Evening star., 1926-12-03
Ry the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
SOMERVILLE, N. j., December 2.
Most of the testimony in the Hall
Mills trial, which ended today after
one months march of witnesses to
and from the stand, was based on
events of four years ago.
Mrs. Eleanor r. Mills. pretty SO.
prano in the Protestant Episcopal
Church of St. John the Evangelist.
who aspired to rise above her sur
roundings and carried on a clandes'
tine love affair with the rector, Rev.
Edward Wheeler Hall. was found
slain, with him. beneath crabapple
tree near De Russey's lane, on the
outskirts of New Brunswick, on Sep
tember 16, 1922.
Her throat had been cut and she had
been shot in the head in three places.
There was one bullet wound in the
head Of the minister, who lay beside
her. Calling cards of the minister's
and letters in which he had declared
his affection for her were scattered
near the bodies.
Last Seen Alive.
They had been last seen alive on
the evening of September IA, 191z,
when the. minister told his wife, MRS.
Frances Stevens Hall, member OF a
wealthy and aristocratic family, enat
he was going out to straighten out
bill which Mrs. Mills had incurred 1or
a hospital operation.
Mrs. Mills, leaving her home In a
two.family house on side street. said.
"Follow me and find out" when her
husband, James, asked where she was
going.
Mrs. Hall and her brothers, Wililam
and Henry Stevens, were questioned
repeatedly. William, familiarly known
as willie" made his home with her,
but spent much of his time at hre'
houses. Henry, formerly an expert
marksman, was living at Lavalette, 62
miles away, where he spent his time
hunting and fishing.
Three weeks after the killings Mrs.
Jane Gibson. who raised pigs on
farm two miles from the crabapple
tree, announced that she had been rid
ing her mule down De Russey's lane
that night. had heard shots and had
in November, 1922, adjourned without
having returned indictments.
Rumors of new evidence had be-
come an old story after four years,
and the arrest of Mrs. Hall. shortly
before midnight on July %, 1925, ere
ated a furor. She was charged with
the murders and held in Somerville
Jail until July 80, when her release
in 1000 bail was ordered.
Simpson Takes Hold.
On the same day State Senator
Alexander Simpson Of Jersey City. a
sharp-tongued advocate, was appoint
ed special deputy attorney general to
conduct the prosecution. Members of
the Jersey City police force were
brought to Somerville to carry on the
investigation. which had been in the
hands of the State police.
Willie Stevens and his cousin, Henry
de la Bruyere Carpenter, a Wall
Street broker. were arrested on Au-
gust IL and denied bail. The April
grand jury was suddenly recalled on
September Is, and the three in Gus
tody, together with, Henry Stevens.
were indicted.
The trial Of Mrs. Hall and her
brothers began on November 8.
Presentation of testimony was com.
pleted at noon on December /, after
the State had called 101 witnesses and
the defense 81. The hearing Of the
charges was filled with sharp ex-
changes among the lawyers.
The State charged that Mrs. Hall
knew Of the clandestine love AFFAIR
between her husband and the sections
wife. and that she and her relatives
HAD committed the killings as much