BRYAN, Pearl
Source: Indianapolis Journal 10 Feb 1896 p 1
Greencastle, Ind Feb 9 – Many of the people of this city were surprised to learn this morning that during the night, the remains of Pearl Bryan arrived here from Cincinnati and that the headless body was temporarily at rest in the public vault at the cemetery. Nearly everybody had expected the body would be brought here, but the time of arrival was carefully guarded in order that there might be no crowd at the station. The body was returned to Greencastle at the request of the girl’s father, who, in a telegram, expressed the wish that the body might be sent home. Should further investigation demand it, the body will be taken to Cincinnati. The knowledge that the body was n the city but increased the excitement today and on every corner men stopped to talk over the horrible affair. There have been few sadder incidents than those connected with the arrival of the body and its disposition in the vault. When the Vandalia train pulled up at the depot shortly after midnight about a dozen men stood on the platform in the uncertain light form the depot. A white hearse was backed up at the platform, the ground was white with snow, while the air was filled with flying flakes. A pine box was carefully taken from the baggage car and while still on the platform the lid was removed, showing a white casket within on the lid of which was the word, “Pearl.” The casket containing the body was placed in the hearse, while the few friends present occupied the two carriages. In the funeral party were Mr. and Mrs. Bryan, Frank Bryan, Mrs. Stanley, Fred Bryan and EL Harris. The hearse, followed by the two carriages, proceeded slowly through the snow to the cemetery. The town was asleep, leaving the mourners alone in their vigil. The falling snow coated the carriages the horses and the drivers and all those with the hearse.
Source: Greencastle Banner-Times, 11 Dec 1896 p1
“Jackson to hang,” was the message received at noon Tuesday by the Banner Times. The news was bulletined and quickly spread over the city. The verdict of the Court of Appeals at Frankfort was wired this paper by the Times Star of Cincinnati. The news of the verdict was broken to both the families in this city, immediately interested by a Banner Times reporter, who repeated the message as sent this paper. The news spread like wild fire over the city and in a short time the message was in every one’s mouth. No date was fixed in the message as to the date of the execution of the verdict, and nothing was said concerning Wailling. Later – A second telegram reached the Banner Times at 1:45 p.m. as follows: Frankfort, Ky Dec 8 – court of Appeals has just refused new trial to Scott Jackson, murderer of Pearl Bryan.
Note: She was the next to youngest of 12 children born to Alexander Stanford and Susan Farrow Bryan. Her dates are: 25 Oct 1872 to the last day of January in 1896. She was 23 years old and had left on the Vandalia to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to meet the man she was going to marry. Instead, her body was found on the 1st day of February in a remote field. She is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Greencastle.
Note 2: More in the Ft. Wayne Weekly Sentinel 17 March 1897 p 3 that is not in above one.
A wrap-up of the case and what happened is found in the Indianapolis Star 19 March 1897 p 5
RIP Dear Girl! Then trial testimony can be seen in the Indianapolis Journal 5 May 1896 p2
Note 3: In the Indianapolis News 6 Feb 1896 p 1 there is a drawing of Scott Jackson who is said to have been the murderer of Pearl Bryan, Scott Jackson.
Richmond Indiana Item gives the details of the hanging of Jackson for her murder along with a man named Walling. UGH
Source: Greencastle Star Press 15 Feb 1896 p 1
Just after midnight on Saturday night when the snow had given a white pall to all nature, the night express train pulled into the Vandalia Depot in this city, having on board the remains of Pearl Bryan, accompanied by Mrs. Stanley, Fred Bryan and Ed Harris. At the depot, waiting for the arrival of the train were Mr. and Mrs. AS Bryan, Frank Bryan and a very few of the intimate friends of the family who had been notified that the body would arrive on that train. The casket was taken from the car and surrounded by the mourning friends it was carried to the hearse, and conveyed to the vault at Forest Hill cemetery where it will remain until the time of burial which will be name by the family in the future.
Source: Same under “Putnamville News” – The Bryan family have many friends here and much excitement prevails over the brutal murder of Miss Pearl.
