New Britain herald., 1926-09-15
GRAND JURY HEARS
 HALL-MILLS CASE
Witnesses Presenting Their
 Evidence Today

Somerville, x. J., Sept. Is Pl-The April term grand jury, recalled un- eXpeCtedly to consider the evidence obtained in the revived investiga- tion of the four year old HallMills death mystery. went into session to- day after having been charged by Supreme Justice Charles W. Parker. Three persons have been charged with the staying of the Rev. Edward Wheeler Hall and Mrs. Eleanor Mills, on the night of September 14, 1922. They are Mrs. Frances Stew ems Hall, the widow; Willie Stevens, her brother, and Henry Carpenter, a cousin.
 Justice Parker at the conclusion of his charge told the jury that while he had mentioned only the three persons accused of the crime. in- dictments might be returned against others if the grand jury deemed such action warranted.
 "Indict where the evidence before you establishes in your mind a req sonable possibility of the guilt of the accused" he directed.
 Defines Various Degrees
 The charge defined the various degrees of murder and of accessory.
 Senator Clarence F. Case, and Augustus Struder, of counsel for defense, were present when the charge was delievered and the grand jury was accompanied into it's room by Special Prosecutor Alexander Simpson, prosecutor Francis Bergen and Irving Schweid, clerk.
 First Witness Called
 Edward Carrigan, New Brunswick hotel proprietor. and one of the first to arrive at the crabapple tree on the Phillips farm after the find ing of the bodies, was the first wit ness called.
 Most of the witnesses whose names have become familiar tc thousands of newspaper readers be- cause of the revived investigation were on hand.
 Gorsline Also There
 Ralph V. M. Gorsline. and Miss Catherine Rastall, both of New Brunswick, who last week admitted that they had been within 300 yards of the murders sat on opposite sides of the room.
 Those summoned included Louise Geist RiehI, maid in the Hall house hold.
 Mrs. Anna Hoag, living near the Phillips farm,
 A. J. Cardinal, former reporter of the New Brunswick Home News.
 William Phillip, watchman at the New Jersey college for women, and arrested as material witness ! shortly after the arrest of Mrs Hall
 Fred David. Middlesex county de 1 tective who recently was criticized by Senator Simpson for not having given full cooperation in the revived inquiry.
 Mrs. Ellen Walsh. New Brunswick justice of the peace. who was ques' toned yesterday at state police ! headquarters.
 Recall of the April grand jury came as a distinct surprise late yes terday, not only to the public but l to some officials conducting the re yived investigation. State Senator Alexander Simpson, special prosecu, tor, and Inspector John J. Under wood, chief of a staff of Jersey City | detectives, working on the inquiry insisted that the jury was ordered to reconvene without their knowl' edge. Francis L. Bergen, prosecu' tor of Somerset county, and Sheriff Sanford w. Tunison declined te discuss the matter.
 Mir. Simpson, however, declared i was immaterial to him whether evidence against the defendants wa presented to the April jury or thu September panel, which body wal originally scheduled to consider th' case.
 SlTnulIl0POuS Nllli tue IOliilNth'ioi of the jurors to appear at the cour house today, thirty suhpoenas fo the summoning of witnesses wer turned over to a number of tn prosecutors staff in blank form.
 The fact that Carlton P. Hoaglan' publisher of a weekly paper in Som erville which has bitterly attacket Simpson and his methods since re vival of the mystery is foreman o the April grand jury, apparently ha not perturbed the prosecutor.
 The fourth anniversary of tn mystery yesterday found the stat still in pursuit of missing witnesse and clues. Mir. Simpson declare, his Investigators were now seekin man and woman said to be promi nent residents Of New Brunswick With them he hopes to substantial the stories Of his three star wit nesses, Mrs Jane Gibson. pi farmer: Ralph V. M. Gorsline an Miss Catherine Rastall. The latte three told of being near the seen of the crime and hearing shouts an voices and Mrs. Gibson has identife the defendants as the persons sh saw there.