New Britain herald., 1926-07-16
Husband of Witness In Famous Mystery Now 5 e e ks AnnuIment. Claiming Wife Was Bribed For Silence.
Accuses Her of Intimacy With Slain Clergyman and Likewise Involves Wife and Family of Victim.
NO REASON TO ACT. PROSECUTOR ASSERTS

Trenton, N. J, July i6 UD-rbs banling Hall-Mills murder case hs. been reopened by the filing of A startling document in the chancery court here, drawn primarily as . petition for a marriage annulment but actually containing charges that may lead to an investigation by the highest officials in the state.
 Sues For Annuiment
 The petition. sworn to by Arthur s. Riehl, seeks annulment of his marriage to Louise E. Geist, former. ly a parlor maid in the rectory of the Rev. Dr. Edward W. Hall, rec tor Of the Church of St. John the Divine, New Brunswick, whose bull let-riddled body with that of his choir singer, Mrs. Eleanor Mills, was found on a farm outside of New Brunswick on September 14, 1922.
 Riehl charges that his wife re. ceived s5,0O0 for her part in the Hall-Mills matter and for keeping quiet about it. He declares his wife said certain county officials of Mid dlesex county were always taken care of or preventing anybody from breaking the case"
 Startling Accusations
 Outstanding among the direct charges made by Riehl in his petii tion are the following:
 That his wife had illicit relations with the slain clergyman; that Mrs Rlehl. Mrs. Frances Stevens Hall. wife of the victim: her brother, Will lie Stevens aud Peter Tumulty. the family chauffeur. motored, on the night of the crime, to the Phillips farm, where the murders were com mitted; that principals in tie case had deliberately concealed import ant facts from the grand jury.
 From statements made from time to time by the respondent, (Mrs. Riehl) to your petitioner" says the document, he believes that she Is fully cognizant of the facts which led to the murders and that she had been a participant in or an access sory to that crime"
 Many yelled hints are contained In the petition. Among other things Riehl says:
 "Willier Good Shot
 Respondent told your petitioner that Willie Stevens was a good pistol shot and that there was al- ways pistol in the hall library table drawer"
 Riehl bases his annulment suit on charges that his wife concealed from him before their marriage at Bound Brook In September. 1924. her alleged improper relations with Mir. Hall and other men named in he petition; that she had given her address as Bound Brook while she actually lived at Franklin Park. New Brunswick, and that she had from Riehl the fact that she had knowledge of doings of certain of the principals in the well-known Hall-Mills murder case"
 From that point the petition deals almost exclusively with the murder 
 No Reason For Action
 New Brunswick, N. J., July 16tP concerning the Hail- Mills murder mystery, as contained n papers filed by Arthur S. RiehL or annulment of marriage to Louise ,. Geist. formerly a maid in the Hall home, do not warrant a reopen ng of the investigation. Prosecutor 'oolen, of Middlesex county asserted oday.
 He said that since the bodies were found in Somerset county. his office would take no action in the natter, despite the fact that all Of he principals In the case were resi- Tents of this city and Middlesex ounty.