Source: SAME – p 4 – Since our last interest has not diminished in the cruel murder of Pearl Bryan, neither has just indignation of the people against all who were concerned in the conspiracy that led to her death decreased in violence. The cry goes up from all law abiding, home and family loving people for the punishment of all those connected with the devilish deed and arrangements will be made to secure able attorneys to assist the State Prosecutor in the trials, that he may not be overpowered or outgeneraled in the conduct of the case by the able attorneys employed for the defense – the universal demand is that the law shall take its course and that no sharp practice be allowed in the conduct of the trial. The circumstances brought to light since our issue of last week are not exceedingly weighty, viewed separately, but taken in the aggregate, they make strong evidence against the prisoners. Saturday’s news told of the finding of Jackson’s blood-stained coat in the catch basin of one of the city sewers, where it had been thrown by the prisoner that it might not appear in evidence against him – strange as it may seem, however, the coat belonged to Jackson, but Walling told the police officers where to find it. Mrs. Wieks, a spiritualist medium, came to police headquarters and reported that on the Thursday before the murder a man and woman came to her house and asked for “a sitting.” Mrs. Wieks further said she took the girl to the séance room and gave her a sitting at the close of which she advised her to return to her home, but she said she could not go. He called her Pearlie and she called him Doc. When Jackson was brought before Mrs. Wiks she identified him as the man who visited her house on the occasion described above and she had no doubt that Miss Bryan was the lady who accompanied him. Mr. Ulen, a druggist testifies to the face that he sold a lot of cocaine to Jackson on Jan 29. The three prisoners – Jackson, Walling and Wood were arraigned in the police court on Friday and the case was continued over to Feb 13 – Walling and Jackson were held without bail and Wood was admitted to bail in the sum of$5000; and he remained in jail during the day, while his father hunted up bondsmen. A woman named Montgomery says she saw Jackson and Miss Bryan warmly discussing some subject, as if quarrelling Thursday before the murder, near the corner of Race and 8th streets; it seemed to her that Jackson was trying to induce her to go some place with him. On Friday morning Fred Bryan and Mrs. Stanley, accompanied by friends, visited the scene of the tragedy, near Ft. Thomas. In the afternoon, accompanied by one of the detectives, they confronted Jackson in his cell a special says: “”When they crowded up to the dimly lighted cell, young Bryan in front, Jackson was lying down, with his face toward the wall. Upon hearing his name called he jumped to his feet and peered through the bars. It took him but an instant to recognize Bryan and then with a quick movement of his head, he turned his burning eyes away from Bryan and rested them upon the detective. During the few minutes the party was there he never took his eyes off Wappenstein and refused to look at Bryan. He seemed afraid to do so. Bryan glanced intently at the man accused of the terrible murder of his sister, and suddenly said in a voice low and horse with suppressed emotion: “If they let him out of here, I’ll fix him.” He made no demonstration, however. Not another word was spoken, and the party stood thus for a few minutes in dramatic silence. On Saturday morning it became known about the business part of this city that Willie Wood had returned to Greencastle during the previous night with his father and mutterings of discontent and vengeance, and threatenings to take the law into the hands of the people were heard on all sides, and as the minutes passed the situation became more alarming and that violence would take place before the sun rose on Sunday morning. Fortunately some one told Mr. Woods of the state of affairs and he took his son out of town on the first train, returning to Cincinnati. On Saturday afternoon the Ohio and Kentucky law officers agreed to permit the removal of Pearl Bryan’s remains to t his city and necessary preparations therefore were immediately made. The body was brought from Newport over to Cincinnati and was clothes in the dress worn by her at the graduating exercises of her class, with white gloves and white slippers; the casket was beautiful – white cloth with silver mountings. While the remains were at the undertakers, in Cincinnati, Jackson and Walling were quietly taken into the room and led beside the casket containing the lifeless form. For some time there was a death-like stillness and no one in the room seemed even to breathe. Jackson’s eyes rested intently upon the headless form, evidencing considerable emotion, and it was apparent that he was battling against the outbreaking of a flow of tears. His breast heaved, his hands were clinched tightly by his side and he moved restlessly from one foot to the other. During the reign of terrible silence his eyes were never lifted from the casket. Walling entered the room with a steady step, his head rather high in the air and on his face was an expression of cold indifference. He glanced for a second at the object he had been brought to view but his head almost instantly turned and his eyes wandered about the room. More than once his eyes met those of the grief-stricken brother and sister at which times he would slightly shudder and look toward another person. The silence was broken by Supt. Of Police Deitsch, who said, “Walling to you know whose body this is lying before you?” – Yes, sir it is Miss Bryan’s. “How do you know this?” - From what Jackson has said to me. “Did you murder this girl?” - I did not. “Who did?” - I think from what I have been told by Jackson that he killed her.”- Turning to Jackson who was nervously shifting his position, his eyes resting on the form before him, Col. Dietsch said – “Do you know this body, Jackson? – I am led to believe it is that of Pear Bryan.” Why do you think this? – Because I see about me some of her relatives and the body of a headless woman which is said to have been identified as such lying before me. “Did you kill Pearl Bryant? – No sir I did not. “Do you know who did “ – I think Walling did. Do you know whether or not Walling committed this crime?
