witness
Not am Accessory
Case Not Submitted TO
Grand Jury Friday, but
Ii May Be Tomorrow
By Boyden Sparkes


NEW BRUNSWICK. N. j.. Oct. 2f.--
Az the end of five weeks of inexpert
Investigation. the authorities of Mid
d!esex and Somerset counties are hint
Ing that they have found an innocent
woman witness of the murder of the
Rev. Edward W. Hall and Mrs. Eleanor
Mills. They know the crime was COM
mitted on one of the darkest nights in
the month of September, and yet they
are ready to go before grand jury
and ask for the indictment of two men
an6 woman. Whatever their woman
witness saw, and she is supposed to be
resident of the rural region near the
Phillips farm, they are admittedly de-
pending upon her to identify the mur-
derers.
"Rumors regarding the signing of
al affidavit to the effect that my sis
ter was an eyewitness to the murder
.cf Mr., Hall and Mrs. Mills are abso-
iutely untrue and unfounded," de-
elared John w. Rastall tonight.
"She has never been questioned by
authorities in this or in any other con-
nsction with this case either to-day or
Of any other time. Other rumors to
the effect that she is in seclusion are
equally untrue. She is at home now"
Rumor Annoys Miss Rastall
For several weeks Miss Rastall has
been made to feel uncomfortable be-
cause her name was linked with the
Investigation after Ralph v. NJ. Gors-
line, one of the vestrymen Of st. Johns
Church, in accounting for his move
i ments on the night of September ID,
said that he had passed Miss Rastall
IN his automobile and that she had ac-
cepted his invitation to take her to
her home. The day after GorsIine was
Questioned at the courthouse his au-
tomobile was destroyed by fire.
Gorsline was questioned to-day about
that accident. An Investigator went
to hshome. He told the Investigator
thst the fire was caused by an over
heated choke and that friend, whose
name be gave to the investigator, was
driving the car when it happened.
GorsIine was asked again to give p de-
tailed account Of his movements on
September IA.
In spite of Prosecutor Azariah Beck
mans non-committal attitude of yester-
day it was learned positively to-day
that the Hall-Mills murder was not
Mentioned to the grand jurors during
the hour and half that he was before
them on Friday. 1t would have been a
simple matter for Mr.. Beekman to have
said that he had not presented the case
10 them, but he chose to be as nays
terious as a poker player drawing four
cards to a shoestring.
The grand jury meets again Monday
and there is possibility that the dou-
Bile murder will be presented to them
then. 1t was learned to-day that when
they were charged by Supreme Court
Justice Parker, sitting in Somerville
two days ago, they were warned that
they probably would be asked to con-
slider the "atrocious crime of the dou-
ole murder of the Rev. DR.. Hall and
Mrs. Mills"
1t is to Justice Parker that persons
anxious to have the investigation
placed in more competent hands will
have to appeal under the law of New
Jersey. Justice Parker also charged
the grand jury ''to deal with the case,
Continued on page seysn)