The herald., 1897-03-19
PEARL BRYAN'S MURDERERS
Make Confession and Both
Sign It
"A LAST DESPERATE MOVE
To Secure Favorable Action by Governor
Bradley
LAST DESPERATE MOVE
tence Is Commuted a Lynchng 10
Not Unlikely
associated Press Special wire

FRANKFORT, KY, March 1S.-As
last desperate resort to extort respite
from Governor Bradley or a commuta-
tion of sentence of himself and Alonzo
M. Walling, Scott Jackson has made an
other so-called confession. and Walling
has signed it. Upon their arrest one
year and six weeks ago each confessed
that the other committed the murder.
Each has been in the confession busi-
ness frequently ever since. Those writ
ten individual confessions, signed by
their respective authors, were vague and
evasive.
Now for the first time comes confess
sion prepared by Scott Jackson in the
Alexandria Jail, and signed also by
Walling, to be sent to Governor Brad
ley. The confession is now In his hands.
1t is voluminous, somewhat evasive and
not little foggy. 1t justifies the gen.
eral exclamation, "Who will believe it?"
which was heard everywhere on the
streets today when the announcement
was made that confession had been
obtained
1t was secured for big money con-
sideration, the proceeds to go to the
mothers of the condemned men. Its dis
tinguishing characteristic is that it con-
tradicts in almost every particular the
theory of defense in the long trials of
each of these men. During the trial
witnesses were brought from Bellevue,
a village just above Newport, to prove
that Jackson, Walling and Pearl Bryan
were seen in that village about noon on
Tense attacked the veracity Of John Fos-
ter, one Of the witnesses. and tried to
show that Druggist Dortmeyer, sec
ond witness, had told contradictory
stories about seeing the murderers and
their victim. Now, in this confession.
| the scene of the immediate preliminaries
to the murder is transferred to Bellevue,
KY, on Wednesday and Thursday
nights, January 20 and 80, 1896. DR.. Wag-
ner of Bellevue, Ky, is involved in the
murder by the confession.
| 1t took Scott jackson the whole Of one
afternoon and night to write it. To any
one who has read carefully Governor
Brad1ey's statement of his reasons for
refusing respite or communication of SEN
tence it will be at once apparent that
one purpose of this confession Is to give
him possible ground for favorable ac-
ton that was lacking in former applica-
| tions.
Meantime advices from Newport are
that the scaffold and ropes for the hang
| ing are in readiness. News from Alex
andria, where the prisoners are confined,
Is the announcement that the new con-
| fession has caused great excitement in
| Campbell and adjacent counties in Ken
| lucky; that it has brought people from
the country to the towns in no genial
mood. and while the prisoners would be
| in no danger from the citizens of Alexan-
dria, yet there is no knowing what vio-
lent result might follow a communication
| of the sentences of Jackson and Walling
unless the grounds for it should be bet
ter than any one believes 1t possible for
them to furnish.
Fred Byran and other relatives of the
murdered girl will be in Cincinnati to-
morrow. The prisoners will be removed
to the Newport jail tomorrow night, and
by noon tomorrow a company of militia
will be on the ground to guard the New
port jail. 1t is not believed here at mid
might that Governor Bradley will inter-
fere further.
THE CONFESSION.
FRANKFORT, KY, March 18.-The
confession of Scott Jackson and Alonzo
Walling was tonight presented to Gov
ernor Bradley by Special Messengers
Wade, Ellis and Allison. The confess
sion says DR.. Wagner administered
medicine in attempting to perform an
abortion, under which Pearl Bryan died.
and that Scott Jackson held her across
his lap while Wagner cut her head of,
after which DR.. Wagner wrapped the
head in cloak and took It home. After
wards he became insane. They do not
know. they say, where the head was
taken.