Then do you both, Jackson and Walling, here in the presence of this sister and brother of Pearl Bryan, declare that you are innocent of her murder?” To this question both gave an affirmative answer. Mrs. Stanley was not satisfied with the result of the visit of the prisoners to view the body of her deceased sister. For the sake of her parents and the family she wanted to take home the news that the head had been found and that one or both of the prisoners had made full and free confession. She asked the officers to allow her a person interview with each of the prisoners and they thought the plan a good one. Jackson was led in first; he had no idea of what was coming. As soon as he was led into the room Mrs. Stanley stepped before him pale and with eyes red from weeping. Jackson looked at her absolutely without emotion. The woman’s grief seemed to have no effect upon him whatever. There was a moment of silence, broken only by the suffering sister’s sobs. At last, controlling herself for the effort, she took a step nearer Jackson and facing him, said: “I ask you, Scott Jackson and the woman’s voice sounded out plain and distinct in the deadly quiet that prevailed, “to tell me what you have done with poor Pearl’s head.” Not a sound came from the lips of the man. ”For the love of Heaven, tell me what you have done with baby’s head. Oh, think of her mother. I am going to her tonight. I want to tell her where her baby’s head is.” - “I can’t tell you anything about it,” was Jackson’s reply, uttered in a hard and even tone of voice. The tears burst afresh from the eyes, so much like Pearl’s that looked appealingly into his. The officers were deeply moved and Jackson’s were the only dry eyes in the little audience. He stood like a man of stone. “Oh how can you refuse this one crumb of comfort to the mother whose heart you have broken? Pleased the woman in a final attempt. “Surely you will let the poor mother know what has become of her poor baby’s head. You will kill her too.” Mrs. Stanley broke down at this juncture and gave up in despair. Jackson remained cool to the last. After a few moments, when Mrs. Stanley had again partially recovered her composure, Walling was led in and Mrs. Stanley made the same appeal to him. She was just as earnest but much less sanquine. Walling was as brutally cold and indifferent to her pleadings as Jackson had been. Thus another effort to wring from the men some inkling as to the disposition they had made of the head proved futile. Another damaging letter has fallen into the hands of the Cincinnati officials; it was written to Will Wood, addressed to South Bend, Ind and Jackson mailed it only about two hours before his arrest. It read as follows; Hello, Bill – Write a letter home signed by Bert’s name telling the folks that he is somewhere and going to Chicago or some other place – has a position, etc. and that they will advice later about it. Say tired of living at home or anything you want. You know about the way she writes. Send it to someone you can trust. How will Smith do, at Lafayette. Tell the folks that he has not been at I., but at Lafayette and traveling about the country. Get the letter off without one second’s delay - and burn this at once. Stick by your old chum, Bill, and I will help you out the same way or some other way some time. Am glad you are having a good time. D… be careful what you write to me.
