The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-17

Strong Evidence Against the De.
PENDANTS Comes 10 Light.
WHAT A DRIVER HAS TO SAY
Concerning His Freight on the
Night of the Murder.

In this city and vicinity over the atrocious
murder of Pearl Bryan has been intensi.
fed by the astounding developments made
Saturday night. The feeling last night
was of the silent but ready sort that por-
tends latent danger. No outbreak Is an
ticipated, and n successful one here would
be out OF the question with the present
efficiency of the police and the military.
While the feeling here Is OF the explosive
sort, the external restraint Is sufficient 10
prevent an explosion.
IL Is now probable that the prisoners,
Jackson and Walling, will be taken to
the Covington jail, which Is very strong
and also well situated to resist \ siege.
The Jail In Newport is weak. The dctec'
tiyes have n clew to the surrey that was
employed TO carry the murderers and their
victim to the scene OF the slaughter. They
think they have found the surrey on Wal
nut hills, and they are trying to identify IL.
The special circumstance that gives
weight to the testimony OF George IL.
jackson, the negro who drove the surrey
10 Fort Thomas, is the high name he bears
among all his employers. MIR. Rebstook,
a liveryman for whom he worked four
years, says; "He Is the best, truest, all
around negro I ever knew. L would trust
him with anything"
Major Widdekind of Mount Auburn, the
negro's present employer, says: George
II. Jackson Is highly intelligent. very reti.
cent, has no habits. never drinks liquor or
uses tobacco, Is competent, trustworthy
and efficient rs IN employe, and is an
active member OF Zion Colored Baptist
church. He take two daily papers, and is
a man OF more than ordinary intelligence.
] have the most complete confidence In
his veracity and integrity"
Not swaysd by Mercenary Motives.
Another circumstance in his favor Is
that there is an offer of a reward OF $500
for the discovery Of the cab driver. Jack.
son has not made any claim for this re.
ward, nor has no even spoken OF II.
In his statement, he said he found that
In the surrey, instead Of n round hitching
weight, n piece of railroad rail about n
foot long, while waiting for the return OF
the two men who had gone away with the
girl Mt the place of the murder. 1t hae
two holes through it. A leather strap was
fastened to one OF these holes. That he
used for a hitching weight, and then ran
away as fast as he could run until he was
home.
Right here Is n point In the chain Of cir.
cumstances. 1t was just precisely such a
piece of railroad iron that was wrapped
up in Jackson's bloody coat when 1t wa,
fshed out of n sewer catch-basin several
days Ago.. What emphasizes this evidence
Ia the fact that his coat being wrapped
around "A piece Of railroad iron has never
been mentioned In the newspapers.
Another circumstance that supports
Jackson's story that the conveyance used
was n surrey, and that he abandoned il In
fright on that tragic night, is the fact that
a gentleman of Newport. driving toward
Fort Thomas In a buggy on that Saturday
morning about 3 o'clock. met a surrey.
drawn by n gray horse with two men on
the front seat, and collided with IL. Hc
got out, and the men in the surrey drove
on toward Newport Mt "a furious rate.
This mans name is not given, but he will
be on hand when required as n witness.
To clinch the matter, u procession OF
carriages containing policemen and re-
porters started ut 1915 TO Fort Thomas
Saturday night. George IL. Jackson
drove the leading carriage. The process.
sion struck the murdcrers route Mt Vine
md Third streets, II with Jackson for n
guide, followed it TO the bloody ground.
A halt was made at the NEWPORT toll
bridge to seek another link In the chain
that binds these men TO the guilt OF Pearl
Bryan's murder. Toll Collector Tarvin
said he remembered the surrey driven by
n colored man passing over the bridge
about / o'clock on the morning OF Feb. l.
1T contained n man and "a woman, and
there was q white man with the negro
driver on the seat.
Strong Evidence Against the Prisoners
The procession was led by Jackson
through unfrequentcd blck streets in
Newport, and by q long, circuitous route
OF mud roads I'm tho darkness under
a cloudy sky, and finally Into the Alex.
andria pike nenr Fort Thomas. After
driving n short distance, Jackson stopped
lust where % blind lane set out from the
road aud stopped. "Here," said be, lis
where they took the lady out, telling mo
to turn tho carriage around and wait"
George II. Jackson has not been 10 tho
scene OF the murder since It was com.
mitted. Whore he stopped in the dark.
ness was about 200 yards from the spot
where PeRrl Bryan was found dead on
the morning Of Feb. l.
The examination OF the % or 30 men In
a senl.oircle at the jail by the colored man
Jackson was dramatic In the extreme
Wallin1 stood near one extremity of the
arc. The negro jackson began his inspec'
ton at Wallin2's end OF the line. He OK.
amined every one, man by man, till he go5
20 the end OF the line. Then he turned,
walked briskly lack and halted In front
Of Walling. All this time he had not
spoken n word. Viewing Walling all
around like n man examining a horse he
was about TO buy, he stopped in front OF
him and said: THAT Is the man who sat
on the seat with mo"
Jackson was Identified as to size and
partially as TO the sound Of his voice. Tho
negro's extreme caution gives force to- his
evidence. Ito said; ~ donot want TO make
any mistake, . and then hc took his time
I'm making his examination. Jackson,
when the thing was over, talked %nippantly
20 his visitors. TO one he said: Cali the
taller aud ask him IL be- found a surrey in
my pockets when he searched me" lilo
tries TO rldiculc the multitude ~ CLOVIS
that are followed. Walling Is more sullcn
and rcticcnt Ne dcnounces tho negroes
statement n n Hc.