The herald., 1897-03-21
HANGED BY
THE NECK
Till Death Comes Through
StrangulatiOn
THE DEATH OF PEARL BRYAN
Avenged by the Execution Of Murderers
Jackson and Walling
The Men Kept Their Nerve to the Last,
Dying Protesting Their In
nocence
Associated Press Special Wire.

| Associated Press Special Wire.
NEWPORT, KY, March 2o.-The muir
der of Pearl Bryan, fourteen months ago,
was avenged today by double hanging.
Scott Jackson and Alonzo M. Walling
were executed at 11:14 a. m. from the
same scaffold.' There was double trap,
but only one lever, and when Sheriff
| Plummer pulled the lever both dropped
the same instant Walling, however,
fingered a moment longer than Jackson.
The neck of neither was broken, and
both struggled hard in the process of
STANDARDIZATION. The arrangements were
complete, and the performance was 80
perfect that 1t was without any incident
unusual on such occasions.
| Both men were nervy to the last, and
on the gallows protested their innocence
| and died with their secrets, so that 1t
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 were i'm
plicated. There were over 300 men
within the enclosure to witness the
hanging and many thousands around the
Jail yard, but the militia. special depu-
ties and police maintained order. The
execution was quickly dispatched, as
neither had anything to say en- the gal
lows except to declare his innocence,
and Rev. A. J. Lee was brief in his SER
| vices.
| There was, however, long delay as
| jackson and Walling continued their
tactics Of false confessions as long as
possible Sheriff. Plummer intended to
hang the men at a. M. SO as to avoid
the great crowds that assembled later
in the day. On account of the promises
| Of confession the execution was post
| poned until a. M, and then to a. M,
when Jackson declared Walling was not
guilty. Then telegraphic communca-
| ton opened with Governor Bradley.
| When the crowds learned that Jackson
was still making confessions, and the
governor was considering the respite of
Walling there were many demonstra-
tions in the large crowds assembled, but
the police and militia kept all at safe
distance. Both men had been making
confessions for some weeks and contra
dieting them next day. Both Of them
| repuGiated all their confessions before
they died. When Governor Bradley and
Sheriff Plummer finally pressed Jackson
for details and definite information
about Walling 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
demonstrations for the governor The
ingenuity of able counsel and friends
had been used during the past week to
influence the governor by false confess
sions and other adroit schemes to give
Jackson more time and modify the SEN
tence Of Walling but Governor Bradley
analysed the case too closely for these
plans to become operative. From a. m.
until the time of the execution many
false reports were circulated about
Walling being respited, and these re-
ports caused the greatest excitement
around the Jail.
The scaffold was in the open air Of the
court yard and outside the crowd was
easily kept advised as to what was going
on in the inclosure. The utmost Sc
crecy was, however. maintained as to
only the counsel, friends. pastor and Of
flcers were admitted. The excitement
extended into Covington and other sub
urbs, while in Cincinnati signals were
used and large crowds surrounded the
newspaper offices. Extra editions of the
local papers contained the rumors about
the probable respite of Walling and
added to the excitement. During the
noon hour, when the streets were crowd
ed with people going to luncheon, the
black flags were put out announcing
the executions, and there were crowds
everywhere expressing qualification.
None of the members of the Bryan
family from Green Castle, Ind, were
present. They were represented by At
torney Silas A. Hayes. Fred Hayes S.
Renick, William Hiawer, A. A. Black
and w. e. Starr. friends of the Bryan
family. Soon after the execution the
crowds left the streets surrounding the
jail. but did not leave until after the
bodies of the men had been taken away
Tonight the city is as quiet as usual
1t has been disturbed by these men for
over a year.
The remains Of Walnng were taken to
his mother at Hamilton. o., today The
remains of Scott Jackson were incin-
Grated tonight at the Cincinnati crema-
tory. His mother is opposed to crema-
ton, but had the body incinerated so
she could take the ashes to her home at
Green Castle, Ind, and not suffer the
modification of being refused burial
there. The widowed mother was un-
able to bear the expense Of taking the
remains to their old home in Maine, as
at first contemplated.
The friends Of the Bryan family. who
were here to attend the execution, stated