Delaware gazette and state journal., 1900-01-25
GEORGE B. EYRE MURDERED
His Dead Body Found In the
River by a Fisherman.
A HORRIBLE WOUND IN THE HEAD
Legs Were Tightly Tied To-
gether With a Rope.
His Money aud Rings Were Missing-The
Body Positively Identi fied--Na Possibility
of suioide-AIl Evidences Point to Foul
Play-Tne Affair IA Deep Mystery.

nome IN THIS city, MS pouy was founu
in the water OF the Delaware River,
nearly opposite Chester, yesterday. and
furnished abundant evidence that young
Eyre had been the victim of horrible
crime.
Eyre was killed by "a gunshot wound
back of his right ear Weights were
attached to his body, and it remained
under water until the mystery was
partially cleared up today. The body,
was found during the unusually low
tide Of the morning about six feet out
from the shore. rss
discovery, is a resident OF Bridgeport.
living on Raccoon Island farm, as a
fisherman. The body was positively
identified last night by a score Of
friends. 1t is but little decomposed.
Geofge B. Eyre departed from Chester
on a cunning trir on December 2lst.
Almost between the very same hours of
the day that it is supposed lie left
the Alpha Boat Club his body was
east up by the waves. 1t was after 10
o'clock yesterday morning when Carney
was journeying along the beach of
Raccoon Island gathering driftwood,
His attention Became drawn to a
curiously shaped object some feet from
the shore. He reached out his boathook
and drew the grewsome burden IN. 1t
was the body of man with legs
securely tied below the knees by q
strong boat rope of cotton.
Carney recognized the features as
those Of the missing Chester man,
George B. Eyre. He at once informed
Coroner William B. Miller of Pauls.
boro. The place of finding is low
sandy beach. Behind it is a fringe of
scrubby bushes. When the coroner ar
rived the body, drawn up on the beach,
was resting upon the great stones that
litter the shore. 1t was almost dusk.
To Sharp's Hotel, on Raccoon Creek,
Eyres body was taken.
Chief of Police Berry of Chester. was
summoned, as were also a dozen or
more members of the Alpha Boat Club.
The body was clothed in hunting
coat and dark blue sweater. His
knickerbockers, evidently part Of q
bicycle suit, were dark.
SHOT IN BACK OF HEAD. .,'.
Behind the right ear was gaping
hole as big as an orange. The bones
of the skull were loose, and contents Of
the skull had escaped through this
Is a large discolored patch covering
almost the entire right side. 1t may
have been produced by blunt instru-
ment or caused by a burn from the
powder of gun. ra,
But the most significant and con-
vincing feature is a rope five siyths
cotton boat rope. 1t was tied and
knotted about the dead mans legs.
Just below the knee and at the end of
this rope was noose-a LOOP which
had contained some stone or weight
meant to anchor the body to the bottom
of the river. The body was but slightly
bloated. YEA
There can be no doubt that George
b. Eyre met with foul play.
Whether the motive was robbery Will
not perhaps be definitely known for
some time, If ever. That it was the
cause of the crime is given color by the
fact that no rings, money or valuables
of any kind were found upon the dead
man. A piece of watch chain, the
fob still hanging from the vest was
there, but the watch itself was missing.
The chain evidently had been broken
by violent pull. t
Any theory of suicide is out of the
question. The wound in the head must
have killed Eyre at once. The knotting
of the rope about his legs, the empty
moose at the end is terrible evidence of
the awful manner by which he met his
fate.
Some keys were found upon HIM and
box oil matches. Last night A. v.
Lees, the treasurer Of the Alpha Boat
| Club, identified the body not only by
the features, which were plainly recog-
nizable, but by these keys, the dupli-
Gates OF those carried and. used by
other members of the Eoat club. Later
| D.. r. Creamer, commission merchant
OF Chester and a member of the same
lodge OF Elks to which Eyre belonged,
also identified the body.
STORY OF THE DISAPPEARANCE.
On Thursday, December 21st, George
B. Eyre disappeared from Chester. In
| tracing up his movements from the pre-
ceding day it was learned that he had
spent the night in Philadelphia, and
came t. Chester by an early train
Thursday morning. He was seen by
| Policeman Williams at tie Sixth street
| station Of the p, w. Il b. railway TO
get off the train shortly before s
o'clook. A half hour later Eyre went
| into James grocery store, en- Market
street, and telephoned to his mother
at her residence, on West Eleventh
street, that he was going duoking,
and would return in time. for supper.
| W. b. Harvey, lawyer, stated that
| Eyre called at his office about 10
O'Clock and transacted some legal busi-
ness pertaining to his fathers estate.
Mrs. Lytle and her daughter Sophronia
said they saw Eyre and James Pierce
walking toward the boathouse Of the
Alpha Boat Club, at Welsh street,
about 10. 30 o'clock.
From that time all positive trace was
lost. No one was found who was thought
| to have seen Eyre on the river except
| Cox, who said he saw the young club
man rowing toward the boathouse,
making course which would land him
there in few minutes after sundown.
Most diligent and persevering search
was maintained for the missing man
for three weeks along the shore of the
river. A week after he disappeared
Eyre's corduroy cap was picked up in
the Delaware, above Washington Park.
A few days later one Of the oars he used
was recovered at the Christiana Light
house, Delaware, and later paddle
belonging to him was found near the
same place. The most important find,
however, the falsesbottom belonging to