The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-10
SHE GAVE HEX DRUGS
MAY HoLLINGswORTH, OF THIS CITY,
FACTOR In THE BRYAN CASE.
Confesscs to Police that She Instruct
ed the Poor Girl How to Relieve
Her Condition.
A DEFENSE OF JACKSON
SHE SAYS SHE BELIEVES MISS
BRYAN COMMITTED SUICIDE.
Destroys Letter Supposed to
Throw Light on the Mystery.
PEARL BRYAN'S HAT FOUND
OFFICERS PICK 1T Up NEAR THE,
SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY.
Wal1ing's Latest Confession Implicat-
ing Jackson Is Mostly Believed
Story of PhrenOlogist.
When Arrested, Miss HOIlingsworth
Destroys Letter Supposed to
Throw Light on the Mystery.
PEARL BRYAN'S HAT FOUND
OFFICERS PICK 1T Up NEAR THE,
SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY.
WaIling's Latest Confession ImpIicat-
ing Jackson Is Mostly Believed
story of PhrenolOgist.


May Hollingsworth, a young woman
twenty-three years of age. is detained at
police headquarters as a witness who prob
ably knows a great deal concerning the
death of Pearl Bryan. the Greencastle girl.
at Cincinnati. Miss Hollingsworth's man
ners and conversation have led the police
to believe that she knows a great deal, for
she has intimated that she can explain
everything. She is the young woman who
gained notoriety two years ago by running
away from Coates College, at Terre Haute.
Her father lives at Vincennes. having been
treasurer Of that county at one time After
the police of a dozen cities had searched
everywhere for the missing girl she was
found serving as a nurse in a North Capt.
tol avenue family. She has lived in this
city since then, and the police have heard
OF her occasionally, but yesterday was the
first time she has been considered as i'm
plcated in any important case.
The detention OF Miss Hollingsworth was
made in response to a clew furnished by
Marshal Starr, of Greencastle, who has
taken an active and commendatory course
in the Pearl Bryan investigation. He re-
ceived letter Saturday purporting to be
from travelling man, afterwards found to
be Hal Radcliffe The letter said informa-
ton concerning the murder might be OBJ
tanned from Miss Hollingsworth. Accord
ingly detective Wilson, accompanied by
Marshal Starr. visited the home of the
young woman at No. Henry street.
The conclusion after this first interview,
which was held late on yesterday after
| noon, was that Miss HoTlingsworth pos
sesses important information concerning
the case. She was questioned at the house
with enough result to warrant her deten
tion at headquarters, where she was taken.
To Superintendent Colbert she repeated her
intimations of knowing something i'm
| portant concerning the case. The closest
| questioning OF the afternoon failed to bring
| forth more than intimations of knowledge,
which led the police and others to believe
| that her part in the affair was of such a
| nature as to incriminate herself.
III Is seldom that a prisoner at head
| quarters is given such an examination as
that of Miss Holingsworth, but the i'm
/ portance of the case and her manner made
urgent means at obtaining information
| seem necessary. Miss Hollingsworth's life
| made her connection with the case seem
plausible. Early in the investigation she
| acknowledged acquaintance with Scott
jackson, one Of the accused murderers of
Pearl Bryan; with Will Wood. an i'm
portant witness. and with Pearl Bryan
| The latter she had met at Greencastle
While Miss Bryan was in this city on her
way to Cincinnati where she met her DEATH
the two young women chanced TO meet at
the Union Station.
| HER LAST CONFESSION.
Miss Hollingsworth would tell nothing
further at first but the rigid examination
4 Iast vio
o'clock, she weakened and told what she
| declared be truthful statement of her
| knowledge OF the affair and the crcum-
| stances which led her TO believe that Pearl
| Bryan committed suicide and that the
| body was carried TO the lonely spot where
/ found and decapitated. Be il said how
ever, the police still believe she may know
| more, although she has already told enough
| to incriminate herself. The Cincinnati au-
| thorities have been notified and they will
| probably arrive here to-day, possibly for
the purpose of taking Miss Hollingsworth
| TO that city.
| In her last confession Miss Holingsworth
| repeats her first story of meeting Pearl
| Bryan by chance at the Union Station.
| Being acquaintances, the conversation
| drifted to the trouble which Miss BRYAN
was having and of the purpose OF her visit
| TO Cincinnati. Miss Holingsworth saws
| Miss Bryan was bitter in her denunciation
of Scott Jackson. denouncing his perfidy
and blaming him for all of her misfortunes.
Pearl Bryan had been crying and she was
in melancholy mood. May Hol,ingsworth
says she extended TO Pearl Bryan SYM
pathy and went to drug store and pur-
| chased medicine for her.
"At what store did you get ft?" asked the
| superintendent
That is not important" was the reply.
Continuing. Miss Hollingsworth said she
gave Pearl Bryan the name of another
drug which might be used If the first failed.
Concerning this second drug Miss Hollings-
worth said, she warned Pearl Bryan of the
danger in using it, saying death would re-
suit if not used with great care. Mics Bryan
took the drugs purchased and the name of
the one recommended, saying she would try
them. She seemed indifferent to the result
| of her visit to Cincinnati, adding that If sae
must die, she wanted Ii to be in the hands
| of Scott Jackson. so he would have 70 suffer
for his wrongs TO her.
That is all 1 know of the case said Miss
Hollingsworth in closing ner confession. 81
know 1 have placed myself in a bad light
and had resolved not to tell anyone, with
out it was absolutely necessary TO save the
| lives of Jackson and Waling. That is the
reason Il believe Pearl Bryan committed
suicide Her actions and her talk led me
to believe it. From what she said / be-
lieve she died at Jackson's room ami ne had
to get rid of the body
Late last night the detectives searched
the room OF Miss Hollingsworth Nothing OF
a damaging nature was found, except a
portion of a letter on which was the word
Scott" which might mean that she had
carried on correspondence concerning ths
case and probably met Pearl Bryan by en-.
gagement. When Miss Hollingsworth wa:
first taken in custody. she eluded the OH