The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-21
BOW WERE iiANCtO
lack. -, 4aa Walling Tested
Inuocancr To Last.
TOO MANY CONFESSIONS
JAIKSOx CLEARED WALLlNG
AND THEN TOOK 1T BACK.
CANCELLED ALL CONFESSIONS

CANCELLED ALL CONFESSIONS
Restless Night, and Good Breakfast
WaNing's Sweetheart Writes 10
Die Game--Other Parties
Are Implicated.
New Port. KY, March 20.-The murder
of Pearl Bryan, fourteen months ago, was
avenged to-day by double hanging.
Scott jackson and Alonzo Nj. waning
,vare execnted at II Al from the same
scaffoN. There was double trap out
only one lever and when Sheriff julie
Plunnner pulled it both dropped the same
instant. WalGng, however, fingered
moment longer than jackson. The neck
of neither one was broken and both strug-
gled hard in the process of strangulauon.
The arrangements were complete ana the
performance was so perfect rhat IL was
without any incident unusual on such oc-
casious. Both men were nervy 10 the
last. Oh the gallows protested their IN
nocence and died with their secrets, SO
that ii may never be known what was
done with the head of Pearl Bryan or
where she lodged the two nights previous
TO her murder or what part each took
in the decapitatiOn or whether others are
;unlicated There were over 300 within
the inclosure to witness the hanging and
many thousands around the jail yard, but
the militia. special deputies and police
maintained order. The execution was
quickly dispatched as neither had any
thing to say on the gallOws except de-
clare his innocence and Rev. j. A. Lee
was brief in his services. There was,
however, a long delay because Jackson
and Walling continued their tactics of
false confessions as long as possible.
Sheriff Plummer intended to hang the
men at Z a. m, 50 as to avoid the great
crowds that assembled later in the day.
On account of the promises of confess
8 a. m, and then to 8 a. M, when Jack
sion. the execution was postponed TIL
son declared that WaNing was not guilty.
Then telegraphic communication opened
with Governor Bradley. When the
crowds learned that Jackson was still
making confessions and that Gov. Brad
ley was considering the respite of Wall
ing, there were many demonstrations In
the large crowds assembled, but the min
tia and police kept all at safe distance
from the enclosure. Both men had been
making confessions for some weeks and
confradicting them the next day. Both
of them repudiated all of their confessions
before they died.
When Governor Bradley and Sheriff
Hummer finally pressed jackson for
details and definite information about
WaIling, the former said, he could not
say ON the eve of his death that the latter
was innocent Governor Bradley then
ordered the Sheriff to proceed and when
this announcement was made to the crowd
there were cheers and marked demon
STATIONS for the Governor. The scatfold
was in the open air of the court yard
and the outside crowd was easily kept
advised as to what was going on in the
enclosure The utmost secrecy was,
however maintained as to what was
going on in the Jail into which only the
counsel friends, pastor and the officers
were admitted. The excitement extend
ed into Covington and other suburbs OF
Cincinnati while in Cincinnati signals
were used and large crowds surrounded
the newspaper offices and other places.
None of the members of the Bryan fam
ily from Greencastle, Indiana, were pre-
sent, but they were represented by At
torney Silas A. Hayes, who appeared for
them in the prosecution. Fred Hayes,
Fl. s. Renick, William A. Howe, A. A.
Black and w. e. Starr, friends of the
Bryan family were also present. The re-
mains of Walling were taken to his moth
or. at Hamilton, Ohio tonight. The re-
mains of Scott Jackson were incinerated
tonight at the Cincinnati crematory. His
mother is opposed to cremation, but had
rhe body incinerated so that she could
take the ashes to her home at Green
castle, Indiana, and not suffer the NORTH
cation of being refused burial there. The
widowed mother was unable to bear the
expense of taking the remains to their
old home in Maine as at first contem-
plated. The friends of the Bryan faml-
" who were here to attend to execution
stated that no cemetery in that vicinity
xoald give a permit for his burial there
There are many rumors tonight about
additional confessions that both men are
sal to have left with their friends, but
no confidence is placed in any confession
since the men said before their death to-
day that they had made mistakes in lis
tenang to those who advised the confes-
sions and hence they died with their
secrets untold. Although it is generally
conceded that DR.. Wagner, who was ac-
cused by the men as being their accom-
pEce had no guilty knowledge Of the muir
der whatever, yet it is generally believed
that there are other parties implicated
and that the facts may now come out.
The condemned men spent quiet, but
restless night and We're up at $50, ate
hearty breakfasts, INDUCED in cigars and
had q good time. Shortly before the
march to the gallows was commenced
Deputy Maurer entered the Jail with a
letter TO Walling from his sweetheart,
Miss Roberts. In it she sent her love and
told him to die game. Walling, after
reading the note shook hands with Mau-