Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-07
AS BLANK AS EVER.

AS DLANh AS Ely Lii.
The Fate of Young Pierce Still Among the
Things UnI1nOwn--NO Further Light
Thrown Upen the Tragedy Yesterday--A
Tramp to Whom Suspicion Attaches.
Nearly week has passed since Richard
A. Pierce was waylaid while on his way
home and brutally and cowardly murdered,
and yet no trace has been found of the
body, and not single definite clue devel-
oped as to who were the assassins. In this
age of rapid transit, quick telegraphic
communication, watchful vigilance of the
authorities and added appliances for the
detection of crime, such condition of
affairs would seem almost impossible.
The suspense and terror which has been
crowded into the past few days of waiting
and uncertainty, has been appalling, and
it is little wonder that the friends of the
young man have been almost driven to the
verge of distraction.
Notwithstanding the earnest efforts
which have been put forth to appreheqd
the murderers and recover the body, the
mystery surrounding the entire affair be-
comes more embarrassing and painful than
ever.
1t is utterly idle to speculate on the
murder so long as there is no end to theo-
ries as to the manner in which it took
place, and the mass of theories only
make a solution more difficult.
The police have become awakened to the
urgent necessity of prompt and vigorous
measures and are doing what they can to
clear up the mystery.
A SUSPICIOUS TRAMP.
Yesterday morning, a farmer named
johnson, residing near White Bear lake,
called at the city hall, and reported that
his farm house had been visited on Tuesday
morning by very suspicious tramp. The
man called at 3 o'clock in the morning,
and asked for lodging, stating that he was
detective, and that he had arrested two
colored men out west who had escaped
from the cars, and that he was in search Of
them.
On being admitted to the house he dis
played cash about two inches long on
the right side of the neck, stating that he
had received it during a scuffle with one of
his prisoners at the time they made their
escape. He appeared very excited and
nervous, and, during the night he jumped
out of bed two or three times, as though
frightened, giving as an excuse that he
thought he heard the colored men outside.
h 10 4Joo fo- =
to take him to Saltwater, and on reaching
that place he borrowed fifty cents, stating
that ne wanted to send a message to his
friends East, who were to telegraph the
bank to lot him have money. The farmer
let him have the change, and he disap-
peared, not showing up again.
The story is very singular one, and it
seems probable, from the wound in his
throat, the absurdity of his story and ex-
cuses, and his strange and excited actions,
that he was one of the men who committed
the murder.
johnson states that he wore a seal ring
and that he took care to turn the seal part
down or towards the palm of the hand. A
GLOBE reporter saw Mr. Pierce yesterday,
but that gentleman could not say as to
whether his son wore seal ring or not.
AS intimated in yesterdays issue of the
GLOBE, active Investigations are being
made by couple of private citizens who
are pursuing clue which may result in
something definite.
A couple of Minneapolis detectives were
in the city yesterday, and they took in all
the circumstances of the tragedy with the
view of working the case up.
Detectives Bresset and O'ConDor left on
Friday night fol trip on the line of the
Northern Pacific railroad, results of which
will be known upon their return.
Sergeant Walsh returned yesterday from
Lake City, but the man in custody at that
place had been released before his arrival.
The Skating Rink viii be open this afternoon