The herald., 1896-02-08
By Men Accused of Numbering
Pearl Bryan q
THE TWO COWARDLY RRUTES
Attempt to Escape by Accusing Ont
Another
The Head of the Wretched Girl Is Still
Undiscovered and the Sewers
Are Being Searched


CINCINNATI. Feb. 7.-Although it is just
one week since the decapitated body of
Pearl Bryan was found near Fort Thomas,
KY, there has been more excitement today
over the tragedy here and in the Kentucky
suburbs than on any previous day. Scott
jackson and Alonzo Walling. the suspects
who were roommates while attending the
Ohio dental college. have been confessing
against each other. When they a.e con-
fronted face to face with each others con-
fessions they call each other liars and ex-
hibit murderous feeling toward each other.
All efforts have been directed today to
finding Pearl Bryan's head. In the series
of confessions jackson says Walling car
Iied it in valise to the Covington silspen-
sion bridge, and he thinks Walling threw
it in the river, or he might have carried it
with him to Ills home at Hamilton and
thrown it from the Miami bridge at that
place, but jackson says he did not go with
his roommate on these trips and cannot
tell just where he left the head.
Walling says he bad nothing to do with
the decapitation or the disposal of ,be
head. but he recited long stories which lei
the officers to believe that Jackson had
buried the head in sand bar in the OHIO
river opposite Dayton, KY, a suburb of
this city, or dropped it in the sewer on
Richmond ST eet. Large forces worked all
uuy dt tutU jidcecs dui sCCuiSu eho
blood-staited coat of jackson out of
sewer at the corner of Richmoud and Ninth
streets. near Jarkson's room.
William Wood of Greencastle. Ind, as
we'll as Jackson and Waiiing. was arragned
in the police court today and their prelnI-
mary hearings we're fixed for next Thurs
day, February 13. Wood, on the charge OF
aiding and abetting an abortion, was adj
mitted 10 $4,000 bail. The other two sus.
pee on the charge of murder were refused
bail.
Sheriff Pummer of Newport, KY, inn
mediately after the arragnment of the
three suspects demanded his prisoners AS
the feeling across the river is intenss and
as the Campbell county Jail is an old frame
structure, with which Jackson and Waliing
seem familiar, this demand caused
the two suspects to turn pale as
death. They fear lynchlng. One cb-
iect of the present induisition
is to determine whether the murder was
committed i'll ohio or Kentucky, and who
has jurisdiction over the case. The officers
think the woman may have been murdered
in this city and the body taken across the
river in "a cab. Sheriff Plummer's con-
stant demand for the prisoners has had
much to do with the profusion OF con-
fessions.
The friends of both jackson and Wall
ing today employed counsel. Together
they have retained eminent lawyers. These
lawyers did not got to see their clients un-
III tonight, Wueli u sup was pun W COttlSS-
sions and interviews. The brother of Wall.
ing brought eX-Congressman Mercy and
eX-Prosecutor Shepard of hamilton with
him. DR.. Post, the brother-in-law of Jack
son, engaged counsel here. Fred Bryan
arrived today from Greencastle, Ind, ac-
companed bw cd Black and other citizens
of Greencastle. They TOOK part in the in-
Vestigation.
Edward Black is an undertaken at Green
ca stle. and was sent by the parents to
br NJ home the body. 1he mother had
told him To look at the mole on the body
and a wart on the left hand and other
marks. He found them just as Mrs Bryan
had indicated. AS there has been no in
quest yet, Coroner Tingley of Newport
wound not give up the body. He said they
wanted to lind the head and also to hold
another postmortem examination, but that
he would deliver the body to the family if
the head had no. been recovered at
that time. There was a post
which the physicians held that
the head of Pearl Bryan had been cut off
while she was alive. and they could find
no trace of drug. There is dispute
among the physicians whether the head
was cut off after the murder to prevent
Identification, or whether the girl was mur-
dered by having Ter throat cut to the eX-
tent of decapitation. The lawyers are
anxious for positive evideute on this point
i'm order to establish beyond any doubt The
charge OF MURDER against the Two suspects.
Scott Jackson tonight sent for friend,
TO whom he said: "Walling once told mo
that he at one time seduced May Smith.
He said he had performed AN abortion on
her and it had been successful and that
the thing was hushed up. When Wood
told me that he had Pearl Bryan in
the family way l suggested Wa!ling.
+ was in Greencastle on my return.
talked to Waling and he said hS would
perform the abortion on Miss Bryan row
can't tell you the rest. Send for Brother
Tbbitts, secretary Of the Y.M. G. 4. l
will tell all to him"
Tibbltts came and prayed with the pris
oner. Later rIib5itts wrote the confession,
and it was dictated by Jackson, but the
latter signed il US follows:
''Here, with the Bihle in my hand, on nv
knees before God swear J. was not guilty
of nurdsring the poor girl. did get her
to come to Cincinnati to undergo an abor.
ton. Walling was to get 500 fer perform
ing it. was guilty of getsing him to do it.,
but not of numbering that poor grl.
II don't know where he killed her or how
he killed her or what he did with her after
lie killed her. | did not kill The poor girl
He is the guilty man. viii Wood was TO
send $50 to him through me for perform
ing the abortion. This is the truth SO help
me GodP
The confession was made by jackson in
the presence of no one but Secretary Tib.
hits 1t was then delivered to the mayor
and chief of police.
Walling today confessed all clues be
Furnished as TO the head OF the deca apitated
woman were misleading. He said: "rhe
head is buried in n saudbar at Dayton. %
suburb near Fort Thomas, on the Kentucky
side of the river. jackson often spoke of
that sandbar az good place to hide any,
thing Detectives and lsborers were sent
to the sandbar to search for the head.