Evening star., 1926-11-28
UNAWARE OF SECRET
LETTERS, SHE SWEARS
"No," Widow Replies Composedly
as Prosecutor Simpson Shouts.
You Murdered Them!"
yy the Associated Press

Mrs. Eleanor r. Mills.
Over a period of two hours she
H0ld OF her confident belief that her
husband was faithful to her, and
denied emphatically that she ever
knew that he was carrying on a
clandestine correspondence with Mrs.
Mills. a choir singer in his church.
Cross-examination had just begun
when the court was adjourned until
Monday. and Mrs. Hall will resume
che stand with the opening of the
final week of the trial. She testified
for 1 hour and AZ minutes on direct
examination and had answered the
questions of Special Prosecutor Simp-
son for only 18 minutes when the
hour for adjournment arrived.
Defense to Close Tomorrow.
It'll take me quite some time -
said Simpson. when asked by the
court how long his cross-examination
would require. Three of four minor
defense witnesses were to follow the
defendant to the witness stand, and
Indications were that the defense case
would be closed Monday about noon.
The States rebuttal will follow,
with a possibility that the case will
be given to the jury not later than
Wednesday,
Mrs. Hall was calm as she testified.
She spoke in a firm but low voice and
paused early in her examina ton with
a camera focused on her. Photogra-
piers were excluded from the court
room by an order from the bench is
sued yesterday. A photographers CAM
era was seized today and the photog
rapher was elected as the testimony
was resumed.
The defendant began her recital
with the assertion that she was born
in Aiken, s. c., So years ago. She
told Of the removal of her family to
New Brunswick, N. J., when she was
an infant. She said she taught q
Sunday school class in the church Of
st. John the Evangelist, of which the
Rev. Mr.. Hall was pastor. although
she was q communicate of Christ
Church. In 1911 she married Nj.
Hall, explaining, in reply to ques-
ton as to any differences in ages,
that she was seven years cider than
her husband.
Calls Hall Devoted Husband.
She declared that throughout their
married life and at the time of bis
death, September IA, 1922, Mr.. Hall
was a devoted husband. She roticed
no change in his attitude toward Ter,
che said, and declared that she never
suspected there had been an exchange
of letters between Mrs. Mills and ner
husband other than correspondence
on church subjects.
Mrs. Mills was a devoted church
worker, Mrs Hall said. In reply to
question If any member of the congre-
cation displayed greater zeal, Mrs.
Hall said that Mrs. Minna Clark was
perhaps as active. Mrs. Clark has
been charged by the State with re-
porting to Mrs. Hall the intimacy be-
tween Mr.. Hall and Mrs. Mills, and
has been arrested as an accessory IN
the case.
Recalling a time in February, 1922.
when Mrs. Mills became sick, Mrs.
Hall testified that she took her to the
hospital in her automobile, visited her
there and drove her home when she
left the hospital. She said that she
maid a portion of the hospital bill.
Reaching the night of September
IL. 1922, when Mr.. Hall and Mrs. Mills
were killed. Mrs. Halls account OF
her husbands departure from their
home for the last time between
aud 7:3O o'clock agreed with other
.iescriptions given in the case, that
he left with the explanation that he
was going 10 see about the Mills
hill referring to a hospital account.
Retired About 10. She Says.
She retired about 10 o'clock, she
aatd. after her brother Willie had
CONS 70 his room. She replied in the
Seratiye when asked if she commu-
0icated that night with her brother,
YIenry Stevens, or her cousin, Henry
1,arnender. indicted with her on a
charge of numbering Mrs. Mills.
she did not sleep when she went to
had she said. and after reading
awhile became SO worried at her hus-
hands absence that she awakened
Willie and, accompanied by hlin, Went
10 the church. ~
McC,arter questioned Mrs. .4all mi
nutely as to her movements during
she interval between her husband 8
departure from his home and the dis
Coyery of the body. She told OF tele-
nhoning the minister's sisters, OF
summoning her lawyer with q re-
Uuest that he communicate with the
police. and of asking her cousin, Ed
win Il. Carpenter, to come to her
home.
The State successfully objected to
Introduction OF testimony that Mrs.
Hall and Mr.. Halls sisters had dis
covered on examination OF his check
hook. that a large sum of money had
been withdrawn from the bank.
Mrs. Paul Bonner, sister OF the slain
minister, was in the courtroom as
Mrs. Hall testified, sitting near the
defense counsel and defendants.
Supports Brothers Stories.
Mrs. Hall was asked many questions
% support the stories told by her
brothers, Henry and Willie Stevens.
She said that she had not seen Henry
stevens since Summer before the
Staying until he came TO her home the
day the bodies were found. She said
that her brother and husband were
very friendly.
Willie Stevens had revolver, Mrs.
Hall said, but about three years before
her husbands death he filed down the
firing pin without letting Willie know
about It.
The prosecution then began the
a