Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-16
FIRTH HAD PROMISED
TO QUIT ETHEL PIERCE
Renewed Assurances to Wife
Shortly Before He Ran Away
With Chester, Pa, Girl.

PHILADELPHIA, September 16.-WN-
liam Firth. Jr.. the Chester husband and
father whose elopement with Ethel May
Pierce, fifteen years old. also of Chester,
ended tragically in Alexandria, Va. Tues
day afternoon, when the girl committed
suicide, did not leave his fathers house
in Upland yesterday. but spent the time
with hts married sisters, who are at the
home tending to their mother. who is
seriously i'll as a result of the young
mans escapade.
Meanwhile preparations are being made
for the burial OF the young girl with
whom Firth eloped and who, rather than
De taken back to Chester, blew her
brains out with a revolver which Firth
had taken from the Pennsylvania rail
road citation at Chester when he left the
ONCE in which he had been employed as
night clerk.
The Rev. DR.. H Shaffer, pastor Of the
Madison Avenue Methodist Episcopa!
Church. will probably conduct the III,
neral services. The services will be held
at the home tomorrow afternoon and the
girl will be buried in the Chester Rural
cemetery. on the outskirts of Chester
In leaving Chester with the girl Firth
left behind him also wife and daugh-
ter, Margaret, six years old. 1t was this
baby that first won him place in the
regard of the family of William w.
Pierce.
pierces, after he had been introduced
TO them, and il was through her interest
In the baby that he became friends with
Ethel Pierce. in fact, this interest in the
child deceived the girls father as to the
real condition of AFFAIRS.
Girl Wrote Him of Love.
Firth was regarded as a friend Of the
family by Pierce, who said yesterday
that the only time he knew Firth and
his daughter to be together was when
his wife and daughter were leaving the
house, and Firth happened to be there
and volunteered 10 walk down the street
with them.
Just what the attitude Of Mrs. Firth
will be in the matter Is not known. She
did not visit her husband At his home
yesterday.
Mrs. Firth. jr., first became cognizant
OF the relations which existed between
Ter husband and the Pierce girl July 4,
when she found letter in his pocket
which was written by the girl. This
letter contained. according TO Firth's
sister, who saw II. protestations Of love
and arranged a time when he was to
meet her.
After finding this letter Mrs, Firth
pleaded with her husband TO give the girl
I'D, and he promised to do so. Then the
neighpors started to talk about the pair.
TO quit going with the girl and stay at
home. He promised to do so this time.
also. and against last Monday night, when
hts wife Carried him a lunch at IL O'Clock,
he promised to stop seeing the girl. Five
hours later he was on his way to Balti-
more with the girl
Father Stands by Him.
This is the first time my name has
been brought into anything like this, -
said William Firth. the father, at his
nome so Upland avenue Willie was
always a good 10y, and he never did any,
thing wrong until now. and can't under
stand II. l don't think he was entirely
TO blame.
When my daughter-in-law came to
me with the letter she found in Willie s
pocket, ] just took the address of the
Pierce girl and went around that house
time and again in order TO try 70 catch
them together. l didn't think II would
do any good unless l found them to-
gether. But Willie was too cute for me-
but ] am going to stand up for him.
He knows he did wrong ard Is sorry
he ought to be punished: but there are
others who are just as much to blame as
he ts. am going to stick by him, and
so will the family
The elder Mrs. FiSth, who was pros
trated by the news OF her sons elope.
Ynent and subsequent arrest. was In a
serious condition Wednesday night until
her son arrived to see her. and yesterday
she had greatly improved.
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