Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-09-14

ABOUT SJdNluS All HlSiiOi pue ~ SNN'"
he was foxier than was. When we
left Chester the girl said she would
never go home alive, but / thought
that was a bluff. She knew | had the
pistol in nv overcoat pocket. and she
must have slipped it out and jumped
behind the door when | opened 1t for
the officer.
When told of the probable conse-
quences of the part he played in the
sad affair, Firth exclaimed. Nix, NIX,
nix. I'll go back to Chester and plead
NV own case before the trial Judge
IN never suffer for this, but some one
else will. "
In the girls handbag were three pic,
lures OF Firth, a picture OF herself, anu
13 cents. Firth had in his pockets sol
and wallet containing package OF
blankscards, an employees annual pass
over the West Jersey and Seashore
Railroad, a receipt for dues from the
J. P. Grocer Council, No. 1877, 0. U. A.
NJ and other unimportant papers,
On a sheet Of paper written with peucii'
was the following:
Dearest dear, the shades OF nlght are
softly falling, H., a.
The golden sun Is sinking uo"n 'no
west
IT'S then for yyu my heart is yearning,
calling. calling,
For I'm dreaming of the one love the
best
1t was signed e. NJ. P" and evil
IDENTIFY was written by the girl.
Early last night Chief Goods received
a telegram from Edward McCarey,
chief Of police OF Chester, asking him
to hold Firth until warrant for him
could reach here.
Firth wears nose glasses and was at
tired in good clothes of dark texture.
The girl wore good clothing and a
largo hat and dark coat.
Firth, it is said, left note in his
Office at Chester in which he stated
that he would shoot any one who FOL
lowed him.
Chief OF Police McCarey, of Chester,
reached this city this morning.
DIR. Moore, the coroner, held an
inquest over the body at Mr. w. De-
maine & Sons undertaking parlors at
1890 O'Clock this morning. The jury
was composed Of Messrs. r. 7. Cook
(foreman). r NJ Dunbar, j. d. Brown,
l.. Ruben, S c. Swain and w. ID.
Wood.
After the jury had viewed the re-
mains. DIR. Warfeld described the
nature Of the wound which had caused
the Young wOman's death.
He was followed by Chief Goods,
whose testimony was substantially as
given above.
Firth was then examined. His state
ment did not vary from that given last
night and published above. He said
lac and Miss Pierce left Washington
.on tn, 1910 electric train yesterday
morning. The girl, he said, had not
threatened to shoot herself, but had
announced she would drown herself
before she would return home. Firth
also said he had no idea how she Sc
cured his pistol with which she shot
herself.
Mr.. William Rammel reiterated all
he knew Of the matter, which is also
given above.
The testimony having been closed,
the Jury soon returned the following
verdict:
I'VE, the jury, find from the evidence
that Ethel May Pierce came to her
death by pistol shot wound inflicted
with suicidal intent with her own
hand. "
Firth read newspaper most oil the
time he was in the presence ofthe jury.
He later was conducted to the chapel
where the body OF Miss Pierce had
been placed. The sheet was thrown
aside and the body, as white as marble
with the ghastly wound in the head
prominently displayed, confronted the
man. He viewed it with dOwncast head
for about twenty seconds, and then
walked away sobbing.
The chief of police Of Chester has a
state warrant signed by Justice Stock
man.
The penalty in Pennsylvania for
cohabiting with a girl under sixteen
years old is seven years confinement IN
the pententiary.
Firth was placed by Chief of Police
McCarey aboard a nOrthbound Wash
ington-Southen Railway train at 2:30
O'Clock this afternoon for Washington
at which place the chief of police and
his prisoner will take a train for Ches-
ter.
The remains of Miss Pierce were
placed aboard the same train by Mr..
w. Domaine d Son.
The Philadelphia North American OF
today say that the news of the tragic
end Of the girls romance reached the
parents in Chester last night, and it
left them Frustrated from the shock.
Mr.. Pierce started for Alexandria last
night to bring home the body OF his
daughter. He was armed with a war
rant for FIRTH arrest.
Firth left note in the station saying
that he had taken something over $40
the amount of his salary. Further
than this his accounts are straight, so
far as the railroad officials can ascer-
tain.
Friends OF both Firth and Miss
Pierce say that they had been on init
mate terms for some time, but there
was no suspicion that Firth intended to
dasart his wife and child and rim aWaV