The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-08
PIERCES ARE
INDICTED.
But The Trial Will Not
Be Gone Into Until
June Next.

Media, March T-Attsr two days speu
ID COT .ideration OF tue case Of James an,
Amos Pierce, charged with the murder a
Geurge b. Eyre. the Grand jury TO-DAY re-
turned true bills against the prisoner
upon each of six indictments Upon Tn
request OF district Attorney Smith, tn
triS!was postponed unti tho June term o
court,
br. Broomall. senior counsel for th,
prisoners. opposed this delay. So stroug
~ Id Mir. Broomall appeal for au i'm me d
inie trln' that he forced tho prosecution I,
snow Its rntire hand partially admit
That as the ca's stands at present it wouIe
b. Impossible to convict the Pierce broth.
ers.
Seldom has the defence in a prominsn,
proceedings. MIR. BroomaIl boustsd Ia
open court that the Grand Jury was &C
impressed with the weakness Of the pro-
aeGutinn that only by a hairs weight was
true bill returned. lie declared that iii
clients were unjustly detained IN iai,, and
Tint their greatest desire was to face their
aCrusers.
BY u clever trick the defence learned
that Tho police have US yet been unable to
ma the watch, ring or guns belonging to
Eyre and stolen by The murderer. II
friend OF the Pierces was induced 10 drop
pawn ticket for q watch. This occur.
red In the court house, and ord was !
once sent to Chief Of Police Berry and the
District Attorney. These officials were
Tor onca oil their guard and showed auoh
engrrness over the supposed flnd that it
was plain they arc still searching for The
vnluAbles.
Taken 10 all. the proceedings thus far
nave all been favorable for tho prisoners s.
Tho prosecutions entire case has boon
proved TO rest upon tho alleged Con fession
made by James Pierce to Mary Cowan,
q woman OF easy morsls, uneduca,ed, and
sanity.
When court opened at 10 O'Clock the
Grand Jury called Sudie Pancoast, OF this
city ~ q witness She testified that Eyre
spent tho night OF December 20. the one
oefore the murder, with her. and told her
hat ne WAS goiug gunuing the next iay
with James Pierce.
After a bief examination of tho witness
the Grand Jury announced that IL wa,
prapared 10 report upon this Eyre case.
Ihe members filed into the courtroom
anu the Pierce brothers were sent for
Both the PRISONERS seemed interests
" hen the foreman Of the jury handed n
package OF indictments to Judge johnson
and the Dis rict Attorney announced that
= true bill had boon returned in each case
charging homicide In the different de- |
greece.
Then the jury was dismissed and Dis. !
,r'ct Attorney Smith addressed tho court i
He presented u physicians certifIcn,,
that Mary Eyre, mother of tho
murdered man was unable rs yet to an
BOAR ia court. Mr.. Smith said she wa, /.
'ltal VII ness and "f0r this and other rea.
Ions he felt obliged to ask for q contp.
lance OF the trial until tho June torn of
'ourt.
Mr. Broomall oppo. ed the motion, He
aid 1t would be hardship to keen inno-
ent men In Jail longer than necessary.
10 declared thai tho physisian'a certi6- /
"a dill not show Mrs. Eyre to be suffer
ng from any dissa,e and did not show
nut she wonld DO any better able to at
end court In Juno than at present,
Iho District Attorney replied and re-
erred to the fact that tho prosecut ton
au found 1t necessary to drag the bed OF
no delaware river and that thus far tho
weather. had Murdered the work.
Mr.. brooInall said this was not q rea-
COURT. Then MIR. Schasffsr, who will A.
list he District At ornsy, took part In the
rSument and said the prosecution had
no right to ask one continuance. He said 1
nrther investigations might prove tho
'iJrce brothers innocent and remove The
ecessiiy OF a trial.
After much discussion, In which ths
rosecutor was plainly worried and mode
, reveal bit by bit tho evidence he posses. {
'd and Mr. Brooiral chuckled over IT., d
'eakness, the Judge settled the affair.
Ho said that II the district Attorney ]
'ould mako formal statement that he
'as unable to proc.ed without Mrs Eyre 4
nd that he believed her unable to attend {
'urt now. the court would continue the
ss~ us asked MIR. Smith did this and the !
1urt room was speedily elnptied of tho
.owd !,
After the adjournment of Court last
light Mary Cowan, in company with sew
nj other women, visited the Media Jail,
I'D asked to ba allowed TO see the Pierce l.
rOLhers in their cells.
No doubt something interesting would O.
hvo boon heard II they had been allowed
converse. but the Prison Inspec ors II
ere In session aud declined to allow them =,
proceed any farther than tho Office. -