Evening star., 1926-11-24
DEFENSE ATTACKS
HALl-M|LLSSTORy
OF PIG WOMAN
Detective Declares Mrs. Glib
son Had Said She Could
Not Identify Trio.
WILLIE STEVENS ENDS
TESTIMONY IN GLORY
Wins Battle of Wits With Prose-
cutor Simpson Throughout
His examination.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
COURTHOUSE, SOMEREILLE, \.
j. November 24.-Defense in the Hail
Mills trial today struck again at the
story of Mrs. Jane Gibson. whose tes-
timony for the State placed all three
of the defendants at the scene or the
killing. Fred David, Middlesex County
detective. said that Mrs. Gibson had
said at the office of the MiddleseX
prosecutor in New Brunswick in 1922
that she could not identify Mrs. Hall
and Willie and Henry Stevens as the
persons she had seen there.
The testimony was admitted after a
legal argument, the State objecting
on the ground that the States witness
was not asked as to what she had SAID
at the prosecutors Office. Reference
to the record revealed that on cross,
examination the woman farmer had
denied saving that she could not make
the Identification of the three de-
PENDANTS.
Ferd David. one of the early inves-
tigators, testified that Mrs. GIBSON
told him that when she heard the
shots near De Russey's Lane she rooe
home without diSmountlnG from ner
mule. Her testimony in the trial was
that she heard the shots after she mad
tied the animal.
Mason Attacks Testimony.
lanes Mason, another detective,
who testified yesterday, was the nrst
witness used to attack Mrs. Glbson
story. He said that Mrs. Gibson had
said that she could not identity either
of the Stevens brothers.
David's testimony today, just before
after
defense had sent nearly a dozen wit
nesses to the stand to combat various
ALLEGATIONS of the State. Willie Ste
vens finished his appearance in his own
behalf with a 7-minute stay on the
stand and a procession of witnesses
was begun.
Clergymen who attended the funer.
al of Rev. Edward w. Hall testified
that there was no scratch on the lace
of Mrs Hail. as was testified by State
witnesses. and another clergyman
said the record of the baptlsm OF VII
lie Stevens is on file.
The position of the moon on the
night of September IA. 1922. when the
minister and choir singer were killed
was described by professor or as
tronomy, who said that it was in last
quarter.
Tells of Seeing Mrs. Mills.
A woman witness told of seeing
Mrs. Mills a few hours before her
death, carrying a package or parcel.
which the defense contends contained
the letters found near the bodies
This witness, Mrs. Agnes Blust, also
saw Mr.. Hall the evening of the kill
ing.
A daughter was used to meet testi-
mony of her mother when Mrs:
ol hot "a
not see Mrs. Mills and Mr.. Hall in
Buccleugh Park, with Ralph V. M.
Gorsline and Mrs. Minna Clark spy
ing" on them. as her mother, Mrs.
Mary Demarest, had testified for the
State.
Mrs. Jennie Waller. who, then un-
married. rode through De Russey's
lane with Robert Erling on the night
of the Staying. said they did not stop
and she did not see a woman on a
mule. Erling had testified that he
was sitting in an automobile in the
lane when Mrs. Gibson rode by.
Finished With Colors Flying.
Willie Stevens whose oddities of ap-
pearance conceal a ready tongue and
keen, calculating mind. finished his ex
animation as a witness in the Hail
Mills case today as he began--in a
%
only seven minutes, but almost every
minute gave him points in a battle
Of wits with the special prosecutor.
Alexander Simpson.
The defendant. on trial with his
brother and sister, Henry stevens and
Mrs Frances Stevens Hall. has been
misrepresented by his neighbors. who
have suggested that he was out of
step with the fast-moVinG times and
knew little If anything, about sub
iects outside of the firehouse. AS a
former volunteer fireman he has been
pictured with a tiremans complex.
and II was freely suggested before he
took the stand that he would tell the
court and jury about the exec Hence
of the New Brunswick Fire Depart,
ment.
Testimony Is Impressive.
On the contrary. he took his place
as a witness as well poised as any to
testify thus far in the case. and the
length and breadth of his vocabulary
was impressive throughout his testi-
mony He drew delicate shades of
meaning by drawing on his we'll
stored fund of words. and his recital
of the events of September IA, 1922.
and succeeding days insofar as they
concerned him was little changed by