The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-29
THE DRIVERS STORY
GEORGE JACKsON's TESTIMONY AT
THE NEWPORT MURDER TRIAL.
The CoIored Coachman Relates His.
Experience ON the Night Pearl
Bryan Was Killed.
FIRM In HIS CONVICTION
THAT SCOTT JACKSON AND wALLING
WE'RE HIS EMPLOYERS.
No Deviation from the story He Told
When First Taken Before the
Cincinnati Police.
LETTERS TO PEARL BRYAN
WRITTEN BY THE PRISONER READ
BY ATTORNEY HAYES,
Also a Letter to DIR. Gillespie, Urging
"Doc" to Stick to His Old Friend
Mr., Bryan's Testimony.
No Deviation from the story He Told
When First Taken Before the
Cincinnati Police.
LETTERS TO PEARL BRYAN
WRITTEN BY THE PRISONER READ
BY ATTORNEY HAYES,
Also Letter to DIR. Gillespie, Urging
"Doc- to Stick to His Old Friend
MIR, Bryan's Testimony.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
NEWPORT. KY. April 2S-A great throng
of people besieged the court room to-day in
the expectation that sensational evidence
against Scott Jackson, the alleged murderer
of Pearl Bryan. would be introduced. The
testimony, however, though important and
interesting, lacked sensational features. The
prosecution presented some new evidence In
the shape Of several letters written by Scott
Jackson to Pearl Bryan, and one by Jackson
to DR.. Gillespie. These letters were handed
to the court by attorney Hayles o. Green
castle, who has been assisting In the prose-
cution. The ones written to Pearl were pre-
sumably furnished by the dead girls rela-
tives. They clearly show how Jackson could
assume when the occasion required the air
OF young man of a religious turn of mind.
The letter TO Dr. Gillespie is considered high
ly important, from the fact that it was writ
ten on Jan. 81 OF this year, the day before
the headless body was found. In it Jackson
cautions Gillespie to stick by him. AT the
afternoon session Chester Mullen. the Wal
nut Hills liveryman, took the stand and told
OF Walings hiring the rockaway coupe and
gray horse on Friday afternoon, Jan. 81 The
rig was not returned until about o'clock the
next morning. George Jackson. coachman
w
the next witness. He repeated his story. al
ready published. to the effect that he drove
Jackson, Walling and the girl to the Locke
farm on the night before the body was dis
covered. Mr.. Alex Bryan, the father of the
few minutes before court closed. Sheriff
Plummer was another witness.
The first spectator to enter the court room
to-day was very pretty young lady in
black, who later by her stylish gown ard
particularly "swelr' looking hat attracted
much attention. She took a seat in the far
northwest corner of the room reserved for
ladies, where she joined later by four
teen ladies who came in from time to time.
Among these was little fourteen-year-old
girl, whose presence in court was comment
ed on severely. The male, and of course less
interesting, contingent began to file in the
court room soon as the doors were opened
and a few minutes before the opening of
court all the seats were filed The unusual
ly spirited demand for tickets of admission
packed and ,jammed the sheriffs office on
the first floor OF the courthouse. 1t was gen.
orally understood that coachman George
Jackson, who is alleged, according to his
own story, to have driven jackson, Walling
and Pearl Bryan to the spot or near the
spot where the murdered girls headless body
was found, would be put on the stand, and
all were anxious to hear the negro's story
and see the effect of the hot fire of cross
examination which Colonel Crawford, Jack
sons attorney, threatened to pour into the
coachman.
Sheriff Plummer brought Jackson from
the jail at $40 o'clock, the prisoner strug-
Cling along with the massive pair of Slip
pers loaned him by jailer Bitter Monday
afternoon. Sheriff Plummer took compass
sion on the prisoner and offered to give him
a pair of shoes to wear in the place of those
the prisoner took off IN court Monday and
offered in evidence, but Jackson smilingly
thanked the sheriff and said the slippers
would do. He entered the court room with a
renewed amount Of courage and nerve He
not only looked absolutely refreshed in body,
but also seemingly in spirits He wore a
clean white collar and shirt and his new
tie. and altogether he presented the appear
ance of business man attending to some
important affairs. Jackson is undoubtedly
stored with a great amount of pluck, pos
sbly enough to last him until the end of all.
He Is terror. but Colonel Nelson, the sill
ver-tongued orator, who is conducting the
prosecution, is a greater terror to him.
Jackson fears Colonel Nelson and the effect
the attorney seemingly has on the jury and
the people.