Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1900-01-23


WITH GUNsToCK-so FIXES THE
CoRoNER's JURY AS THE
CAUSES OF THE YOUNG MANS
DEATH.
Bridgeport, N. j.. Jan. 23.-All ques-
tion of doubt as to the manner in which
George B. Eyre, the young Chester
man whose body was found on the
mud flats in the Delaware river sun
day met his death was swept away yes
terday, when the official inquiry into
the cause of death was made under the
direction of Prosecutor Of the Pleas
Lewis Starr, of Gloucester county.
Prosecutor Starr was assisted by AS
sistant Attorney Josiah Smith, of Della
ware county, Pa, and Chief OF Police
Berry, of Chester.
George b. Eyre was the victim of a
cruel and cowardly murder, the circum-
stances OF which grow more revolving
with each new development in the case.
His assassin shot him from behind
with the muzzle OF the gun pressed
closely against his victims head and
then, to make sure that his dastardly
crime was complete, or, frenzied with
excitement over his awful deed he bat
tered and smashed the young club
man s, head until the skull was almost
reduced to a pulp.
LAS the officials of New Jersey and
Pennsylvania stood over the body yes
terday and listened to the details Of
the crime as revealed by the autopsy,
they determined that no stone would
be left unturned in the effort to mete
out Justice to the murderer.
THE CORONER'S INQUEST.
The coroners inquest was held in the
afternoon in the Town Hall in the
presence Of large crowd Of townspeo-
pie, and friends of the murdered man.
The jury deliberated only few min
utes, and then returned the following
verdict:
THE said George B. Eyre came to
his death from gunshot wound on
the back OF the head received at the
hands of a party or parties unknown
and at time unknown"
Immediately following the announce
ment Of the verdict, Prosecutor Starr,
District Attorney Smith and Chief oil
Police Berry held a long private con-
fused to divulge, except that the vari-
Gus phases OF the crime since the dis
appearance Of Eyre on December 21 had
been discussed, but no definite conclu-
sion had been arrived at, although
when closely questioned concerning
probable arrests, Prosecutor Starr
stated that in the interests. OF justice
he could not make public at this time
just what move would be made.
District Attorney Smith, Of Della
ware county. said the authorities on
the other side of the river would work
in harmony with Prosecutor Starr.
HIS COMPANION THE MURDERER.
The authorities are convinced that
Eyre had companion when he left
Chester on December 21, for a cunning
trip, and that his companion was his |
murderer; that the only apparent mo-
tive for the crime was robbery.
The authorities have a theory that
the murder occurred not far from
where the body was found in Eyre's
skin. "Eyre," said an official, 'in my
opinion, was in crouching position
in the bow OF his boat watching for
ducks. His companion and murderer
was padding the boat from the stern
end. When the opportunity came he
plced his gun against Eyre's head and
fired, and then used the stock Of the
weapon to crush his victims skull"
THE LADOMUS SKIFF.
In this connection, the Ladomus skiff, !
which was stolen from the Alpha club
house, figures in the case, it being
strongly contended by many that the
murderer. after the commission Of his
crime, rowed back to Chester under
the cover of night and secured the,
Ladomus skiff for the purpose of aid
ing him to bury the evidences of his
terrible deed in the channel of the
river. But whether the Ladomus skiff
was used or not il is believed another
boat must have been employed in sink
ing the body of Eyre and his boat,
for the authorities are confident that
Eyre's skiff is weighted down at the
bottom of the river, and following out
this belief, the river bottom in this
section will be thoroughly searched.
Prior to the autopsy several water
men examined the knots in the rope
which bound the murdered mans legs
together, and gave it as their opinion
that the person who tied the knots was
familiar with the manner in which
watermen usually tie knot. A more
critical examination of the ends of the
rope and the loop convinced the au-
thorities that a large stone had been
attached to it, for the purpose Of sink
ing the body, and had probably worn
on the rope until it parted Plenty of
stone Of sufficient size to sink a body
arc to be found along the island shore.
THE BODY IN CHESTER.
Chester, Pa, Jan. GA thousand
persons greeted the naptha launch
when it drew up at the wharf, at 4.SO
o'clock, with Eyre's body on board. Ac-
companying the remains were District
Attorney Smith. Of Delaware county.
and his predecessor, ex-District Attor-
ney Shaeffer, Prosecutor Starr. of
Gloucester county, N. J., and Chief OF
Police Berry, of Chester county. went
Immediately to the City Hall, where
they remained in consultation for
half hour and then separated.
The crowd on the wharf soon melted
axfsn3 -&4