Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-05
No New Light Cast on the Murder OF
Young Pierce.
TRACKED BY THE ASSASSINS.
From Minneapolis to the Scene Of the
Fearful Tragedy.
NEW AND OLD STORIES RE-TOLD.
The Character OF the Young Man for
SObriety and StudiOusness.
NEW AND OLD STORIES RE-TOLD.

ing the murder of Richard A. Pierce, or
New Years night, seem to thicken and
grow deeper with the rise and setting OF
each successive sun. The developments
yesterday were not of a character to afford
any satisfactory solution of the tragedy,
and in the absence OF any important ar
rests and the want of information concern
ing the fate of the body, the maze of the
-ories and conjectures only tends to make
the mystery more aggravating and bewil-
,dering than ever.
So far as developed the position first
taken by the GLOBE seeems to be fully JUS
titled by the circumstances, but even this
cannot be substantiated, any theory being,
of course, 4 matter OF judgment or con-
viction. This theory, among others, was
that on leaving the freight house, Pierce
started up the track; that, acc ording to his
custom, he carried his knife in his over
coat pocket with the blade open; that he
was attacked on the track by two or more
men near the elevator; that their inten-
tion at first was only rob-
berry; that when as5ailed the young man
made vigorous defense; that seeing he
was about to be overpowered, he attempt
ed to tear himself away, and in so doing
his ulster (which fitted very loosely was
slipped off; that the men then closed in on
him and inflicted the stabs in the back and
throat, and that he was Immediately
dragged, if not right at the spot at this
time, to where the clothing was
found, near the river and sewer;
that during the melee or struggle, which
must have been terrible, one or both of the
thugs received several cuts or wounds
which were bleeding; they took off the
young mans coat and tore off the sleeve of
his shirt to staunch the blood from their
wounds; that the body was then
searched and his effects stolen;
that about this time the late train for
Minneapolis came along, and that being
afraid of discovery the murderers hurled
the body into the river and ran off; as it
will be remembered that the place where
the clothing and blood we're found is only
few feet from the track, and that the
fireman or engineer could have seen any
person from the locomotive.
The facts of the clothing being found
as stated, would carry out this view, which
is also fortified by other circumstances.
These are that the bloody over shoes found
on the narrow pathway on the bluff near
the foot OF Minnesota street, were worn
by one of the men who did the deed. That
after throwing away the pocket book,
watch chain, etc, as they proceeded
down the track, they ascended
the narrow and steep pathway running up
the bluff and parallel with Bench street.
After reaching the top of the bluff, before
crossing the street, the man who was
wounded and still bleeding, as the place
where he halted shows, must have taken off
the tell-tale rubbers and thrown them to
theIplace where they were found.
On being questioned yesterday, Mr..
Pierce, father of the young mar, n,statedtha t
he did not believe his son wore rubbers on
Monday night, but on the contrary that
his rubbers had been left in the rear Of
fee, to substantiate which the reporter was
shown a pair of rubbers which Mr.. Pierce
was quite confident belonged to his son.
This proves that the bloody shoes had been
worn by one of the assassins.
On Monday young Pierce wore pair of
cloth CATERS over his shoes, which accounts
for his leaving the rubbers in the Office.
HIGH CHARACTER OF THE DECEASED.
Ac 10 0bo Of ub0 I-ra
young Pierce we'll, scout the idea that he
could have gone into any disreputable
place or associated with any rough char
acters, of his own accord. They say if he
got into any such company, it must have
been by accident, or by being inveigled
into it for purpose. His habits were of
an opposite kind-studious and quiet. For
instance, Mr.. Williams, librarian of the
Historical society, says that young Pierce
was one of the most studious young men
in st. Paul. For several years he has been
a regular visitor to that library, always
reading books of the most solid and use
full kind. The past month he read more
than usual. Two days before his death
Pierce spent two or three hours in the IL
brary, studying the Encyclopedia Britain
Mica and several other works of that char
,acter.
Not the least pathetic side to the sad
and tragic business is the fact that the de-
ceased had been paying his addresses to
an estimable young lady of this city to
whom he was most devotedly attached,
and the feeling was sincerely reciproeated.
His social relations in fact, were of the
most delightful and innocent character and
he was beloved and esteemed by all who
knew him. 1t is believed that when the
terrible affair took place he was engaged
to be married.
PROLONGED SUSPENSE.
The interest in the tragedy yesterday
had not diminished in the slightest, but on
she contrary the foul taking off Of the
young man continued to be the general
topic of conversation, and as stated pre-
viously in the GLOBE, no event of similar
nature has created such wide spread
and universal sorrow and comment.
The officers of the police force, the report
-ers and all who could in anyway lave