The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-15

Special to The Washington Herald.
Chester. Pa. Sept. 14-Closely guarded
by a Gordon Of police, William Firth. jr..
Os tEis city. the married man who
sIoped with Ethel May Pierce. ff-
toen-year-Old Chester girl, who sent a
9ullet crashing into her brain when the
police called at their room in a hotel at
Alexandria, Va, was taken from the 6:2e
o'clock train tonight and locked in a
cell at the city hall
While a large crowd followed him,
trainmen lifted a heavy pine box from
the baggage car OF the train he had Just
left An undertaker's wagon drove up,
and twenty minutes later the family Of
the little Pierce girl was sobbing over
the body Of the child eloper.
no demonstration was made against
Firth. but he appeared excited and looked
about him nervously as the policemen
hustled him along
Arraigned at Night.
II was announced at the city hall that
Firth would have a hearing tomorrow
morning. but when the crowd melted
away Chief Of Police McCarey passed
the word to members Of the families
that the hearing woGd be held at II
O'Clock tonight. With only a few per-
sons present Firth was arraigned before
Magistrate Stockman. charged with alb
auction. and was held for trial
Shortly after he was taken TO the city
hall Firth was allowed to see his father,
William Firth, sr., Of Upland
Hello. old boy; how are your" ex-
claimed the father when the two met.
The son extended his arms and the
father caught him in his. The silence
that followed was broken by the sobs
or the elder Poor boy poor boyr' he
said.
An day to-day the father had affected
a cheerfulness he was far from feeling.
He tried to console his wife. who suffers
from heart disease, and who is confined
10 her bed by the shock Of her sons ac-
ton. While waiting for the train that
bore the son and the body OF the gi-i who
died for love of him he joked with his
friends
Father Weeps IncOnsoInbly.
But when the tension ended. he broke
down completely. After the police sepa-
rated him from his son he sat Imply in
a corner, weeping and refusing to be
consOled Late tonight he recovered
somewhat and declared that he would
stand by young Firth TO the end
There is something back Of all this, d"
he cried. Il don't hold my son blame
less for leaving his wife and child and
running off with this girl, but I don't
hold her and hers blameless either. We
will see that he gets justice"
During the evening Firth was smuggled
into an automobile and whisked to his
home. where there was an affecting
meeting between him and his mother. On
~ a few minutes were allowed him there
and when he was leaving Mrs Firth
told him that she would do everything
I'm her power to free him
To-day William w Pierce, father OF
the dead girl. declared that he did not
believe his daughter had committed sui
eide. and he expressed the belief that
she had been shot by Firth The
chief Of police Of Alexandria de-
clares there is no basis for this. He
SAYS he was standing at the door of the
hotel room and that Firth was in full
sight Of him when the shot rang out A
coroner's jury at Alexandria rendered a
verdict Of suicide
Friends Of the Pierce family ascribe
the fathers charges to the Overwrought
state Of his nerves following the news OF
the tragedy.