The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-27
WAS EYRE
MURDERED.
Chester Friends Believe
River Pirates Have
Killed Him.

at the bottom of the Delaware or
resting among the reeds on the
frozen marsh lands over on the
Jersey shore. AllChester is arous-
ed over the mystery of this popular
young man, whose disappearance
was noted at length in Mondays
Inquirer. Fears of foul play to
Eyre were mentioned in this paper
on Tuesday.
Tonight his friends are discuss
ing various phases of the case that
point to murder.
Chief of Police Thomas II. Berry
returned this evening from a search
for the body along the Jersey shore.
Eyre had announced last Thurs
day that he was going across the
river to shoot ducks, and this led
the Chief of Police to make the
search among the reeds along the
Jersey shore.
The naptna launch Viola, owned
by b. F. Siddell. was chartered,
and on this large party, which
included Chief Berry, District At
torney w. |. Schatfer. Senator w.
c. Sproul, members of the lodge Of
Elks, Alpha Boat Club and other
organizations to whichEyre belong
ed crossing the river to Raccoon
Creek. They reached tine other
side at low tide, searched along the
frozen marsh from Birch Creek op-
positc Marcus Hook, to point op-
posite Eddystone a distance of
about seven miles. The search
occupied about five hours. but no
trace of the body could be found.
Tonight telephone message
was received from Edgemoor stat
ing that an oar had been found by
the wife of the lighthouse keeper
on Cherry Island flats. This may
furnish clue which will be investi-
gated in the morning by Chief
Berry, who will make another trip
to the Jersey side with the hope Of
finding some trace of the body.
. Samuel Shoulders of Bridgeport,
N. j., this evening made state
ment which the police authorities
believe has an important bearing
on the case. Last Thursday. be-
tween 4 and 5 o'clock, Shoulders
says he was returning from Chester
in his trucking boat, when he saw
Il man answering Eyre's descrip-
tion sitting in cunning skitf near
Raccoon Creek on the JERSEY side.
Eyre, if it was he, was heading to-
ward Chester.
Right on top Of Shoulders state
ment the information leaked out to-
night that the locker in the boat
house where Bonsall G. Ladomus,
assistant city engineer, kept his
boat with Eyre's, was found to have
been broken open and the skiff re-
moved from the house. Many peo-
pie advance the theorv'Athat Eyre
reached the boat house about the
time some person or persons were
making off with Mr.. Ladomus' skitf
and that fight ensued. Eyre was
a young man. of athletic build, and
had no fear of river pirates. In the
scuffle it is hinted Eyre may have
been killed and his body thrown
into the river.
= George Eyre lived with his wild
owed mother at Seventh and
Barclay streets. His father was
the late H. {. Eyre, Philadelphia
contractor in the sewer department.
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Last Wednesday Eyre vent to
Philadelphia on business and pur-
chased two tickets for the theatre
for Thursday night. He was to be
accompanied by his friend, Ralph
Scottney. of Moore's. They had
planned to take couple of young
women with them.
Eyre did not return from Phila-
delphia until early Thursday morn
ing. On his araival he telephoned
to his mother. that he would be
home that evening for supper and
90 to Philadelphia. That was the
last she heard of him. Eyre went
down to Mllers commission house
at Second and Edgemont avenue
and inquired for James Pierce,
river man. whom he desired to ac-
company him on his cunning trip.
Pierce was not to be found Just
then.
Eyre then went to the winter
qnarters of the Alpha Boat Club.
on Third street. where he changed
his clothing. donning a cunning
suit. In his clothing he left $2S in
money and a diamond ring recently
purchased for a Christmas gift
These were found where he left
them. Eyre took with him upon
the river two valuable guns, an eX-
pensivc gold watch. and wore on
his finger a diamond ring. Both
the ring and watch had belonged to
his father and were highly priced
as heirlooms. Pierce called at
Millcr's soon after Eyre departed,
having had an appointment to meet
him Eyre had gone on the river
by the time Pierce reached the club
house.
When Eyre failed to keep his
theatre engagement with Mr.. .
Scottney the latter began to sus-
pect that something had happened
to his friend. Eyre had always
before been punctual.
Young Eyre's home is enshroud-
ed with gloom, and the anxious
mother and the sister eagerly seek
information that will lead to the
hope that the son and brother is
still alive. Mrs. Eyre, the mother
has offered a reward of 800 for in
formation that will lead to the Je-
covery of the body if death has over
taken the missing man.
The missing young man has long
beer prominent in military circles
in this city. He enlisted in the
Sixth Regiment, N. G. p, and be-
came quartermaster-general. He
was then advanced to the position
of sergeant-majo jor on the staff.
During the Spanish-American war
Eyre was appointed battalion adj
iutant by Major T. Edward Clyde
and had charge Of the commissary
department of the regiment at Camp
Alger, at Falls Church, Va.
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