New Britain herald., 1926-11-05
Witness Declares Rec tors Wife Told Him She Was Sure Couple Were Dead, Else They Would Return.
Mrs. Gibson Still in Hospi. tai - Ex-State Trooper Expected to Tell of Be- ing Bribed to End His Investigation.

Courthouse, Somerville. N. J., Nov, 5 N-Mrs. Jane Gibson was too sick to come to court today but the Hall. Mills case went ahead without her. Mrs. Gibson. expected to testify as an eyewitness Of the staying of tho minister and hoir singer four year. ago. was reported somewhat improv. ed over her condition of last night. put there was no intimation from the somerville hospital when she will be able to testify if at all. Mrs Gibson has been unofficially desie- mated as the states star witness.
 NfiEls Takes Stand
 James Mills, husband of the slain woman. Mrs. Eleanor R. Mills, testi. fled just before the luncheon recess, He was calm and told his story with out excess display of his feeling. In contrast to the lack of emotion shown by Mills was the first appar- ent slight penetration of Mrs. Halls Icomposure.
 As the church sexton told of the visits of Mrs. Hc!l to his house. with the news that her husband had not returned. to learn that his wife had also failed to come home, the rec tors widow seemed on the verge of tears. She at once recovered her possession.
 Mills remained on the stand only short time, direct examination alone being completed. He quoted the defendant, Mrs Hall. as saying In reply to question as to the possibility that her husband his wife eloped as saving, No. I know they are dead or they'd have come home"
 Attorneys Furnish Fireworks The trial moved slowly and with out incident except indirectly from the witness stand. The belligerent special prosecutor. Alexander Simp- son. and the suave defense counsel, Clarence F. Case. exchanged thrusts at intervals in connection with aues- tions on direct and cross-examina- tion. Counsel seemed to find it hard to phrase their questions so that they would meet the full approval of the opposition. E
 Once or twice Mir. Simpson seemed slightly irritated and spoke with some abruptness 10 his witnesses. This caused MT. Case to suggest tho possibility that the prosecutor had suffered a ''bad night" Not at all" reioined Mr. Simpson. "it was very pleasant except I missed your so- ciety."
 The defendants entered the court- room few minutes before the vet eran court crier. John Bum. called those who had business with the court to "draw near" All were well poised as usual
 Accused Are Dignified
 Mrs. Frances Stevens Hall and her brother Henry Stevens. were al- most stern in their dignity. Willie Stevens. the other brother. with tf1reman's complex. was affable. He shook hands with members of the defense counsel and several friends before taking his seat and later rose to greet others with clasps of the hand. Mrs. Hall and Henry Stevens did no handshaking.
 Dicl1man to Be Called
 Although Mrs. Gibson is not available at the moment, Alexander Simpson. special prosecutor has an- other witness. on whose testimony he relies, in waiting. Henry L. Dickman, former New Jersey state policeman, reached Somerville in the custody of federal officers. He appealed on the case. via a military prison on the Pacific coast and after long absence from New Jersey af- fairs. Dickman was serving a sen. tence in the west after conviction on charge Of desertion from the army when he was returned east to testify as state witness in the Hall-Mills case. Dickman disap- peared in 1928, without going through the formality of collecting his wages and representative of the state expect him to testify that he was bribed tp discontinue his in- vestigation of the crime and leave the neighborhood
 The early testimony today was almost routine. A. S. Vanderveer took the jury to the scene of the crime with a series of photographs. the presentation of these exhibits requiring one hour. This testimony developed that the "crabapple tree" under which the crime was com mitted has disappeared as has cedar tree" to identify certain physical characteristics of the Phil- lips farm, which has been much photographed. as shown by today's 25 photographs.
 Dicknan to Testify.
 Henry l.. Dickman, former mem- Der of the state police, who alleged he was bribed to quit his investiga- tion Of the killing. four years ago, of the Rev. Edward Wheeler Hall and Mrs. Eleanor Mills, was brought to Somerville to testify for the state. Dickman was continued on tho case when the activities of. other in- vestigators had stopped. In the spring of 1923 he disappeared. leav- ing two months pay behind him.