Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-12-09
THE CONVICTION OF FIRTH.

) The elimination of the trial OF WI.
Ham J. Firth, married man, ano
1 former ticket seller in the Pennsylvania
Railroad station at Chester. Pa, who
wa. charged with enticing lo-year,old
Ethel Nav Pierce FROM her home last
September was given in yesterday :
Gazette. The accused was declared
entity OF clipping with the girl. Miss
Pierce shot and killed herself with
Firth's revolver when the pair were
discovered, registered rs man and wife,
in q hotel at Alexandria. The judge
deferred sentence.
Throughout the trial Firth conducted
bis case with the deliberation OF q prac-
ticed lawyer. After cross-examining
William Pierce and his wife, parents OF
the dead girl, and getting Mrs. Pierce
to admit that she had invited him to
her home and there furnished him with
liquor. Firth took the stand in his
own defense.
He said that he was under severe
influence" exercised by Mrs. Firth,
and he denied being too friendly with
Ethel, though he testified that he and
the girl registered as man and wife IN
the Alexandria hotel.
Firth told of parties" with Mrs.
Firth and her daughter, declaring that
they took him to Atlantic City two
weeks before the elopement, and that
Mrs. Firth had put her wedding ring
on Ethel's finger.
She said the people would think
that we we're married and that it would
look right for us to be together" he
testified.
I'VE stopped in hotel at Atlantic
City, and Mrs. Pierce was aware OF
all that took place. She never made
any objection to anything that I did.
When Mrs. Pierce took the stand
Firth asked her if she had ever been
with him and her husband in hotels
in Atlantic City. She admitted that
she had. To further questioning she
admitted that she had taken numer-
Gus drinks Of intoxicants on these &C.
casons.
Firth asked her il she didn't know
that he vas married man and If she
did not know positively that his rela-
tons with her daughter were more
than those of Il friend.
Mrs. Pierce made no direct reply to
these questions.
Firth then asked her il she had not
her daughter, while with
him in Philadelphia, as Mrs. Firth. "
The mother denied that she had ever SO
the girl.
Taking the stand himself, Firth said
the advances bad been all from Ethel.
He said he tried to break with her, but
had finally fallen before her entreatie'.
"Our friendship" he said, con
tinued until one morning about 2:45
o'clock think it was September lS.
Then / received phone call from
Ethel May saying that she vas coming
to me and that | must take her away.
told her not TO do SO, but she came
to the station. I again begged her to
GO home, but she inplored me to take
her away, and consented"
After telling OF the trip to Alexan-
lria, he said: we registered at a
hotel as man aud wife, using my name,
but fictitious address. During our
stay in tho room Ethel May wept and
mplored nae to take care Of her, and |
begged her to return home. Late in
the afternoon the proprietor knocked
upon the door and said | was wanted
in the Office. Upon hearing this the
girl tried 10 throw herself from win
dow. We knew it was all up then.
Il had taken my revolver from my
pocket, and it vas lying on tho bed
when Chief OF Police Goods raped on
the door. When he said he wanted us
I heard a shot, and turned in time, 10
sec the girl fall. "
Chief Goods who attended the trial
Us witness returned TO this city yes
terday evening.