Evening journal., 1900-03-08
CONTINUANCE
IN PIERCE TRIAL
True Bills Found Against the
Two Accused MurdererS By
the Grand Jury.
CASE COMES UP NEXT JUNE

SADIE PANCoAsT. THE SWEET
HEART OF MURDERED GEORGE
EYRE, TESTIFIED YESTERDAY.
PRISONERS TURNED PALE
WHEN THEY REALIZED THEIR
POSITION.
Media, Pa, March s.-True bills of
Indictment on all the six charges
against James and Amos Pierce. ac-
cused of the murder of George B. Eyre,
were returned to the court yesterday by
the grand jury at Media, Delaware
county. After a heated argument be-
tween William b. Broomall, the senior
counsel for the defendants. and Dis
triet Attorney Josiah Smith, II was
also deereed by the court that there
should be a continuance OF the case
until the June term
It was learned that late on Tuesday
afternoon, after the hast witness had
been heard, the grand jury took a poll.
The e,results showed twelve members in
favor Of Quashing the six bills OF in
dlctment and eleven members for the
return of true bills. There was one alb
sentee. 1t was also agreed that in Or
der TO ignore the bills all Of the sixty
one witnesses for the prosecution
must be heard. The suddenness with
which the grand jury brought the
hearing to close yesterday was there
fore in the nature of a surprise.
SADIE PANCOAST CALLED.
nrrffa. Ar.In
Henry Frysinger, who lives in Chester,
was half an hour late in reaching the
Court House. At 1890 the grand jury
got down to business. and the first wit
ness called was Sadie Pancoast
The sweetheart of the murdered man
was asked only four questions, and the
time occupied for the purpose was less
than five minutes. 1t was afterwards
learned that her presence at the hear
ing was to find out If she had seen
Eyre on the morning Of December 21,
and what he had said when he bade
her goodbye.
Miss Pancoast told the jury that she
had been with Eyre on the morning OF
the day he disappeared, and that he
had said he was going on a cunning
trip with Jim" Pierce. This seemed
few minutes private deliberation, the
court was apprised of the fact that the
jury had decided in favor of the prose-
cution and that true bills would be i'm
mediately returned.
few minutes before the grand jury
filed in the Pierce boys were led by
Sheriff Edmund oliver. They were placed
In the prisoners dock.
nfcfrfnf Affornox, Cr,ft1, ..-o.,l
before Judge Johnson and handed in
the bills of indictment. He asked for a
continuance of the case on the ground
that Mrs. Mary Eyre, mother Of the
murdered man, was unable to attenC
the present term of court
Attorney Broomall said that all th,
witnesses had been marshaled for tn,
defense and he was ready to 20 on will
the trial at once. He made a plea foI
the Pierce brothers, declaring that 4
would be an injustice to keep innocen
men in fail three months longer.
The district attorney in reply sal,
the commonwealth had no other mo
tive than to be fair to the defendant
and at the same time conserve the de
mands OF justice.
Judge Johnson announced that IL tn
district attorney would say he couli
not safely go to trial without Mrs
Eyre he would grant a continuance
The district attorney complied with tn
request and the continuance wa
granted.
During the court proceedings Jim
and Amos Pierce maintained stoli
countenances. When the full realiza
ton OF the fact that they we're to b
tried for their lives dawned upon ther
the effect was plainly noticeable.
What little color there had been i
their faces disappeared entirely. an
in its stead was look of ghastlinesl
Before the prisoners were led to thei
cells they were accorded a brief convel
sation with their father. The latte
gave each Of his boys a warm grasp {
the hand, then bade them goodbye.
It was hinted about the corridor
that habeas corpus proceedings woul
he begun. Attorney Broomall declare
that he had not even considered such
proposition.