The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-26
WILL WOODS DOWNFALL.
Plain, Convincing story Told by the
Nnunr nnn,s SOrrowing Father.

Plain, Convincing Story TOid Dy tne
Young Mans sorrowing Father.
CINCINNATI, Feb. 2J.-The Rev. ID. NJ.
Wood, of Greencastle. Ind, father of VIII
liam Wood, who is accused of completely
in the proposed procuring Of an abortion In
the case of Pearl Bryan, the murdered girl,
makes a long statement in the Commercial
Gazette in the way of palliating the share
of his son in the crime, if not excusing 1T.
He is thoroughly confident of his sons in
nocence, and has no trouble in convincing
any one else with whom he talks for hall
an hour Likewise is the person convinced
of the fathers sincere desire to see the
truth come out no matter how it may hurt
his boy.
"The grand jury was in session all of
last week at Greencastle," said Mr.. Wood,
but it had done nothing up to Saturday
night. l presume it is continuing its labors
this week. L am sure it has been doing
everything in its power to secure evidence
against my boy, but as yet it has not Sc
cured a single thing. Nor will it. Senti-
ment has changed very largely in and about
Greencastle regarding Willies connection
with the unfortunate affair. Fred Bryan
is the bitterest of all against my boy, but
why, / do not know. 1t was only after
that Will consented to take Scott out to
Pearls home. Many young men of the
town have come to me personally and as
sured me from what they knew of Miss
Bryan and of my son that there never was
any improper intimacy between them. The
feeling is growing that VIII was made
convenient tool by Jackson. and an in.
termediate friend, to go between her and
Jackson by Miss Bryan.
Rev. Wood then told the story of how
the ACQUAINTANCE sprang up between ms
son ana Scott Jachson anu ,,,,ish vi sne Doy ,S
will be of interest. In substance, 1t was TO
the effect that when Jackson first came TO
GreencaSte, last summer a year ago, he,
with his mother, made his home at the res
idence of his sister, Mrs Post. The Post
residence adjons that of the Woods, and no
watered their horse at Mr.. Woods cistern,
and as Jackson cared for the horse, the
boys were brought much together in the
about three months. during the summer of
1894. and until Jackson left for Indianapolis
to spend the winter. His mother accompa-
MED him and lived with him there.
A '.MOTHFRS BOY"
WIN wood Is the. Cs-ly son of Rev. and
Mrs. d. NJ Wood, and is less than twenty
years old. The only other child is daugh-
ter of twelve. Will was a model son. He
was in the common acceptance of the term
his father has been away from home four
days out of every seven, and viii staid
about home, looking after the outdoor
chores and assisting his mother about the
house He accompanied her to church and
prayer meeting, and often told her that
whenever she wanted him TO go with her
he would not have any other female COM
oereate Is as asD sueb ah4 He did uaer oo n9dng daa
OF work about the town and at the college.
Mr.. Wood said he nor Mrs Wood had ever
heard Will swear, knew of his drinking
or seeking bad company. They knew ne
smoked, and considered that his only bad
habit. He was tender and thoughtful about
the home. MIR. Wood says even since the
trouble ne has not found any one who ever
heard the boy use profane language. The
coarse and profane letters written by his
son to Jackson. and which he read in the
Mayors office, were, therefore, a reyela-
tion TO MIN, and perfectly incomprehensi-
BILE.
Scott Jackson was received by the people
of Greencastle on the same social footing
that his mother and sister had occupied in
the town-the highest. He a nice
dresser had polished manners, and, Mr.
Wood said, was considered by every one
a conservative, upright gentleman. He
was therefore more or less lionized by the
young people of Greencastle. His Eastern
record was not then known, and he managed
toconduct himself with great proprety while
staying in Greencastle. Neither did his es-
capades at Indianapolis ever reach the ears
of the residents of the little college town.
The Woods. therefore, had no thought of
trouble growing out of the acquaintance
that sprang UP between VIII and Scott
Jackson. No suspicion OF anything wrong
came to them.
Upon his return from Indianapolis, last
summer, Scott Jackson entered the dental
office of DIR. Gillespie, who is a relative OF
Mrs. Wood and of the Bryans. 1t was
then near the middle of the summer. 1t
had been agreed at the Wood home that
Wills teeth needed fixing, and by reason
OF the relationship existing, that the proper
person to do the work was DR.. Gillespie.
The work was done. the bill amounting TO
SlS There were teeth 10 be filled and 9TH
ers TO be treated so that but little was
thought by the family of Wills spending a
great deal of time at DR.. Gillespie's office
They know now that ii was during those
two months of August and September that
the first seeds We're planted that were soon
10 bring such terrible disorder 10 at least
three of the best families in Greencastle
Mr.. Wood has now learned that Scott Jack
son was filling the mind of his only boy
with the most vicious thoughts, and with
the most licentious vagaries. He has
all the conversation. and that il was dur
ing this intimacy that Will first learned
of Jackson's true relations with Pearl.
JACKSON'S BOASTS.
Jackson delighted in boastng to VIII OF
his escapades with women-not OF the lewd
kind. for they were beneath him-but Of
innocent girls whom he was proud to Sc
duce from the paths or virtue. He told
him of how ne could win the affections OF
a tender young heart, rob it of its purity
and then cast it aside. If trouble came. he
told Wood ii was easy TO remove the trou-
BILE. and the world would know nothing of
the victims disgrace. Ii this sort of
talk, Mr.. Wood is certain. that brought his
son unwittngly into unpleasant connection
with Pearls untimey end. He learned of
Pearls condition from Pearl herself She
had been sick, and Will had demanded TO
know what was the trouble. She told him
she was in most serious trouble, and that
Jackson was responsible for it,
Ii about this time that Jackson left
for Cincinnati. Pearl went TO VIII several
times and begged him 10 write 10 jackson
and ask aim 10 do something for her. She
said Jackson would not write to her. and
She did not know wnat TO do. After sew
eral such pleadings VIII wrote his first let
ter TO Jackson The reply came back in
the form that has been published, and con-
tanning the prescription which, he said
would produce tee desired results viii
turned over the letter to Miss Bryan. part
ly TO give her the prescription and partly
TO let her know the sentiments jackson
had uttered connecting Wood with Hiss
Bryan.
''will did no more than that" said Mr.
Wood. '.He never had the prescription
filled. Every effort has been made by the