Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-14
FIRTH TOFACE MUSIC
G'rl Suicides Companion
Taken Back to Chester.
HE WEEPS OVER HER BODY
says She Had Threatened to Drown
Herself if Caught.
DIDN'T KNOW SHE HAD PISTOL,
BODY of Ethel Pierce. Fifteen-Yea,-
Old Eloper. Shipped Home.
Coroner's Jury Verdict.

special Correspondents. Of TUE star
Ai'h'NNNDRia, Va. September Il. 1910
we the jury, find that Ethel Nav
Pierce came To her uearli "a, r,.,,I
shot wound fired with suicidal ;,,.
her own hands
MS is the verdict given by the coro
''er jury this morning. after .xami,,,v
tour Witnesses in The ,.sa -, ,b
dr-o'a chester, pa girl who
Killed herself Yesterday afternoo, =, tho
Hotel Rammel
Ethel Pierce fired the fatal .bo,
"ds about 10 be taken in cus,odv b,.
'"'el Goods. following her apprehension
with William Firth. jr., twenty-sa,.n
years Old, also OF Chester martial
man with IA wife and one chi,5 -.
"hom she eioped yesterday morning from
that city
fo ne Jury was composed OF r. + coo,
iloieman; T. NJ. Dunbar. J. u prou'n
Mio'u Ruben :. 4. Swain ard " n
"ood. Coroner S. b. Moore presided
Firth Weeps Over Dead Girl.
appeared handcuffed to Police
man heid When he looked u,o, a.,
o'uy OF his companion he Won,
ing the witness stand he ayair -.
into tears. '" ouFst
,h. vi was nervous. He did MOI sbc.
his arr.n, which he displayed af,sr
''n I.t arrest last evening ai'ei
firth was taken hack ,o ,-,
uooh noon by Chief of Police Ii,, a
ar,;ass vi mat city. Chief NO..
warre Gu mere this morning with s,a,s
tion of MD s.hg eng Firth with the shduc.
th VI MISS Pierce. a minor child 's
.ne ~ ase Of sixteen years tn u unoer
of - worn out Yesterday by tha fa,ha.
CO., "eau girl William W Pierce
E,irth III, arey said this morning ,h.,
@ n.h VIII probably be given ns.,;.
nary nearing tomorrow mornia p,enitu-
.r, -ra . stiate j. NJ Stockman nf rh"l hois
a. opu! or the girl was shipned ~
'''ef 'fain to Chester. 'peu on .
Testimony Laid Before Jurv
ne hrst witness to take the stand
III waiter A. Warield. who ssid III.
Quiet entered the right temple co,,,n.
'Hroush the left side and fraa.u,in, tb.
'o"es OF Inc skull. The bullet be ,.,a
Hred at close range Judging from
'iie powder marks on the flesh
,hlei Goods told of being inf,,ro, 49,.
Ibe ,,resani' proprietor OF the hotel. of
liie presence or guests ansWerin.y - -
Scrlptlon of the couple wan.ed ir .t ~
ne Went TO the hotel and sent r-nrj IN
th.t he would like to see Firth W
waiting reasonable length or
wan, a, a'.pih ,t' panied by Mr.. Rammel. he
Ment To the room occupied by the cnunia
ana knocked at the door. Fir,b .,,.a,
partially. '' otehtu IL
on'ei Goods asked him where tho s,rI
~, NJ AGcciains t" witness. Fifth replied.
Nnat DO YOU want with her
chief Goods asked for bnr ,i,
uile. f1rth made the same remark
'iiis point or the proceedings trs
pislol shot was fired Chief q .ods rushe,i
mo The room and seized Firth
He found the girl. bleeding fro,, ber
mouno ',on M IN crouchins position behind the
oooi' me weapon was in her lap.
Firth Tells His Story.
flfth next took the stand His ex-
animation was brief
Firth said he was formerly nisht ,icL.,
agent for the PENNSYLVANIA Rsilroad
Company i'm Chester. He left thar CITY
at 4:3o O'Clock yesterday morning ac
companied by the girl.
Here he produced written memorsn-
dum giving time and other facts about
reaching points along the line incllidipg
data up TO the time Of the tragedy Firth
said he left Washington at 10 O'Clock
yesterday morning for this city
Inc glri, he said, told him she would
drown herself if caught. She. however.
did not mention that she would shoot
herself. /.
Firth was unable to explain how she
got the pistol cut of his pocket
The testimony of William L. Rammel
proprietor of the hotel. was to the effect
that the couple, after reaching his place
Yesterday, inquired about the departure
of trains south. Afterward Firth decided
to leave today on the II train for Jack
sOnville. Fla
His clerk. Mr.. Fleet. saw an account In
the evening papers of couple answering
the description OF Firth and the girl
wanted In chester. Witness notified
Chief Goods. Here he narrated what fol-
lowed. which was substantially the Same
as the testimony given by Chief Goods.
Love Letters From Firth.
After the girl was taken to the hospi-
tai last night two loving notes. signed
Teddy" supposed to have been written
by Firth. were found hidden In her cor
sets. One was covered with blood and
written with a lead pencil
You are the only one to make me ham
py'' was the sentiment expressed in one
note.
Il will treat you your husband"
The first note written with pen and ink
was dated August 22. There was no date
To the second note.
Firth explained later that Teddy was
his nickname to the girl.
That the girl after eloping with Firth
planned seif-destruction IL she was ever
caught. Is what Firth says. 1t is gen
orally believed. however. that fright at
impending arrest caused the girl to com.
NIT the deed.
Girl Lingers Five Hours.
At $40 o'clock the girl fired the shot
In the room occupied by her and Firth.
She died at 1905 o'clock in Alexandria
Hospital, without regaining conscious.
ness.
The bullet a 81 caliber. was dis.
charged from an liver Johnson pistol.
Ii entered the right temple, coming
out through the left temple. and shat.
tered into fragments plate glass mir.
ror in the room.
The girl was in a STOPPING position
between the door and the bureau when
che fired the shot. She bled profusely
oJ~a al