Evening star., 1926-11-13
HALL SENSATIONS"
FADE Under OATH
Startling Stories Turn to
RumorS as Witnesses
Take Stand.
BY DOROTHY DIX.

ness In the Hall Mills case is the differ
euce between irresponsible gossip and
sworn testimony
1t is one thing TO boast In a pool
room about having secret and sinister
5lTormatiOn about q crime or TO tell
over the tea table d story that makes
all OF lhe olher ladies gasp with horror
and amaZement 1t is another thing to
tell under oath what you actually
kt'ow of a happening with the CON
So BUSINESS burning into your soul that
q tSllow-creature'S life Is in your hands
anSS that remorSeleSS cross examiner
70 waiting to put you through the
third degree. That is why Senator
simpsons star witnesses have fizzled
out like wet f1recrackers, even in his
capable hands. That is why loudly
heraded big sensations have failed to
raaterialize.
For if ever there was q case built
- on what "he said" and "she said,"
aid they said" and II have a friend
who knows q man whose wife's second |
cousins mother told and so forth. 1t |
IS this. Its very foundation stones |
"re rumors and rumurs o. rumors.
Nlr is this surprising, for 1t is a |
case that possesses all the elements |
that gossip most loves to roll under its |
tongue--scandal of the most luscious |
brand that not only deals with Illicit
love. but the amours Of a clergyman n: n
mysterious and particularly bloody |
and atrOeious double murder, com
mitted under the most weird and mex
pljcabe circumstances; the finger of
suspicion pointed at people Of wealth
and high degree No wonder imagina.
ton was stimulated and tongues
wagged.
Tales Fade on Stand.
But there is something awful and
solemn about sitting in the witness
chair that puts the fear of God into
the most lcQuacious tattle tales, that
takes tho pep out of their most
thrilling yarns and tones down their
most highly colored stories and make
fheir plain statement of facts a very
small and innocuous performance in
deed
An almost ludicrous example Of this
was furnished yesterday when one of
the f1remen with whom William Stew
ems spent many of his childishly |
happy hours was put upon the wit
ness stand. Ii had been announced |
that Willie. idly babbling in the fire
house, had made the most damaging |
admissions: had confided to his friends
that something dreadful had happened
at home.
But all that the he nest fireman tes-
tified to was that 'Vi'Ne had vaguely
spoken to him about as ng In trouble
or having some trouble. and whether |
his was before or after the discovery
of the murder tho fireman did not
know.
Equal duds have the bombs turned
into that were TO be hurled
into tho defense by various ladies who
thought they had seen Willie Stevens
nr Henry Stevens at different places.
ar who were going to make hair-raiS-
ing revelations concerning the rem
lezvous of Dr. Hall and Mrs. Mills.
Nor was tho bus driver any more |
lacks. All he had seen was two cars |
near De Russey lane. and who was in
them he did not see 1t seems almost |
a pity to spoil so many good stories
that must have enlivened many an
hour for their narrators during the
past four years by subjecting them to
he acid test Of truth
Maid Tells Of Call.
That Mrs Hall is not a woman of a
JEALOUS or suspicious nature was am
ply proved by the parlor maid she
kept. Louise Geist 10y name. Louise
IS as pretty as a picture and as saucy |
3s jGybird and she had on a red |
hat that she wore at a most becoming |
angle and blue scarf that brought
out the color OF her eyes. and she |
plainly had the time Of her life while |
she dramatized the telephone call that
sent Mr.. Hall out to meet his death.
Il was upstairs she said, when ]
heard the bell ring and l answered it.
and / recognized Mrs. Mills voice
asking for DIR. Hall. I started down.
;hs steps to see If he was downstairs,
and ! SAW Mrs. Hal! coming In the
i0or, and she heard the phone and
started IL take up the receiver. and I
Sad. It's for DIR. Hall. Is he down
here? And she said. NO. he Is up,
stairs.
Then Dr. Hall came out In the hall.
and I aid, There's somebody on t
telephone for you,' and he took up the
receiver. and Mrs. Hall hung up down
stairs. And heard him say te>Mrs.
Mills, Yes. yes. | was going to the
church. Then. Cant you make the
arrangement later--about a quarter
uast eight?' Then he hung up. and ]
heard hlm tell Mrs. Hall he was going
nut, and she asked him If he would be
zone long and he said no.
The next morning Louise said that
1T breakfast she asked Mrs. Hall If
she should save him something and
Keep it hot, and she replied No: that
he had not come homo all night |
which. OF course. the maid, with the
omniscieuce OF servants already knew. |
But before that she said Willie had
gotten up very early and had said TO
her that something terrible happened
last night"
Spoke Of Tragedy.
That night Mrs. Hall said to her
hat she was going to bed; that she
didn't think DR.. Hall would come be-
rause she thought something had hap
pened 20 him; because. II he were
alive, she was sure he would commu-
,Cate with her. And Louise estab-
1ishcd Mrs. Halls first albi. because
~hs said Mrs. Hall was in the house
between > and 10 o'clock that night
he time At which the murder is sup
p0sed to have been committed.
At another point the defense scored,
al that was when the editor Of the
.rirror testified that he had had In his
ard that is opposed to have upon 1t
lie also told Of sending this card by
Cne Of his reporters 10 Middietown.
Ny, to have It looked over by Com.
missioner Faurot.
And suddenly into the dull, drsb
fabric Of the trial the undertaken un-
consciously woVe q golden thread OF
romance. He said that when he was
arranging to place DR.. Halls body In
The stevens family vault at Green
wood Mrs. Hall asked that Il place be
lefr beside him for her TO lie when she
vas dead.
She knew him then to be faithless,
ne knew how he had duped and be-
iraved her. He had brought shame (,
:lnon her, under which her pride
<vr!thed. yet she forgave him. The
otGar woman might have h2d him in
lfe. but she found pite0us comfort |
n thinking he was hers in death-and
do t~s -