Evening journal., 1913-11-22

MAYHAVEBEEN
BURIED ALIVE
Delaware COunty'S District
tOrney Believes Victim Of
Farm Hands Died in Grave
CONFESSION OF THE
SLAYERS AMPLIFIED


MEDIA, Pa, Nov. %. That the muir
der Of $. Lewis Pinkerton the Chester
tax collector and farm Oversecr,
which was confessed by George G.. March
and Roland ;. Pennington. laborers ON
one of the farms. was more brutal than
even they admitted. is the belief Of Dis
trict Attorney John b. Hannum, Jr. He
viii endeavof to prove. he admitted last
night, that Pinkerton was buried alive.
The commonwealth attorney, his as
sistant, j. Rohrman Robinson, and De
tectiycs O1oole and Nell spent the time
from an early hour yesterday until
nearly midnight quizzing Pennington,
the younger OF the murderers, along this
line. Early tonight Pennington was
brought before the officers in the office
of the county Jail He was piled with
questi upon question as to Pinker-
toms condition at the time they placed
him in the grave. Pennington said:
/ don't know whether he was
dead or alive We stood him up
against tree while we were dig
ging his grave. When J took hold
of lis body to help put him in the
hole we had dug | noticed that it
was warm and thought he moved
I know he was alive when we went
back 20 the barn two hours after
we Thought we had killed him, be-
cause / distinctly saw him move.
Pinkerton was carried to and placed
IN the wagon by March. When we
came to the road where we unloaded
him, March took his body and car
ried him across two fields and into
the woods. and there stood him up
against a tree.
Jealousy. robbery or revenge for some
fancied grievance is believed by the
Delawore county authorities to have
prompted the murder OF Pinkefton by
March and Pennington.
That March was jealous OF Pinker-
ton because he had spoken pleasantly
to the slayer's wife is known that
Il was Justified is emphatically denied
by Mrs. March and all who know her.
Robbery is indicated by the finding OF
two bills. a s. and $40. one behind
a picture fraHle in the March home
Yesterday. and the finding or the
murdered mans gold watch IN a
Philadelphia pawnshop
The discovery OF the Watch anu
money was one OF the days import
ant developments in the investigation
under way. Another is the story told
by Mrs. March of how she heard the
cries OF Pinkerton, and of how she
lived i'm the same house and ire
aucntly talked with the murderers'
sometimes even Of the crime itself
II was dramastic story told by a
woman who feared for her own lie II
/ she should voice suspicion Of her
knowledge that her husband was
murderer. Even her oldest child
Mildred, daughter by her first hus
band. knew OF the crime.
Seek March's First Wife.
One OF the issues of the case as
sumed a rather important aspec
when search was begun for the frs
wife of March. whose maiden name i
! supposed to be Annie Sweeney. TIT
authorities are anxious to know
whether she is living or dead, and !
the latter, how and where she died
She is not known within radius o
20 miles OF this place and. so far a
could be ascertained, never was II
this neighborhood. She is the mothe
of S-year-old Eva March Her fathe
went to school near Lima, three mile
from here. He has two bothers
Myron and Jesse. and two sisters
Mary and Eva. George March wa
known as rather quiet youth ant
his former schOolmates are at los
to understand his crime.
Pennington is the cousin OF j
Edgar Pennington, we'll known il
this town. who recently marie
Marian Rhodes, sister of Frank !
Rhodes. Democratic leader OF Della
ware County. The accused yout
bore a good reputation up to the tim
he began to associate with Marcl
Then Pennington followed Marc
about, working always, on the farm
where the latter labored.
Mrs. Marsh Tells OF Crime.
Mrs. March. who was Nettie Barbe
. told for the first time her version {
. the crime to her friends. Accordin
10 this, she and her daughter, Mildre
Barber, and Eva March heard tn
cries from the barn and guesse
what was happening, but We're afral
to 90 to Pinkerston's aid or to reVei
, their secret to the authorities. IL Wa
only when Detective Q Toole four
r her alone last Wednesday that 81
told her story to him. The two a
/; rests followed.
! District Attorney Hannum Is seel
3 ing the signet ring, cuff links an
! money belt which Pinkcrton is know
= TO have worn the day he was kille
+ II is thought that the jewelry vi
pawned in Philadelphia. at the san
time the watch was pledged.
The District Attorney has not
+ cided yet when the hearing and CO
z oner's inquest will be held. or wher
( It is likely that beth will be he
: some day next week. in Chester.
a The accused men spent a tolerab
+ good night. after the District ATTIC
!. ney and Assistant District Attorn
4. Robinson had quizzed them for Sc
,s eral hours. Pennington slept [
$. night through. but March sat up I
b. a long time, his head in his hands.
.e Members OF the Pinkerton fam
5 have arranged to hold the funeral
n the murdered man on Sunday. from
2. local undertaking establishment Bt
III ial will be in Cumberland Cemetei
j. Services will be held at the Pink
ton homestead. and every effort W
be made to keep curious perso
away.