It is considered more probable that Hall was murdered by one of the other members of the expedition; possibly Bessels, who was in near-constant attendance of Hall after he had taken sick. Furthermore, Bessels and Hall appear to have vied for the attention of sculptor Vinnie Ream – Bessels more so than Hall, the latter of whom Ream evidently preferred. While "Polaris" was outfitted in Washington and New York, both were known to sometimes associate with Ream. Just before their departure to the Arctic, Bessels expressed his desire to see Ream again in a letter. Envy towards Hall over Ream's affections could be seen as motive. No charges were ever filed against Bessels.