Echo of a Famous Murder Trial

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 968, 10 May 1930, Page 18

Echo of a Famous Murder Trial

Ona of two women who were so indefatigable/ opposed to each other during the Hall murder 'case is dead from cancer and the other is dying from 1 ' ,1 message from, the one still alive Co the one who is dead ran. “.-t heart without malice sends you forgiveness “

aTIPI 1 PI HEART without malice sends you forgiveness, fc'Oj ran the message a dying woman sent to another 7®Xj woman also on tier deathPJK bed They had both figured as the principals in one of the most sensational murder trials in America, and the woman who sent the message had been denounced as a murderess by the other. That it arrived too late does not detract from the gesture, for it was a close call for Mrs. Frances Hall, widow of the Rev. Edward Wheeler Hall (who, with his pretty choirsinger paramour, was found done to death in a trysting place beneath a crab-apple tree in a lonely lane), when the evidence of Jane Gibson was brought against her. Even when she was giving evidence Jane Gibson was a stricken woman and had to make her allegations from a stretcher on which she reclined, and it was her words: “I've told the truth before God, and you know it,” uttered with emphasis and with bony fingers pointing toward the dock, which nearly ushered Mrs. Hall into the executioner's hands. No arrest was made in connection with the double murder until four years after the two bodies bad been found. Two strolling lovers happened upon the two dead people. A hand kerchief covered the dead man's face and his own visiting card was found resting on his feet. The woman's hands were clasped over 'tier breast The bodies were riddled with bullets and the woman’s throat cut In addi tion. Passionate Letter Strewn around the bodies like confetti were the fragments of a number of letters which, when pieced together, laid bare the secret of the intrigue which existed between the victims. But the greatest interest lies in the amazing story of the investigations which led to the dramatic appearance to court of Jane Gibson and her sub-

Death-Bed Repentance . . . “A Heart Without Malice Sends You Forgiveness” .. . Two Leading Figures Stricken With Same Disease . . .

sequent forgiveness by Mrs Hall, whom she tried to send to her death For years Jane Gibson suffered from cancer, and now it has claimed her li was on the eve of her death and ai a time when she was unconscious that the message came from Mrs Hall. News of the dying woman peue tinted the nursing home where Mrs Hall was lying, following an operation tor cancer, the same dread disease that afflicted Jane Uibson A visiting triend was asked to read scripture to her, and the following passage was read:—“Rejoice not when thine enemc t'alleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth It stirred the feelings of the dying widow and she asked for telegram forms Then, in a weak and faltering voice, she dictated the telegram: “A heart without malice sends you for giveness.” Theories Many theories were advanced dur ing the four years’ investigations which followed the finding of thp bodies, but. it was not until Jane Gib son came forward that any real pro gress was made as regaras a prosecu

tion. In the first place it was sug gested that Mrs. Hall, mad with jea lousy, slew her husband and her rival Mrs. Mills, cutting the latter’s throat because she thought that it was her voice which had attracted her hus band. Another theory was that Mrs Han and her brothers went to the lonely farm, where the pair were wont to m^ et L to con^ron t the lovers, and that a hSb ,,-?, nsue<l ln which Mr. Hal] ano Mrs Mills were killed. The most amazing suggestion, per baps, was that Mrs. Hall was a woman Svengali, and her brother Willie a masculine Trilby, with the result chat it was really b e who did che murder while under his sister’s hypnotic power. When Mrs Hall, her brother Willie and another brother, Henry, were arrested and placed on trial for their lives, startling evidence was pro duced, but through it all Mrs Hail remained calm and collected, becoming known as “The Iron Woman” be-steel-like manner in Sbe taced the grave issue rh,Ti^ e w f r f tense scenes in court during the trial. By Flashfiaht Jane Gibson related how, on the h!S h L°f t ? e tra e ed y- she was riding a f £ r P ur Pose of tracking a thief who had been stealing her aftTr r - She h< L ard a motor-car and fn n'- nS U ? her mule made *e» wav in the direction of the car. She heard quarrelling, and heard • ererences to some letters Then -omeone flashed a light in the face of a man—it was one of the men in the io £,k She heard a shot. Jt^ e , reS, 0f the story she told In Ply to questions: \ ft t' you hear d th. Ihote right arieTM” T ent rd cn' h mC mZu sir IT f’gjy ho '7' P ,. 1 los * my’mocas home , n °< know il until I gn. look fm T tt ,r> bat ’k and mv mfnd ‘ r 1 1 hav,n ! : the wagnn In wherT dowr > to the plan* iKHtyrrylng* ° rUn ' and “ f ‘ ard next?—l looked through the bushes and saw a lady kneeling she was crying. ;; ho is she?—Mrs. Hall. ••oat°on WaS Sh€? dressed? —She had a tan Hid she have a hat?—No Did she have white hair?—-Yes i couldn t see that they were bodies that she was kneeling beside. I did .not

lieht* 1 Very '° ng “ was br,Khl moon “Who was the woman you saw?' demanded the Judge and with a shaking finger the woman pointed at the stone-like woman in the dock saying ‘lt was Mrs. Hall I know it. and she knows it. I saw her there. God help, me.” Missing Ward The jury found a verdict of "Not guilty” against Mrs Hall anti her brothers, and since that time, although Jane Gibson has never wavered in her story, the police have made other .Interesting discoveries regarding her which may lead to further light being

thrown on the eight-year-old murder mystery They have discovered thai just after the murder took place a beauti ful and comely ward of Jane Gibson disappeared from the farm where she had lived for years with her guard ian. They have also discovered that a little baby girl was born about this time, a child called June, whose origin appears tp be surrounded in mystery. In view of recent discoveries it mav well be that the secret of who mur dered the rector and Mrs. Mills will yet be revealed.