The sun., 1900-01-25
District Attorney Smith Cri.
tisied For Hesitaucy in Aveng-
ing the Murdered Man.
GREAT CROWD AT FUNERAL
"PinRy" Pierce's Mysterious Illne less
Baffles Police Who Are Unable
10 Cain Access to the House.
Tive Brothers Expect to
Re Arrested.
y, SPECIAL Dispatch to "The Sun.

y spec Al blsp2tch 10 The Aun."
Chester, Pa, Jan. 24.-The public il
waiting anxiously for the Chester police
to make one or two arrests ia the Eyre
ease. The time consumed in awaiting
developments has beld those interested
in ayssging the murder of the young
and popular member OF the Alpha Boat
Club upon the edge of suspense TO such
an extent that criticisms of the Pennsyl
vania officers waiting tactics are being
freely made. The pnhiic demands thai
one If not two arrests be made, but the
demand does not hasten action on tbe
part of District Attorney Josiah Smith
OF Chief Of Police Berry, Hourly sous
move is looked for ON the part OF the DO.
lice, but as yet they have failed to sat.
isfy expectancy by arresting the two
men now under suspicion. Is it eau
tion, strategy or inability to cope with
the grave situation?
Saw Pierce With Ring.
John Wray has given evidence which
goes far 10 land James Pierce as a par
elcipant in the crime. The police and
district attorney attach considerable i'm
portance TO the mans testimony.
John Wray is dnck hunter and river
man, as lie James Pierce. He knows
Pierce aud is ON friendly terms with
him.
Wray claims to have met James Pierca
on December %, the day after Geor. b.
Eyre's disappearance. Wray noticed
ring upon Pierce's finger which answers
well the description of the one worn by
George B. Eyre before he was muir
dered.
'James PIERCE" says Wray. "told me
that the ring was given him by his sister
and that he priced it very highly. The
ring had white stone in the centre SET
ting fianked by blue and white stone. "
Pierce also had roll of money, and
when / remarked that he was flush he
told me that he had recently sold num-
Der OF ducks, the sale of which melted
him 500. He told me that he had sold
them to a firm ON Dock street il Phila-
delphia "
Police Believe Wray's Story.
When asked as TO the Importance he
attached to Wray's story, Chief Berry
said tonight that the witness vas CON
sdtred by some persons to be reliable
and by Tiers, not.
"We do not think that Wray has con
cocted this story" said the Chief, "for.
the simple reason that he told it in the
hotel at Marcus Hook on the night of
December %, at which time it was not
given out that George B. Eyre was miss
ing"
The ring worn by Eyre and alleged to
have been seen in the possession of
James Pierce has not been found by the
police, neither has The gold watch and
chain.
Chief Berry would not say last night
whether an arrest would be made before
He admitted, however, that
should sither one of the suspects attempt
to leave town they would be arre sted at
once.
In reference to being visited by Pawn
brokern Harris and Levy, of Whining
ton, Chief Berry said that Mr.. Harris
had been to call on him, but not in ref
ersnee to the Eyre case. Mr.. Levy has
not been to call upon the Chester chief. |
Crowds Attend Funeral.
The funeral of George B. Eyre took
place from the home of his mother and |
grandmother at 80 o'clock today. The |
body was not on view. The public was
to the house, but the intsrmeut |
which was in Chester Rural Cemetery.
was private. The announcement that |
he burial ~as to be private did not pre-
vent large crowd from being present at
he cemetery.
'Pinny" Pierce's Mysterious Plight.
"Pinny" Peirce, brother of James
'eirce, was present when his brother
vas arraigned before Mayor Jeffsries,
harged with the theft of Lademus' skiff
rom the Alpha boat house. He stood
,eside his brother during the preliminary
learing. After the last hearing "Pinny"
'eirce was taken sick Since then he
las been confined to bis home. The at
ending physician is credited with treat
ng "Pinny" for pneumonia. Persons
Fho have known "Pinny" Peirce for
ears say that they never knew him to
70 sick before. Like his brother
anes, 'tPinny" is a riverman, hunting
nd fishing having always been his chief
Ne one has seen this man since some
lns after December 81, and 1t is not
ven certainty that be is in the house.
lis family ASSERT, that he is, and also
hat he is i'll in bed, but request made
y the police this morning that they be
ven allowed to glance into the room
nd BEE the alleged invalid was met by a
at refusal. And this is the man who 10
elieved to have been an active acces-
Dry both before and after the murder, {,
ven if he be not the actual murderer.