Evening journal., 1900-03-06
MARY COWAN
ON THE STAND
Repeats Her Story. Charging the
Pierce Brothers With the
Eyre Murder.
TESTIMONY HEARD IN SECRET


IT is THOUGHT THAT A POST
PoNEMENT WILL BE ASKED
FOR AND GRANTED UNTIL THE
JUNE TERM OF COURT.
Concerning the trial of the two
Pierce brothers, charged with the muir
der Of George B. Eyre, a dispatch from
Media says:
Mary Cowan, the sweetheart of
James Pierce, who with his brother
Amos is charged with the murder Of
George B. Eyre, was yesterday for the
second time. the star witness against
her former lover, when she appeared
before the grand jury at the opening
Of the March term of court in Media,
Delaware county. Ten other witnesses
preceded her. After the Cowan wo-
man had told her story to the grand
jury, the latter. at the command Of the
court, adjourned until today. After
more witnesses are heard, which will
probably take until this afternoon, the
members of the grand jury will decide
whether the evidence against the
Pierce brothers is sufficiently strong
to return true bills, charging them
with the murder of Eyre.
When the court opened at 1908 a.
m, Judge Isaac Johnson. who was ap-
pointed to succeed the late Judge Clay
ton, made his first appearance on the
bench. District Attorney Josiah
Smith, who was elected to succeed W..
l. Schaffer, also made his initial bow
20 the court. At 1890 the members Of
the grand jury were all in their places.
Fifteen minutes later James and Amos,
alias Pinny Pierce, were brought before
the bar OF justice in the custody Of
Deputy Sheriff Charles Wolfe and War
den Thomas Fields. AS the two pris-
cners took their seats they gave mods
of recognition to their associate coun-
sci, A. B. Geary.
HOW THE PIERCE BROTHERS
LOOKED.
The Pierce brothers plainly showed
the effects of their five weeks confine-
ment. Jim" looked the worse Of the
two. Notwithstanding that "Pinny" is
a victim of tuberculosis. Both were
attired in suits of dark clothing
"Pinny" wore a flannel shirt, and
Jim" endeavored to improve his ap-
peaance BY wearing a brightred neck
tie. Among the most interested spec
tatOrs were William B. Broomall
Joseph b. HinksOn and A. B. Geary
counsel for the defense. They occu-
pied seats just outside Of the inner
court railing, a few feet away from
the two men whose lives they are to
defend II true bills are returned
against them today
Judge Johnson. in his charge to the
jury, spoke only ten minutes. He said
that among several important bills OF
indictment on the court calendar for
the March term there were two which
charged James and Amos Pierce with
the. murder Of George B. Eyre, of Ches-
ter.
At the conclusion OF the judges
charge, District Attorney Smith, ad-
dressing the court, said:
Il now ask leave to send to the
grand jury these bills of indict-
ment against James and Amos Pierce.
charging various degrees of homicide;
to send before the grand jury wit
nesses other than those heard before
the committing magistrate, and to as
sociate with me in the trial William I.
Schaifer, the former district attorney -
AT the same time the names OF sixty
one witnesses were read.
The three requests were granted. az
ter which the grand jury retired to the
room set apart for their private use
and where the eleven witnesses subse-
quently submitted their testimony be-
hind closed doors. In an adjoining
11I
witnesses who were subpoenaed be-
cause their testimony was regarded as
sufficiently strong by the prosecution
to impress the grand jurymen with the
guilt Of the prisoners.
FORMER TESTIMONY.
Chief of Police Berry. of Chester
was the first witness called by the tip.
stan who stood guard at the door o
the private hearing room. He was fol
lowed by Captain Joseph OIL, of tn,
sloop yacht Ariel. Chief Berry wa!
then recalled for the purpose O
STRENGTHENING out certain features O
captain Ohls story. Then came il
succession Sergeant Leary. Of tn,
chester police force; Baggagemaste
Williams, who saw Eyre get off tn
train at Chester on the morning h
disappeared, and Mrs. Samuel Kew
who saw Eyre walking in the direction
OF the Alpha boathouse in his gunninI
suit.
The next witness was w. Fletche
Smith, who said that while waiting 70
the steamboat City of Chester at tn
foot Of Market street about S.3
o'clock on the morning of Decembe
q he saw two cunning skiffs star
from the Pennsylvania shore. Will
he could not identify the occupants h
distinctly remembered that one of tn
skiffs. with single oarsman. pulle
out from Chester creek, and the othe
skin, with two men in 1t, left the Al
pha boat slip.
Policeman Vandegrift was ne,
closeted with the grand jury. He
the Chester policeman who taIke