The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-07
Only Clues to the Fort Thomas
Murder Mystery.
TWO STUDENTS ARRESTED
They Confess knowledge Of the
Strange Killing.
BUT EACH ACCUSES THE OTHER
They Killed Pearl Bryan Trying to Com
nit an Abortion and Carried her
Head About in a Satchel
Three DAYS.

Cincinnati, Ohio, Feb. G.-The head
less body of a woman was found in the
field in the Kentucky Highlands about
a half of a mile south of Fort Thomas.
Murderer and murdered were name
less, and there was no clue but a shoe,
corset and a womans checked dress.
Blood hounds called into requisition
gave contradictory directions, one went
to the Covington reservoir and others
went to a point in the road and stopp-
ed. The reservoir was drained and the
head was not found; the shoe was
traced to a farm in Green Castle, Ind.
A hundred clues were worked to their
end without result, and the dress and
the shoe were the only clue left
Yesterday Mr.. and Mrs. Bryan, farm
er people near Green Castle, indenti-
fled them as those of their daughter,
Pearl Bryan, who left home last Tues
day week, January %, to go to Indian
apolis to visit a friend. She did not
get there.
Detectives wired Chief Deitsch, OF
Cincinnati, yesterday to arrest Scott
Jackson, student at the Ohio Dental
College, and charge him with the muir
der They got him at II o'clock last
night. Detectives also arrested Will
liam Wood as an accomplice last night
at Scott Bend
When arrested Scott Jackson pro-
tested his innocence, but this morning
he weakened and confessed n knowl
edge OF the crime. but tried TO fasten
the guilt upon Alonzo NJ. Walling, his
room mate. Walling was arrested, and
in turn charged Jackson with the COM
mission of the deed.
4 satchel, which the murdered wo-
man brought here. was found in n
barber-shop with blood stains on it.
IN this the murderer or murderers car
ried the severed head of the woman
until it was disposed of.
Jackson made his confession by
small instalIments. He admits the
girl was murdered, but he does it as if
a third person had committed the
crime. Walling has confessed knowl-
edge of the crime, but only as a go
between for Jackson. There is no
doubt that Jackson was the principal
and that William Wood, arrested at
South Bend, Ind, and now on his way
here. is deeply implicated. Abundant
letters from Wood to jackson bear
this part OF Jackson's confession out.
Nearly all Of Woods letters are about
girls, and Some of them are grossly in
decent.
Pearl Bryan would have become a
mother i'm four months. Jackson says
William Wood is responsible for her
condition She arrived here at the
Cincinnati Hamilton and Dayton
depot on Tuesday night, January 2Sth.
jackson saws she came here to have an
abortion performed. He implies that
Wallng was the man that procured
il and admits that she was killed in
the attempt to perform the opera
ton.
Each prisoner is trying TO establish
the guilt of the other clearly shows
the guilt of both. When Wood ar
rives. it is thought one or both Of them
will be ready to make clean breast
of it and tell the whole truth. Walling,
talking to a colored turnkey, said that
jackson murdered and beheaded the
pirl, and kept the head here three days
when he dropped it into n sewer. A
search of the sewers has been insti-
tuted.
MRS. fishers STATEMENT.
indianapolis, Ind. Feb G.-Mrs.
Louisia W. Fisher, of No. Is Central
avenue, this city, is the friend whom
Miss Bryan left ostenSibly to visit.
Mrs. Fisher said to-day:
''She is n member of one of the best
families in Putnam county, and was Il
cousin of the late Senator Lockridge.
She was a very handsome girl, a
blonde, and of lovable disposition. |
knew nothing of this sad affair until
asst night and | am greatly shocked.
received a dispatch night before last
rom her parents asking if Pearl was
here, and, of course, I answered no;
out | did not know what it meant.
Miss Bryan and her family had a
standing invitation to visit me.
Mrs. Fisher did not know Jackson.
JACKSON AN EMBEZZLER.
Jersey City, N. j., Feb. 6.-The Scott
Jackson who is under arrest at Cincin-
1ati on suspicion of the murder of Miss
Pearl Bryan, whose body was found
at Fort Thomas, is the Young
nan who turned States evidence
against his accomplice, Alexander
Ietts, who is serving a term of years in
states prison for embezzling $4,000
rom the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
,any.
New Haven, Conn, Feb 6.-The
torn has assumed the proportions OF
gale. blowing fifty miles an hour. A
message was received from Washing
IN Ordprinor 4hot fba hurricane SIGNAL