The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-12-04
TESTIMONY WAS BASED ON
EVENTS OF FOUR YEARS AGO

TESTIMONY WAS BASED ON
EVENTS OF FOUR YEARS AGO
Somcrville, N. J., Dec. 4-tP)-
Most of the testimony in the Hall.
Mills trial, which ended Friday after
one months march Of witnesses t.
and from the stand, was based or
events Of four years ago.
Mrs. Eleanor X. Mills, pretty so
prano in the Protestant Episcopa
church Of St. John the Evangelist
who aspired to rise above her sur.
rOundings and carried on clan.
dcstine love affair with the rector
the Rev. Edward Wheeler Hall, was
found slain, with him, beneath ;
crabapple tree near Derussey's Lane
on the outskirts of New Brunswick
on September lG, 1929.
Throat Cut
Her throat had been cut and she
had been shot in the head in three
places There was one bullet wound
in the head of the minister who lay
beside here. Calling cards Of the
minister's, and letters in which he
had declared his affection for her
were scattered near the bodies.
They had been last seen alive or
the evening of September IA, 1929
when the minister told his wife, Mrs
Frances Stevens Hall, member Of q
wealthy and aristocratic family, tina,
he was going out to straighten out
bill which Mrs. Mills incurred 70,
n hospital operation. Mrs. Mills
leaving home, said Follow me and
find out" when her husband, James
asked where she was going.
Mrs. Hall and her brothers, Will
liam and Henry Stevens, were ques-
toned repeatedly. William, famil.
iarly known as Willie, made his home
with her, but spent much Of his time
at firehouses. Henry, formerly ar
expert marksman, was living at La.
vallette, SO miles away, where he
spent his time hunting and fishing
Three weeks after the killings
Mrs. Jane Gibson, who raised pigs
on farm two miles from the crab.
apple tree, announced that she had
been riding her mule down Derus.
scy's Lane that night, had heard
shots and had seen Mrs. Hall there
The grand jury in November, 1929
adjourned without having returned
indictments.
Mrs. Hall Arrested
Rumors Of new evidence had be-
come an old story after four years
and the arrest of Mrs. Hall. shortl,
before midnight on July %, 1926
created q furore. She was charged
with the murders and held in Somer
vile Jail until July 80, when her re
lease in $4,000 bail was ordered
On the same day, State Senator Alex
ander Simpson Of Jersey City wa.
appointed special deputy attorne,
general to conduct the prosecution
Members Of the Jersey City police
force were brought to Somerville tt
carry on the investigation which hae
been in the hands of the state police
Willie Stevens and his cousin
Henry De Labruyere Carpenter, !;
Wall street broker. were arrested
August IL and denied bail. The
April grand jury was suddenly re
called on September Is and the three
in custody. together with Hcnr.
Stevens, were indicted for murder
on two counts in less than 10 hours
The trial of Mrs. Hall and hcl
brothers began on November 3. Pre-.
sentation of testimony was completed
at noon on December /, after the
state had called lOo witnesses ant
the defense Is.
:. States Claim
The state charged that Mrs. Hal
knew Of the clandestine love affai,
between her husband and the sex.
tons wife, and that she and her rel
atives had committed the killings as
much from wounded pride as from
the enraged fury Of q woman
scorncd. States testimony was di.
rected to show that members Of the
congregation carried reports to Mrs
Hall, that she communicated with
her brother Henry and went to the
scene with him and Willie. to con.
front her husband with letters writ.
ten to him by Mrs. Mills.
Mrs. Gibson, who had tainted or
the opening day Of the trial. was
found to be suffering from kidney
disease and cancer. She was brought
from o Jersey City hospital to ties.
tify in the court room from q cot
placed near the witness stand and
with physicians and nurses in at.
tendance, she told her story, placing
Mrs. Hall and Henry and Willie
Stevens at the scene.
When attendants were covering
her face preparatory to carrying hel
through aisles of people to the wait.
ing ambulance, she tore away tht
sheet. and raising on one arm, point
cd at the defendants and screamed:
i've told the truth, so help me God
and you know it,"
The jury had just been taken from
the room.
On December I, when all testimony
had been submitted. Simpson made
nm unsuccessful motion for mis-
trial. He charged that the jury had
decided to acquit on the second da,
Ot the trial, that several member,
had been asleep during the trial SEES
sions, and that they had been i'm
properly guarded.
Too Late To Classify