The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-07-29
WIDOW. Of
MURDER
HALL HELD:
Arrested on Formal Charge
of Killing Pastor and
Choir Singer in 1922.
is COMMITTED TO JAIL
Accused Woman Brands AC-
ton as Ridiculous.

SONIMERVILLE, N. j., July 90
Mrs. Frances Stevens Hall, a defiant,
middle-aged woman, prepared today
to fight to the utmost, the "ridicu-
lous charge" that she murdered her
alleged unfaithful husband, the Rev.
Edward w. Hall, and Eleanor Kills,
choir singer.
Mrs. Hall was arrested at her
home in New Brunswick, late
Wednesday night, by State troopers.
Within a few hours, she had been
arraigned, held without bail on a
murder charge and at a. m. was in
county Jail here.
An order, summoning the April
grand jury still techinally in ses-
sion, to take up the case was ex-
pected this afternoon.
Further arrests of persons alleged
to have been implicated in the muir
der were believed imminent as State
(and county detectives aided by
special investigators worked secretly
here and in New Brunswick. They
were reported to have two warrants
ready to be served.
Mystery Continues
The mystery that has surrounded
the case since the bodies of the
preacher and the choir singer were
found under a crab apple tree on
the Phillips farm near New Bruins
wick on Sept. f5, 1922, continued
today
Prosecutor Francis Bergen of
Somerset County, who swore to the
warrant; Justice of the Peace Will
liam r. Sutphen of New Brunswick,
who held her for the grand jury;
Maj. Mark o. Kimberling of the
State police, and other officers who
made the arrest---all refused to give
any hint on what facts they based
the arrest.
The investigation was revived
about two weeks ago. when Arthur
S. Riehl filed a petition seeking an
nulment Of his marriage to Louise
Geist Riehl, a former servant in
the Hall home. He charged his wife
had confessed to him that she had
been DR.. Halls sweetheart and had
been paid $4,000 to withhold facts
she possessed regarding the murders.
The woman denied the charges.
Women's Story Recalled
The investigation recalls the test
imony Of Mrs. Jane Gibson at the
time Of the first inquiry She told
the grand jury that on the night of
the murder she saw four figures un-
der the crab apple tree-two women
and two men. One woman, she
said was Mrs. Hall She said she
heard several quick shots. The
man and the woman fell. Then a.
cloud passed over the moon. Next
she saw a woman in a gray coat
sobbing over the clergyman's body
When the bodies were found. frag-
ments of love letters were scattered
about.
II love you most when you love
me as you did today, not physically
but prayerfully," read one allegedly
written by Mrs. Mills and tinged
with the religious coloring which
was, said to have marked the affair
of the choir singer and her pastor
Good night, beloved" said an.
other, attributed to DR.. Hall. "Only
help me be strong and patient un-
til we are in each others arms
again"
II am not fretting," Mrs. Mills
was said to have written again. II
know there 'are girls with shapely
bodies, but I don't care what they
have. have a noble mans deep,
true and eternal love. My heart is
his; my life is his. Poor as my
body is; scrawny as my skin may
be; l am his forever"