Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-29
Correspondent of Matrimo-
NAL Agencies Promises to
"TeII All" Today.
THREE HELD STRANGLED;
BOYS SKULL FRACTURED
Bones Found in Ruins of Cottage
Near Spot Where Four
Were Buried.

CLARKSBURG. w. Va, August 20.
Andrew Moore, Harrison County jail-
er, announced today that Cornelius o.
Pierson, IS, had confessed the murder
OF q woman and three children, whose
bodies were found under his garage yes
terday. Moore said Pierson promised
ito tell all today" Pierson was locked
up after a night Of questioning
Another development was the an
nouncement that bones found in the
ruins Of cottage near where the bodies
OF the four were found yesterday were
to De turned over to the county coroner
today to determine whether they were
those of a human being. The bones
were found by John Byrd of North View.
The cottage was the property Of the
wife Of Pierson.
Disneveled, red-eyed and nervous, the
once suave correspondent of matri-
monial agencies was hustled back TO his
cell in the county jail at daybreak
The bodies, wrapped in burlap and
buried In drain sewer beneath the
oddly constructed garage miles from
here. were tentatively identified as those
of Mrs. Asia Buick Eicher. well-to-do
Chicago widow. and her children, Harry,
IL; Greta, IA, and Anabel, Q.
Death by Gas Suspected.
The basement of the garage was di-
vided by thick brick walls into four
chambers. There was q gas Jet in each
OF these Police expressed the belief
the victims might have been gassed,
although there were marks on all the
bodies.
For II hours Pierson had stoutly
maintained he knew nothing qg the
death Of the woman ana children.
Although complaining Of drowsiness
and a pain in his right side. Pierson
parted with police officers Of Clarks-
burg and Charleston, w. Va, and de-
tectives from Chicago.
During the night he posed for q pho
tngrapher. He held q hammer while
the picture was taken-and he smiled.
Toward daybreak. however, detectives
said Pierson showed signs Of nervous
collapse.
Boys Skull Fractured.
Lieut. Harry Her1og of the park Ridge.
H. police later said the man told him
II did 1t. III tell you all about ft
later after have rested and talked with
my attorney"
An autopsy revealed the woman and
children had not eaten for at least 40
hours before they were slain. The ex-
aiming physician said the woman and
two girls apparently died by strangula-
ton. The boys skull was fractured
twice. He had been struck with ham
mer found buried with the bodies.
Police said today that information
obtained from persons living near where
the bodies were found led them to be-
lieve Mrs Eicher was brought from
Chicago and killed. and the slayer then
returned to Chicago obtained the three
children and killed them here.
The mans wife, who is being held
in the county jail. today said she be-
lieyed he was innocent of the killings.
She caressed him and called him
honey when they talked together last
night.
VIII Stand by Husband.
The woman said her husbands COR
rect name was Harry F. Powers. She
said she knew nothing of his cor
respondence with other women.
Shown letters in her husbands hand
writing to other women, the woman
seemed indifferent She said she still
loved him and intended to stand by
him"
Discharge papers from the United
States Army disclosed the man served
in the 117th Regiment Of the Rainbow
Division during the World War. The
PoRIAS 0OAC VIC ADANN " 6AoLAy =.
Powers. He served overseas for %
months. According TO Che papers, his
age Is AZ.
Under heavy police guard Pierson was
taken to mortuary late last night,
where he calmly viewed the bodies.
Isn't that awful" was his only COM
ment.
Prisoners wife Questioned.
Mrs Powers and her sister, Belle
Srother, were questioned in the county
Jail last night.
The bodies were found late Thursday.
Police, informed by boy that he had
helped Pierson make q tunnel under
meath the so-called garage, began dig
ging in the cellar. In the slime and
mud of the sewer they came upon the
body of the woman. Within an hour
they had unearthed the bodies of the
children. buried close together.
Earlier in the day the garage. which
never had been used as such, was
searched Bloodstains and what was
said to be human hair was found.
Trunks containing clothing of the
woman and children also were discoy-
cred
Crowds gathering about the city jail
when news of the finding of the bodies
was circulated prompted officers to re-
move Pierson to the county jail.
Pierson was arrested at the request Of
Park Ridge. ILL.,, police. He admitted
he knew Mrs. Eicher and that he was
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