Going West: True Crime

Episode 544: The Hall-Mills Murders
Released: October 7, 2025
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman

Overview

In this episode, Daphne and Heath explore the notorious Hall-Mills Murders, a double homicide that occurred in 1922 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. This chilling case is considered one of the first sensationalized true crime stories in US history, complete with rumors of a church scandal, salacious love letters, and a cast of eccentric suspects. The discussion covers the facts of the case, its convoluted investigation, and the theories that still keep armchair detectives busy a century later.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Stage: Who Were Edward Hall & Eleanor Mills?

[03:21–10:14]

• Murder Discovery: On a September morning in 1922, the bodies of Reverend Edward Hall and choir singer Eleanor Mills were found posed beneath a crabapple tree, surrounded by shredded love letters.
• Edward Hall: Born 1881 in Brooklyn; known for public speaking and charm. Became rector at St. John’s Episcopal Church in New Brunswick and married Frances Stevens, a wealthy Johnson & Johnson heiress.
• Marriage Dynamics: Their marriage was the subject of gossip due to Frances' age and wealth; suggested to be a union of convenience with no children.
• Eleanor Mills: Born 1888, known for her flirtatiousness and beauty. Married Jim Mills at 17, had two children, and was recognized for her intellect and soprano singing.

The Murders & Crime Scene

[13:07–19:54]

• Timeline Leading Up: Both Edward and Eleanor left their respective homes under ambiguous circumstances the night of September 14, 1922.
• Discovery: Their bodies were found side by side, carefully arranged as if in a tableau. Eleanor suffered three gunshot wounds and a near-decapitating slash; Edward had been shot once.
• Scene Details: Surrounding grass was tamped down, love letters were torn and scattered, and Edward’s business card was propped on his foot—a clear sign of staging.
• Jurisdictional Confusion: The location straddled county lines, resulting in initial chaos between Middlesex and Somerset officers.

"Eleanor had a bullet hole almost in the center of her forehead, which was surrounded in a ring of black gunpowder... her throat had been slit so grotesquely, nearly from ear to ear, and so deeply that her spinal cord was visible."
— Dan [18:30]

The Affairs, Suspicions & Small Town Gossip

[19:54–26:17]

• Confirmed Affair: Love letters between Edward and Eleanor, both romantic and explicit, were recovered, fueling gossip and suggesting a strong motive tied to jealousy.
• Community Reactions: Both families were questioned. Frances was nicknamed the “Iron Widow” for her stoic demeanor and told police, “I would not call it an intimate friendship” regarding Edward and Eleanor’s relationship.
• Alibis & Rumors: Both Frances Hall and Jim Mills provided alibis for the night of the murders, though their stories raised suspicions.

"I care more for Edward's little finger than I do for your whole body."
— Eleanor, allegedly to husband Jim [25:23]

The Investigation: Fumbled Evidence & Evolving Theories

[26:17–38:01]

• Investigative Dysfunction: Early 1920s investigative techniques meant evidence was mishandled—vital fingerprints were inconclusive, and the crime scene was compromised.
• Initial Suspects: Investigation briefly focused on local youths, including those who found the bodies, but robbery was ruled out.
• Focus on Frances Hall & Family: With scant evidence, suspicion fell on Frances, her brothers Willie and Henry Stevens, and cousin Henry Carpenter.
• The Pig Woman (Jane Gibson): Local eccentric and key witness for the prosecution, Jane claimed to have witnessed the crime while chasing corn thieves on her donkey.

“She claimed... she had seen it all happen. Jane Gibson owned a farm... just 1 mile away from the murder scene. She was described as an eccentric nut and storyteller... When giving her testimony, she was actually wheeled into the courtroom on a hospital bed.”
— Dan & Heath [44:46–47:47]

Public Sensationalism & the “Trial of the Century”

[38:01–54:02]

• Media Frenzy: The tabloids, especially the New York Daily Mirror, fanned the flames, making this one of America’s first national true crime obsessions.
• The 1926 Trial: Frances and her relatives were arrested, with Jane Gibson as the star witness. Despite theatrics and public intrigue, all were acquitted due to lack of credible evidence.

“As she was being wheeled out, she pointed at Frances and told her, ‘I’ve told the truth, and you know I’ve told the truth, so help me God.’ Yet still too much doubt remained in Jane’s testimony...”
— Dan [48:19]

Unsolved Mysteries & Competing Theories

[54:02–58:02]

• Alternative Perpetrators:
  • Frances Hall & Her Family: Most popular theory—spousal revenge fueled by jealousy.
  • Jim Mills: Some suspicion given his turbulent marriage and Eleanor’s especially gruesome wounds.
  • The Ku Klux Klan: Noted civil rights lawyer W.M. Kunstler later suggested the KKK may have killed the pair to “police morality,” though no concrete evidence supports this.
• The Undying Mystery: All suspects were acquitted, and the case remains unsolved. The story is still debated in books, amateur groups, and online.

"I think what makes them so powerful is that we don't know. And I think that's what gives the story a lot of power and mystique."
— Joe Pompeo, author of Blood and Ink [58:02]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Aftermath:
  "Within a few days, [Charlotte] was pretty comfortable telling the press that she had never liked Frances as her Sunday school teacher and that she believed it was very possible that Frances was involved in the murder of her mother."
  — Heath [38:01]

• On Public Theories: "I mean, obviously not to back up the KKK here. They're horrible pieces of shit."
  — Heath [53:48]

• On the Enduring Fascination:
  “There’s a Facebook group where, you know, this community of people who are obsessed with this crime. But I think also with stories like this... what makes them so powerful is that we don’t know.”
  — Quoting Joe Pompeo [58:02]

Timeline / Key Timestamps

• 03:21–13:07 — Hall and Mills’ backgrounds and relationships
• 13:07–19:54 — Disappearances, discovery, and graphic crime scene details
• 19:54–26:17 — Shredded love letters, evidence of the affair, and early suspicions
• 26:17–38:01 — Police investigation, suspects, and small-town gossip
• 44:46–48:19 — The Pig Woman’s testimony and courtroom spectacle
• 54:02–58:02 — Theories, later media coverage, and enduring questions

Conclusion

This immersive episode takes listeners deep into the drama, heartbreak, and mystery of the Hall-Mills Murders. Blending 1920s social dynamics, high-society scandal, sensational journalism, and a still-unsolved double homicide, Going West shines a light on why this century-old case stays alive in the annals of American true crime. The hosts leave listeners pondering: Was it jealous spouses, a conspiracy, or “self-righteous zealots”? Or is this one mystery we’ll never fully unravel?

Further Information

• Book Mentioned: Blood and Ink by Joe Pompeo (2022)
• Other Theories Discussed: W.M. Kunstler’s theory of Klan involvement (1964/1980)

For more discussion and to share your own theories, follow the show on Instagram (@goingwestpodcast), Facebook, and TikTok.