New Britain herald., 1924-09-16
MURDER RECALLS
 THE MILLS CASE
Johnson Staying Is Similar in
 Many Respects

New Brunswick, N. l., Sept. 16.-- Detectives of Middlesex county in- yestigating the killing of Elizabeth Johnson, IS. of Kingston, whose body was found under scrub bush by the shore of Carnegie lake Sum- day found many striking similarities between the mystery and that sur rounding the death of the Rev. Ed ward Wheeler Hall and his choir leader. Mrs. Eleanor R. Mills, whose bodies were found side by side in a field on the Phillips farm two years ago today.
 The girl, a daughter Of a prom inent farmer of Kingston, left home August 12 and had not been seen since then until James Casserly, caretaker at St. Joseph's college, 8 preparatory school, nearby, discover ed the body and notified state police at Kingston.
 The spot was even more remote that the vicinity of the crab-apple tree where the Rev. Dr. Hall and Mrs. Mills were found and the ab- sence of tangible clews as to how the body came there, as we'll as the un- certainty as to whether the girl had been killed where she lay or else | where, were circumstances that served to recall the earlier crime, Her body was laid carefully on a newspaper recalling the manner in which the bodies of the two victims of the earlier crime were arranged. circumstance which at the time caused investigators to suspect that someone with knowledge of un- dertaking had been present at the killing.
 The Johnson girl was killed by a small calibre revolver pressed close to her temple, according to County Detective Ferd David. This gave rise to a suicide theory which was quick ly discounted when a careful search failed to disclose the weapon. Man Is Suspected
 Joseph A, Johnson, the girls father, told detectives of man who he suspects committed the crime to avenge himself of fancied wrong. Detective David is anxioss to ques- ton this man, who is said to have been employed on the Johnson farm. There are four other young men. be- lieved to have been friendly with the slain girl, who will be called for questioning. Mr. David said. Detective David, mindful of the throngs of the curious that thronged to the scene of the Hall-Mils murder and obliterated what ever clews there might have been, posted a guard around the spot where the Johnson girls body was found soon ! after 1t was removed to the morgue.
 The girls fatber readily admitted his daughters disappearance but at | first secuted the idea that 1t was her body that had been found, at the morgue, however, he identified the body as that of his daughter by clothing and jewelry she was wear ing when she left home.
 He was grtef-Nricken and said that when she disappeared he be- lieved she had run away to seek work as she was restless during the long summer vacation from school and had expressed the wish to earn her living.
 Detective David revealed today that two silver buckles which were missing from the girls pumps when her body was found, had been cut away. He said they were doubtless taken after the girl had been shot but could advance no reason for the act.
 It also was learned that the girl, who slept with her ten year old sis ter Katherine, had gotten up and dressed about 10:30 on the night she disappeared. The younger girl said that she awoke and asked Elizabeth if she couldn't sleep, She replied No, I'm too restless" She then went out and Katherine went back to IL