Evening star., 1926-11-12
HAL[-M|LLS TRIAL
INSPIRED BY PAPER,
DEFENSE CHARGES
Theory That Tabloid Pro-
NOTED Case as Circulation
Builder Is Advanced.
MAID, ON WITNESS STAND,
BARES GUILD OF GOSSIPS
Barbara, Tough Says She Feels
Mean" as Court Forces Her
to Reveal Names.
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
COURTHOUSE, SOMERVILLE,
n. j., November 1o.-Defense coun-
sci in the Hall-Mills case today said
in argument to the court that 1t has
a theory that the present trial was
promoted and inspired" by the Daily
Mirror, New York tabloid news
paper
The statement was made during
cross amination of one of the two
witnesses Of the forenoon session.
Philip Payne, managing editor Of the
Mirror. Payne, who had testified as
to the photographing in his Office Of a
calling card the State claims bears
Willie Stevens fingerprint, was asked
on cross-examination how much the
Mirror has spent ION this investiga
ton"
State Raises Objection.
Objection was promptly raised by
the State. and Robert H. McCarter,
senior defense counsel said in his ar
gument as to the competency of the
question that it is a theory of the de-
AClISC lildl lIllS IlidIlSI Ilo" DTlilS
prosecuted as a solemn trial in this
court was promoted and inspired by
the Mirror for financial reasons and
to promote circulation
The question was excluded by the
court.
In approaching the question from
another angle, defense counsel at
tempted to question the witness as to
the newspapers connection with at
torneys' fees in case of Arthur Riehl
against his wife. who, as Louise Gesit,
was a maid in the Hall home. This.
too, was overruled.
Barbara Tough. maid in the Hall
home at the time Of the crime, was
the only other witness of the morn
ing.
The former maid in the Hall home
was made to feel mean" when she
was asked to give the names of girls
Of the guild who gossiped about the
"friendliness" between the Rev. Ed
ward w. Hall and Mrs. Eleanor r
Mills several years before they were
slain together. Instructed by the
court to give the names Of the gos-
sipers after she had protested, she
declared with manifest emotion that
she felt like a sneak
At that, the Scotch 1assies revela
tions of gossiping girls did not hurt
their regulations of today to any ex-
tent, for she knew few Of their mar
ried names, she declared, after adding
that most of them have married
we'll"
Gives Names in Disgust.
Their maiden names were given in
a disguised tone and with so much Of
the "honnie brogue" of old Scotland
that only the fellow countrymen Of
the witness present could identify
them.
The description "friendliness' used
by defense counsel on cross -examina-
IN. referring to Mr.. Hall and Mrs.
Min drew a protest from the States
representative that the word did not
fit the case. 1t remained in the rec
ord when previous testimony showed
that the witness had used It.
The Scotch woman said that. while
she, was not a member Of the church
of which Mr.. Hall was rector, she was
a member of the guild. She heard the
ing of the "friendliness. She could
recall some Of them, she said but
would rather not" Counsel and the
court kindly told her that she must
comply.
Il can't" she said Il don't want to
be mean to these girls, they wouldn't
be mean to me-"
Between names of girls who "prat.
tied she said to herself: II feel very
bad about this" and Il hate this like
anything"
Names Her Own "Friend."
On redirect examination, she had
to give the name Of a Scotch friend"
over her objection.
Asked by the State to detail again
her movements on the night of the
murder, which was her "Thursday
out" she told of dining with friends
and reaching home about 10 o'clock.
Where were you between the time
YOU left the place. where YOU had
dinner. and the time you reached
home?"
Automobile riding"
with whom
Must l answer that?'
With an affirmative ruling from the
court. she said: Archie Cook"
Nv here Is he now"
II don't know-and l don't care"
Miss Tough. under direct examtna
ton. said that she had been in the
habit of taking a thermos bottle of
water to the bedroom of Mrs. Hall
every night, but said she did not take
any to her room on Thursday night,
September IA, 1922. the night Of the
double Staying. She also said she did
not pass the room of Willie Stevens
Continued on Page s, Column 2.)