MURDER IN VICARAGE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29588, 10 August 1961, Page 3

MURDER IN VICARAGE

Woman Of 82 Killed . (NJE.P.A.-Reuter—Copyrtpht) MELBOURNE, August » ISie man who killed Mrs Ada Ethel Hall, aged 82. at the vicarage of AU Saints' Church of England, Yooyong. a Melbourne suburb, late yesterday, cleaned his hands in the vicarage bathroom after the crime. A blood-stained towel was found in the bathroom. Mrs Hall was the mother of the vicar, the Rev. George Stanley Hall, aged 45. .She was found battered about the head and face, and with other shocking injuries, on a bed in a small bedroom. The exact cause of Mrs Hall’s death is not yet known. Et is believed she was strangled. The Government Pathologist (Dr. J. McNamara) flew back from a business visit to Sydney today to conduct a post-mortem examination. No Forced Entry Detectives do not know how the killer got into the vicarage. There is no sign of forced entry. About £l3 in notes was taken from ransacked drawers in the house. But about 8s in silver was left on top of a cupboard. It was plainly visible. The vicar told police that his mother was sitting in their lounge room when he left at 2 p.m. to attend a church gujld. meeting. He said he returned at 5 p.m., and found the tragedy. Detectives have not been able to find a weapon which could have been used to batter Mrs Hall’s face. They said it was possible she was punched.