The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-01-02
THE EYRE
MYSTERY.
Authorities Secure Clues,
But Cannot Find
the Body.

| Chester, Pa, Jan. l.--That George B
Eyre was out cunning In the vicinity u
Essin gton on the afternoon OF Thursday
December 81, 10 no longer doubted. The
| Inquirer representative to-day learned
[ that two mon, one Of whom answers t.
the description so generally publ he'd OF
George Eyre, wore seen in cunning akifl
between the New Jersey shore and Tini'
cum Island on that day. TinicunI
Island is almost opposite. the Orchard
whsre the Philadelphia Athletic Club
| maintains beautiful club house. boat
houses md stable. Stewart Greiner has
but recently removed bis family to these
handsOmely.ap quarters In Essing-
ton aud Mrs. Greinor sat before window
I on the afternoon OF the day on which
George Eyre disappeared, and with pal
| OF large opera glasses, watched two men
in hunting attire, shooting at ducks.
With the instinct. OF a refined woman
Mrs. Grsiner was reluctant 10 speak
Of this incident, which promised SO much
to tho authorities in determining the
whereabouts and movements Of Eyre and
the man who accompanied him. as 10
would bring her nalne into prominence
in connection with the cass. She tdesired
to dismiss the matter with the statement
that she might DO mistaken for the rea-
son that she did not know George b. Eyre
and had heard that his skif was pain cd
white and the ono she saw appeared to be
Of \ mud color
Eyre is believed to have put out In for the
cunning trip was painted dark color.
Mrs. Greinsr realized that she had M I'M
portant link to tho story of the missing
man which the police and All army OF
friends have been silently working to gee
cure.
1t was about 5 o'clock in the afternoon
Of December 81, when sidewheel steamer
passing down the river gave several wild
shrieks OF warning from its whistle and
slowed down as though trying to avoid q
collision. Mrs. Grelner rushed to the
window, where she had been sitting but
short time before, placed the opera glass
es to her eyes, but could not distinguish
the steamer. The two men that had been
sitting in the cunning skiff, near TIM
cum Island but short time before were
no longer Visible. For some time she en-
deavored to locate the two gunners, but
without success. There was no other
vessel or boat to be seen after the sdo-
wheeler passed on, and as lar as she was
able to determine no reason appeare d for
blasts of warning from thu steamer.
The idea suggested by her at the time
to other person, In the club that the gum
or their boat upset-by the swell caused by
the passing steamer, aud tho captain of
the boat pas ,ed on, believing hat az the
steamboat had not struck the skitf all
danger to them bad passed. There were
many steamers passing down the river on
that Thursday afternoon, and Mrs. Grei-
ner saw most Of them.
Essington seemed dull and lacking in
interest after spending life amid the en-
npf Ofa off md tn fun
nlly became interested III the sights along
the river front. She was, therefore, able
TO recall the Incidents ,raDspiring amid
surroundings new to hsr. and was greatly
interested In the efforts OF tho Two gunnerl
who seemed to DO unsuccessful owing to
tho clustering winds. They repeatedly
fred at ducks, but during the hours she
watched them did not get one.
1t Is thus highly probable that the gun
ners would remain until darkness com.
PEELED them to abandon their luckie $ gun.
ming expedition and had padded back In
TO the course of the passing vessel just
rs the shrek, of warning OF the sidewhe,l-
or were heard. These remark Bile Incl
dents as related by Mrs. Greiher will serve
to stimulate the search for the body of
George Eyre The river about Essington
and Tia cum Island has been searched
daily since the alarm over Eyros disap-
pearance was given. Strangers have
come to Essington, hired boat, and prose-
cuted the search oil day.
Chester, Jan. / Another bit of mute
but possibly important evidence in the
Eyre mystery in the shape OF paddle
used for propelIing cunning skiffs.
1t Is the invnrable custom of duck hunt
ors to carry two of these paddles in their
boats, and it Is presumed that George B.
Eyre also had two In his sltiff. Ons In.
Identified as belonging to him was found
some days ago; tho other was un-
doubleday brought to light yesterday.
Men familiar with duck hunting say
ming skiff and nowhere else. 1t will be
turned over to the Chester authorities SO
that 1t may be identified II possible a. be-
longing O the skiif in which Eyre DEPART
ed from the Alpha Boar Club hou 6.
The finding Of this paddle Is regarded by
rivermen as very important, especially
when taken in connection with the pick.
ing up of the corduroy and black caps,
the former Of which has boon partially In
Identified as the one Eyre wore when last
seen.
The caps. 1t will be remembered, were
found floating in the Delaware below
Washington Park on the Jersey side of
the river the first Of last week; the second
paddle wns picked up ON the Friday fol-
lowing Eyre's disappearance In the same
olnity but farther up the river. John
Fanelly, we'll known In Gloucester and
along the river front, was the finder.
SEARCHING HERE FOR THE BODY,
Reporters for The North American yes
terday carefully explored the shores Of
Cherry Island, or Cherry Flats, which
TANKS this city on its eastern side. But
not race Of George B. Eyre, the missing
Chester hunter. WAS discovered.
Along the Christiana shore the current
Is swift, and In recent years several bodies
have been carried on food tides from tho
channel Of the Delaware river inro wherv
tho Christiana empties. Tie tide from
the Delaware sweeps past ling jetty
ut the confluence Of both streams, and
generally 1t is swIftor on the northern
shore Of tho Cbristiana than Oh the south
crn.
Keeper Spicer's light being almost lat
the shore edge OF the jettv, no can clearly
see from his library window any objects
that arc carried toward Wilmington BY
the tide. Tugboat captains. crews aud
other rivermen who traffic on the Christ.
ana every day havo been keepinga careful
watch on the shoe Keeper SDlcer who
has also been wa ching the fool tide.
carefully, joined In he search with renew
cd zenl. A sharp scru my of every inch
OF Doth shores OF the ChrlSilana, however,
revealed nothing Of Eyre or his belongings.
From he Chris ianas mou h to the north
end Of Cherry Island the Delaware shore
Is irregular. Reporters inves igatpd the
shore to the ebb line without much diff
ticulty today, but the search was fruit.
less.
The search carried The North Ameri-
cans investigu ion OF both shores of the
Delaware to opposite points-Psnnsgrsve
OH the Jersey side and Wilmington ON the
Delaware side.
The almost continuous northwest wind
since Eyre'a disappearance leads many
Ilverinvn hero 10 he belief lat II he was
murdered and thrown In the river without
a weight tod to him his body would have
been blown to tho Jersey side.
Linwo0d Spicrr, a sou OF Keeper Spicer
and inspector of government launches at
the Reedy Island Quarantine Station, has
told story hat may furnish u clew to
Eyrc's strange disappearance Spicor
spoke OF meeting two men hunting for
ducks last Sa nrday n week ago near the
mouth Of Bluckbirl Creek.
He described one OF tho men as person
who looked like Eyre. Blackbiid creek
is just below Resdy Island and Is the
best duokshootIng ground along tho Dol