The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-16
The Case Dismissed and the Young
Man Returns to Greencastle
with His Father.
MISS WAGNER In THE CASE
MYSTERIOUS MESSAGES FROM JACK
SON CAUSE A NEW SENSATION.
DR.. Wagner Disappeared When the
Body Was Found and Later At
tempted to Commit Suicide.
nec,al to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal.

GreencdSue, lnO., son OF rev. DeiOs W.
Wood. was released by. Judge Gregg in
court to-day. The affidavit charged Wood
with causing Pearl Bryan to come to the
city of Cincinnati from Greencastle, Ind.
for the purpose of submitting to a criminal
operation" In spite of. the tireless efforts
of the police to get some evidence against
young Wood they have been unable to do
So The only information In possession of
the police calculated to incriminate Wood
is the statement of Jackson that Wood and
he were to get the girl to come here to
submit to an operation. Jackson made this
statement to a reporter when he was first
rested. He made another statement later
the effect that he and Wood induced the
gira to come here and agreed to pay $50 be-
tween them to get walling to perform the
operation. This was unsubstantiated by
any other evidence. The prosecutor ac-
knowledged that he could not establish the
charge that Wood was the author of Pearl
Bryan's ruin. When the case was called
the proceedings were unusually brief.
I'm this case we have no evidence. your
honor" said Prosecutor Nippert, land de-
sire to enter nolle."
''Nolle!' tersely ordered Judge Gregg, and
clerk Hanover entered the case nolled.
The prosecutors announcement was re-
ceived gladly by Woods friend and reia-
tives. Rev. Wood was almost overcome.
Said he: MY boy had nothing to do with
that dreadful affair. No one regrets the
death Of the unfortunate girl more than
Will, and he will do anything in his power
to bring the guilty parties to Justice"
The female attendance at court was in
creased perceotibly. Most of the women
osity to see one Of the principals in the
sensational murder case. AS witness
Wood cannot be extradited to Kentucky,
hed m & SY Pg wnSa 0s
however, have no doubt that he will APP
pear at Jackson's. trial next Tuesday. Wood
thought he would remain In Indiana until
wanted at the trial in Newport.
A NEW SENSATION.
There is a fresh sensation brewing in the
Pearl Bryan murder case, and 1t already has
tragic features. On March IL Dr. George 3.
Wagner, Of Bellevue, KY, attempted to
commit suicide by hanging, or at least that
report was sent out, and quickly following
that incident the Doctor was confined In the
Kentucky Insane Asylum at Lexington. The
Doctor seems TO have been greatly affected
by the exposure after Pearl Bryan's head
less body was found at Fort Thomas, KY.
1t now appears there is some connection
between this family and the prisoners,
Scott jackson and Alonzo Walling. The
names of the Doctors two daughters, Nellie
and Maud. are mingled in the sensation.
Druggist Foertmeyer, whose store is two
blocks from the Wagner residence In Belle
vue. says that he took a telephone message
for Miss Maud Wagner from Scott jack
son. Foertmeyer, 1t will be remembered,
identified Jackson and Walling as the two
Bfryan.s picture. who were in I Bellevue ga a
day or two before the finding of the girls
body at Fort Thomas. Then Mrs. John
Reardon, of No. 50 Van Voast avenue near
Wagner residence N IA he rfl
a wagon in the neighborhood on the night
of the murder The persons in the vehicle
came in her yard, and the next morning she
found photograph the grass of young
man she claims resembles Will Wood.
This mysterious nightly visit in the neigh
borhoo6 OF DIR. Wagner, taken with the
| telephone message, now cause all to look
| in that direction for the missing links in
| the Pearl Bryan murder. Miss Maud Wag-
ner and her mother deny that the druggist
| took any message to them that might
| throw any light on the case, but the evil
| dence given by druggist Foertmeyer and
| substantiated by his clerk seems very clear.
/ and will be presented for what il is worth
| at the coming trial. Mr.. Foertmeyer has
| refused to talk to any reporter heretofore.
but stated that when called upon by de-
| tectives McDermott and Grim and Sheriff
| Plummer to confront Maud Wagner with
| his statement, that he did SO in part, but
| did not even then give all the Information
| in his possession. Since then he has inn
/ parted all he knew to the officers. The
messages referred to were to Miss Maud,
and not Nellie Wagner. as was stated by
Mrs. Wagner.
An occurrence in this connection which
| may or may not be considered important
/ was the disappearance of DIR. G. B. Wagner
| (since committed to sanitarium) about the
| time OF the terrible murder of Pearl Bry-
| an. After his return home he raved. 1t is
| stated that when the ladies of the Wagner
| family were met by the proofs In DIR.
| Foertmeyer's possession as to the messages
| that they became very defiant and refused
/ to give any further Information.
Mrs. Wagner and her daughter deny We
hemently that the messages were to either
| Of them. Both Mrs. Wagner and her daugh-
| ter emphaticahy denied that they had ever
received any telephone message from either
Jackson or Walling. and. in fact, had never
Wagner was very bitter in her denunciation
of Sheriff Plummer's action in her house,
| declaring that his manner was not only
overbearing, but threatening.
MORE ABOUT PEARLS HEAD.
Without semblance OF a doubt the head
of poor Pearl Bryan lies somewhere at the
bottom of the Ohio river. Not only have the
prosecution in the Jackson case made the
positive statement that they will at the
proper time introduce evidence to such eff
feet, but both Jackson and Walling have
practically confessed that the head was
thrown into the Ohio from the suspension
bridge. On the morning of Feb. 6, while
laboring under intense excitement and
frightened to such an extent that, had Chief
Deitsch followed up his questioning a few
minutes longer, he would have wrung a full
confession from the prisoners. jackson had
the following conversation with the chief of
police:
What was in that valise?' asked Colonel
Deitsch, showing jackson the bloody valise
what are those stains? asked Chief
Deitsch, sternly.
Look like blood stains" answered Jack
son. Yes, am sure they are blood stains"
Whose head in that valise2'
Pearl Bryan's but / don't know sure"
Don't you know that it was Pearl Bry-
ans head that filed that valise?"
Yes" ii was Pearls
Then you put the poor girls head in her
1T was put in there"
but you did it2
jackson would not answer.
Where is the head now?" asked the
chief.
You threw the head into the river then?'
THE head was thrown in the river In
parts
I'm parts?"
yes, during the last week parts of the
head were thrown into the river"
This caused big sensation at the time
but at this point Jackson, was allowed 10
return to his cell
Walling later made a similar statement
head was in the river. These facts bear
out Col. Nelson's statements, despite all de-
malls.
Judge Dgyd Davis, attorney for VIII
Wood in the Peary Bryan case, was a cali
er upon Mayor Caldwell Tuesday afternoon
and had long conference with his Honor
Being pressed for an explanation for mis-
1t - At 80. e.