New Britain herald., 1926-08-16
Surprise Witness Testi- fies to Seeing Mrs. Gibson Where She As- serts She was On Fa- tai Night
Lawyers. Frequently Clash Carpenter Maintains Poise But "WiIlie" Stev- ems Seems Visibly Nerv- ous During Hearings.

Somerville, N. J., Aug. 16 R - Corroboration of part of the testi- mony of Mrs. Jane Gibson, woman pig raiser, was given today at the hearing for Henry Carpenter and Willie Stevens, charged with the murders of Rev. Edward Wheeler Hall and Mrs. Eleanor Mills.
 Mrs. Gibson testified Friday that she was in De Russey's lane near the Phillips farm. saw two men and a woman and heard shots fired. She identified Stevens and Carpenter as the men. The wom- an, she said, was Mrs. Frances Stevens Hall, also charged with the murders. Mrs. Hall is9at liberty on $15,OO0 bail.
 The corroboration came from Henry F. Ehrling, millwright. He testified he was in De Russey's lane the night of September 14, 1922, and saw Mrs. Gibson on her mule.
 was Sllc1tlluS plTl
 Ehrling saw no one beside Mrs. Gibson, he alleged, and claimed that he had kept silent four years to shield a girl who was with him. He said he heard no shots fired.
 This witness, his cap held by ner- vous hands, scar across his face, gave as his excuse for never testi- flying before that there was a girl with me-" He fixed the time he saw Mrs. Gibson, on her mule, as be- tween s and g o'clock. He was driving a car, he said. He refused to reveal the name of the girl with whom he stayed in the lane two or three hours.
 Asked point-blank what he was doing with his young lady conn., panion, Ehrling replied:
 "We were resting"
 Court Room Laughs
 A roar of laughter from the crowd brought from Judge Cleary the admonition that his court would be closed to spectators if such demonstration recurred.
 Under cross examination this witness became confused. Hes said he met Mrs. Gibson between and 9 o'clock and that he stayed in the Jane for two or three hours, but he heard no shots.
 When Carpender and Stevens arose, Ehrling said he had not seen them that night, nor did he see Mrs. Hall.
 Taxi Driver Tesdfies
 Charles Alpaugh, a taxi driver in 1922, testified he saw a Dodge sedan parked in Easton avenue, near De@ Russey's lane, while he was driving by. He saw two or three persons slide down bank toward the Dodge. He didn't know whether they were men or women.
 Timothy N. Pfeiffer. member of defense council, and Senator Sinp- son clashed, each calling silly" the questions asked by the other. Judge Cleary leaned over the bench to tell them:
 Both your questions are silly"
 The Woman in Gray
 William. Phillips, night watch man at the New Jersey college for women, told his four-year- r-old story of seeing "a woman in gray" enter the Hall residence about o'clock the night of the murder. He is under s2,500 bail as a ma terial witness. He was not per- mitted to answer question about detectives employed by Mrs. Hall threatening him if he told of sec ing this woman enter.
 Husband on Stand
 James Mills, husband of the slain choristel, took the stand to tell again the story of his where abouts on the night of the murder. He chewed gum and nodded affirma- lively or negatively in reply to the special prosecutors questions. In a treble voice, uncertain and in- distinct, he told of seeing his wife leaving for her tryst with the rec tor and death.
 As she weht out at 7:3o that evening he asked, Where are you going?' Follow me and find out" he quoted her.
 His story, published time and again in the newspapers, was neither dramatic nor touching. He told it as if repetition had dulled | the edge of tragedy. Chewing gum and staring at Senator Simpson and Attorney Pfeiffer as they bickered and shouted epithets at each other.
 Charlotte Mills, his daughter, chatted with newspaper investiga- tors who published exclusive stories" of her testimony, and listened, her face twisted into a wry expression, to the words of | her father.
 Lawyers in Squabble
 The morning session ended with | the special prosecutor and the de- fense attorneys wrangling over Mills should be permitted to tell about an alleged visit of
 fCopt{pued on pa0a t2N