Evening journal., 1910-09-15


dead girl. William W. Pierce. The
charge preferred by the father was
abduction and the defendant was held
in the. sum Of $1,000 bail for his ap-
pearanNe at court Security was
furnished by David Firth, an uncle
Of the defendant
Firth showed signs of weakness
and requested a glass of water and a
chair as he stood in the prisoners
dock. both Of which were supplied
him.
Regardless of the lateness of the
hour, the hearing room was crowded
and at least 300 people were gather
ed I'm front Of the City Hall.
Four warrants are already sworn
out for Firth. One was sworn to by
Mr.. Pierce and charges him with alb
duction; another, sworn, to by the city
authorities, charges him with enticing
a minor; a third, sworn out by the Of
ficials of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
by whom he was employed as station
clerk at the Sixth street station in
Chester, charges him with deserting
his post at the station, while his wife
charges him with desertion.
Father Broken Hearted.
Firth had known my daughter for
some months" said Mr.. Pierce yester-
day. Il don't know how they met, but l
presume some person had introduced
them. Ethel was attentive TO Firth's
little daughter and seemed to think
great deal Of the child. So marked
Z IfI the Inf hngnr,,a fhnf trth Of
, ten brought the little girl to our home
Mrs. Pierce occasionally went oui
with Ethel and Firth for walks about
the neighborhood and we never saw
r. anything improper in that as long as
the girls mother was along. Not one
of us ever imagined for a moment that
Ethel was interested in the man. II
we had. we would have kicked him out
b Of the house
Last Sunday they went to Atlantic
City. II is ridiculous to say that Mrs.
Pierce lent Ethel a ring to make il
appear that she and Firth were mar
ried. They simply happened to be
down there and met
ION Monday night / retired some
time before midnight and Ethel and
her mother said they would come lat
er. AS a matter Of fact they did. We
slept in the second story front room.
Ethel occupying a cot in the same
room. Why. when they retired, my lit
tie girl knelt down and said her pray
ers, as she had always done. and asked
for blessings on her father and
mother
"A long freight train passes oui
house every night after midnight and
l suppose Ethel arose and dressed anC
left the house while the sounds OF hel
movements were drowned by the noise
of the train. We never heard her
When we awoke yesterday morning
we found that her bed was empty.
"I don't know why. but some in
stinct instantly told me the truth. Ny
son went to a telephone and called
Washington and asked the police there
to watch both railroads for them, fol
we instantly surmised that they hat
taken the 4.30 train on the Baltimore
\ and Ohio going south. Firth, being
y railroad man, knew all about the TIM
Of trains. I understand. they ha,
stopped OFF I'm Baltimore and that 4
:. how we missed them i'm Washington.
y I'VE always liked Firth. He was
:. pleasant fellow and seemed entirel
= interested I'm his own little daughter
~ Ethel had other company. There wa
{, one young man who called on her an
:, we believed that she would eventual
a marry him. | never objected to he
n going with him. but told her to no
~ consider marriage until she was a
y least l6. Then If she wanted to mar
p ~ told her | would consider the ma,
. ter"
= Mr.. Pierce would not say who tn
" young man was except that he live
.. in Chester and bore a good reputation
- 81 never suspected there was an
y particular friendship between Firt
= and my sister," said the dead girl
y brother, but had often noticed tina
she could do almost anything wit
him that she wanted to. Why. sh
could just wrap him about her littl
: finger