New Britain herald., 1926-11-19
Star Witness, From
Sick Bed, Says She
Now Is ''Ready to Die
With a Good, Clear
Conscience"
Judge Refuses to Exclude
Fingerprint Evidence
Against Willie, Despite
Protests of Defense.

Jersey City, N. j.. Nov. 10 R,-
Mrs. Jane Gibson today issued a
statement from her sick bed in
City hospital asserting that. at
tempts have been made to seal
with money her eye witness testi-
mony OF the Hall-NIills murders
and that. now she had told the
/ truth IN open court. she was ready
to die with a good, clear con.
science"
Mrs. Gibson's statement, issued at
her request today says:
II have told the truth. Let Jus
tice take its course. told it four
years ago but people did not and
would not listen. 1t seem. everyone
connected with the case was looking
for money.
| They tried to bride me and when
| that failed they threatened me and
tried to poison my stock and burn
my home.
They foreclosed the mortgage on
my property after that affair of the
grand jury in 1923 and I was COM
PEELED to sell my II acres to them
to meet the debt on the other 20,
sold for less than what I paid for
| them. A few days after l sold it,
| the man to whom I sold it was offer
! ed twice what he paid.
! when I went to get mortgage
was told by New Brunswick peo-
pie who are connected with. the
Halls that the property had no
value.
They have continually bounded
me but, thank God, there are some
honest people In the world. The
Hall money could not reach Sena-
tor Simpson or the Jersey City po-
lice officers, and at last l have been
able to tell the truth. / have told,
| the truth and l am ready to die
with a good clear conscience"
State Concludes Case
Courthouse, Somerville, N. j.,
Nov. 10 [P) - The state rested its
case against Mrs. Frances Stevens
Hall an0 her brothers, Henry and
Willie Stevens, this afternoon after
10 days OF testimony.
- Wants Prints Excluded
~
ton that testimony as to finger
prints in connection with a calling
card of the Rev. E. w. Hall. found
near his body. which the state has
commended bears the print Of the
left index finger Of Willie Stevens,
be stricken from the record.
The jury was taken from the
room while former Attorney Cen
eral Robert H. McCarter argued
the motion.
Bullets Exhibited
Before closing his case. Ale1an-
der Simpson, special prosecutor,
offered in evidence three bullets and
three shells. The state contends that
the bullets were taken from the
body Of Mrs. Eleanor r. Mills, with
whose death the defendants are
charged. The shells were found
! near the bodies Of Mrs. Mills and
the rector
Motion Is Denied
Justice Parker denied the motion
of defense counsel to strike out all
of the testimony Offered by the
state in connection with the calling
card alleged to have been found
near the rector's body.
Robert H. McCarter, chief OF de-
Tense counsel had argued that the
state had not accounted for the
indemnity and integrity Of the card
during all OF the four years since
the killings.
A razor, mentioned several times
| during the trial, will not go before
the jury. Just before closing the
| states case. the special prosecutor
| announced that he would not offer
| it.
Frank Caprio, a private detective.
| had testified that the late Azariah
Beekman. prosecutor OF Somerset
county at the time of the murders
gave him the razor and added that
he saw an automatic pistol, ap-
parently of German make, on Beck
! mans desk, near the razor.
Doesn't Insist on Razor
II won't offer this razor" said
Simpson. II am not satisfied with
the truth OF this witnesses testi-
mony.'
The defense had vigorously at
tackled the character of the witness.
and forced an admission from
Caprio that once he had been con-
Wet
Eighty-four witnesses had testified
when the special prosecutor said:
That's our case. your honor"
Senator Clarence z. Case. of
Somerville, began the opening state
ment of the defense at 2:14 after
Justice Parker had denied second
and third motion by the defense.
These related to testimony that
members of the Carpenter family
had been seen carrying papers from
the Hall home and to talks which
the sisters Of Mrs. Mills had with
the singer with reference to her
love for Mr.. Hall.