The signature, “D” stands for Dusty by which name Jackson was known to his intimates and he acknowledges that the “bert” and “he” used in the letter meant Miss Bryant. On Sunday Pearl Bryan’s hat, together with a blood stained handkerchief which is identified as the property of Jackson was found; n the handkerchief was found wrapped a good sized rock, which made a formidable weapon with which to strike a person and render them unconscious. These articles were found by a woman the day after the murder but she did not connect them in her own mind with the murder mystery and ‘twas only by accident that the officers hear of it and obtained the articles. When shown to Walling he identified the handkerchief as Jacksons and the hat as Miss Bryan’s. Jackson also acknowledged that the hat “looked like Pearl Bryans, but of the handkerchief he said, “I don’t think it is mine.” A razor, said to be the property of Jackson, with stains upon it as if made by blood, was found in Wallings’s trunk on Saturday and at the same time a pair of ladys’ hose with blood stains upon them, were found behind Walling’s trunk and they are said to have been the property of Pearl Bryan. On Sunday Marshal Starr received a letter which stated that a girl named Hollingsworth, residing at Indianapolis could give facts that would clear up the mystery. Starr went to Indianapolis to run down the clue but the girl’s statement in the light of facts established seems unreasonable and improbable. When the Hollingsworth woman was found and as the officers came into her presence, she threw a letter into the grate and it was immediately burned. A special says: She was questioned regarding Pearl Bryan and after much difficulty was induced to talk. She said that Pearl Bryan came Jan 28 and she accidentally met her at the Union Station. Pearl and she were friends at Coates College several years ago she aid and the girl immediately told her that she was in trouble. She explained its nature and said that Jackson was responsible for her condition. She said it would never do for her people to hear of her disgrace and she was going to Cincinnati to have an operation performed. She asked Miss Hollingsworth the nature of the drugs used in such cases and Miss Hollingsworth told her what she had heard was good. At this point in her story Miss Hollingsworth wavered. She said that certain drugs had been purchased here and that four drug stores were visited. She would not tell the names of the drugs but said that whiskey formed a large part of the mixture. Miss Hollingsworth admitted she knew Jackson who is under arrest charged with the murder and also Will Wood. The officers pressed her with other questions, but she refused to say anything more, declaring that she could not be compelled to criminate herself. When shown the letter that the city marshal had received she said that the writer was Hal E. Ratcliffe, a traveling salesman from a Boston House. Miss Hollingsworth has a peculiar history. She is the daughter of JH Hollingsworth, once treasurer of Knox County and a member of one of the best families of the state. He proved a defaulter and was sent to the penitentiary. Lulu was sent to Coates College but in 1893 disappeared from that institution and friends searched for her several days. She was finally found in Indianapolis where she was employed as a domestic. She claimed to have left college because her associates upbraided her with her father’s defalcation in Knox County. Word from Cincinnati is that Jackson and Wood both deny having any acquaintance with Miss Hollingsworth. Later the Hollingsworth woman made another confession in which she alleges that Miss Bryan returned to Indianapolis from Cincinnati accompanied by Walling and that while at Indianapolis, she (Hollingsworth) performed the necessary operation with instruments to procure an abortion and that Walling and Miss Bryan returned to Cincinnati on the next train; that Miss Bryan was very weak and sick after the operation and that Jackson wrote to Hollingworth informing her that Miss Bryan had died two hours after returning to Cincinnati and that she had burned this letter as soon as she read it. At this writing no evidence of any sort has been found to corroborate the statement made by this woman; on the contrary all the direct evidence is in conflict with it and the general opinion ot those most intimate with the case believe her a freak seeking unenviable notoriety by studyin gout and reciting the story outlined above.
The coroner’s inquest of Campbell Co, Ky, in which the crime was committed was held Wednesday. No new evidence touching the main features of the case was brought out with the exception of the Doctor’s testimony touching the contents of the stomach and the peculiar characteristics of the body. Dr. GI Cullom, of Cincinnati was the first physician on the stand. His examination proceeded as following: “Did you assistant at the post mortem held on the body of the headless woman found near Ft. Thomas. – No sir, I never saw the corpse. “If a body had the head disarticulated and the neck lower than the trunk and limbs would the body be drained of al its blood in your opinion ? – I should think not. “How much blood do you think would thus be wasted? - That cannot be positively stated and is accordingly to the size and condition of the body prior to death. It could vary from one to two quarts. “Had a blow been delivered with a blunt instrument on the head before the head was severed, would that make any difference in the discharge of blood? -- If the heart was in action it would not. “If cocaine had been administered would it have any effect on the discharge of blood? – That is entirely governed by the susceptibility of the person. “What effect would an injection of prussic acid have had on the blood? “I do not think it would have had any effect on the flow of blood.”. Dr. Carothers was next put on the stand. He gave the same answers as Dr. Cullom to the same questions and then submitted the following report as a result of the post-mortem exam. “By order of Dr. WS Tingley, Coroner of Campbell County, Kentucky, an autopsy of the body of Pearl Bryan was made February 3 by Dr. Robert Carothers in the presence of Dr. J. Jenkins, FW Fishback, CF and John Pythian, resulting the following observations. The body of a decapitated woman without rigor mortis, post mortem discoloration or bruises or cuts except an incised wound on the palmar surface of the index middle and ring finger of the left hand, clean cut and to the bone. A small wart on the outer surface of the left thumb and the second and third toes of both feet webbed (see photograph). The instrument with which the head was served from the body made a clean an smooth cut of about ¾ of the neck, the remainder a little ragged and passed in the interspace between the vertebra. The abdomen was opened, the stomach carefully ligated above and below, removed and sent to Dr. WH Crane, chemist for analysis (see chemist report). The next paragraph recites that the woman was about to become a mother and states that no criminal operation had been attempted. A second autopsy was held Feb 7 by and in the presence of the doctors previously named. The heart was found healthy, both ventricles empty and the wall of the right ventricle contained a little oozing blood, the wall of the left none. The other organs were examined and found healthy and thoroughly drained of their normal blood. The blood vessels, where they could be readily reached were found to be empty, except a small clot in the pulmonary artery where it emerges from the heart. The body was carefully examined for hypodermic needle punctures and none found. Dr. WH Crane, the chemist who made an analysis of the stomach of Pearl Bryan was next examined. He regretted having no written report of the analysis as the examination had not been completed. As far as your investigations have gone, have you discovered any poison in the stomach? Yes sir – two alkaloid poisons, namely arsenic and morphine but I also analyzed the embalming fluid and found both poisons among the ingredients and as the body had been embalmed before the stomach was removed this indicates nothing bearing on the death of the patient. I also found cocaine in the stomach which may have a bearing on the case. How much cocaine? “I decline to answer. I have more of the stomach to analyze than has been examined and realizing the importance of the question, I decline to answer. “Was it a grin?” Possibly. Moe than a grain Possibly Less than a grain? Possibly. Would not answer – Would a grain of cocaine produce unconsciousness? – I prefer not to answer. Not knowing the patient in life the question is too important to answer off hand. “When can you complete the analysis of the stomach? – In three days I shall deliver it to Dr. Tingley. The examinations were completed and after the courtroom had been cleared the jury elected EG Lohmeyer foreman and secretary and entered into a discussion of the examinations. The evidence as taken by the Court stenographer was carefully gone over and debated. Every little technicality was examined and passed on unanimously and after an hour’s session the jury returned the following verdict. “We, the jury, of Campbell County, Kentucky find that the headless body of the woman found on the premises of John B. Lock near Ft. Thomas on the morning on Feb 1 was that of Pearl Bryan, a resident of Greencastle, Ind. We farther find that cocaine had been administered to Pearl Bryan for some reasons unknown. Wee further find that the decapitation took place while Pearl Bryan was still alive. We further find that Pearl Bryan was last ween in company with Scott Jackson and Alonzo Walling. The three got into a cab on the Plum-Street side of a saloon, corner of George & Plum, and were last seen in the cab turning toward Plum Street. We further find that deceased came to her death on the premises of John B. Lock, near Ft. Thomas, Campbell County, Ky. We further find in the end of justice that this verdict, and the report of the postmortem, the chemical analysis of the stomach and the report of the Court Stenographer be filed with the verdict. Sheriff Plummer of Newport, Ky has gone to Frankfort, Ky for a requisition for Scott Jackson and Alonzo Walling who have been jointly indicted by the Campbell County grand jury for the murder of Pearl Bryan. The charge against Walling and Jackson at Cincinnati was changed Thursday from murder to “Fugitives from justice” for the abandonment of jurisdiction by Ohio and facilitating their extradition to Kentucky. The prisoners will contest extradition. The authorities and the people of Newport feel aggrieved that there should be fear of the prisoners lynched there. The sheriff says he can take care of the prisoners and that if he finds danger of a siege and the Newport jail not strong enough to withstand it he can easily remove them. Jackson has received a touching letter from Mrs. Minnie Post, his sister. It implores him to tell his lawyer the whole truth. “Tell it to him at once, my brother and bravely abide the consequences,” she says. The incarceration of William Wood for complicity in the abortion and in procuring poison surprised the young man. Dr. Rust was averse to going on his bond again. His counsel, David Davis said it was better for him to be in jail. Counsel did not attempt to get bond for him. Wood is very indignant.
