Early"s story was that he came to Greencastle Oct. 4., 1895. "Soon after my arrival at Greencastle I made the acquaintance of Will Wood, a student at Depauw University. This acquaintance soon ripened into a friendship which brought us together a great deal and made us confide to each other much more than is ordinary among young men.
"So fast did the friendship between Will Wood and myself become that he would show me his letters. Among those he showed, I remember one from Scott Jackson, a young man from Greencastle, who is in Cincinnati attending a dental college.
"In this letter Jackson confided to his chum, Will Wood, that he, Jackson and Pearl Bryan had been too intimate, that she had loved not wisely, but too well, and as a result he had betrayed her, that Pearl would soon become a mother, and asked Wood"s help in this matter.
"He admitted his intimacy with Pearl, and his responsibility for her present condition. He quoted recipes calculated to prevent the evil results of their indiscretion, and asked Wood to get them and give them to Pearl.
"Wood did this, as he said he was willing to do anything he could for Jackson and especially for Pearl, who was Wood"s second cousin.
"These drugs however did not have the desired effect of reversing the laws of nature.
"One letter, I remember was in answer to one which Wood had written to Jackson, informing him that Pearl Bryan was showing the effects of her indiscretion and intimacy with Jackson, and telling him that the recipes sent by him had been furnished by Wood.
"Jackson regretted that his recipes had failed but said something must be done and suggested that the girl be sent to Cincinnati, stating that he could arrange to have an abortion performed on her.
"Wood told me afterward that Pearl had gone to Cincinnati to have a criminal operation performed, and had told her parents she was going to Indianapolis to visit friends. She had money with her, sufficient to cover any expenses she might incur in such an undertaking."
He then told of Fred Bryan the brother of Pearl, telegraphing to Indianapolis inquiring about Pearl and receiving an answer that she had not been there.
It was midnight when the detectives heard of this and went to the house of Mr. Spivy, of Louis & Hays, and got him to go to the shoe store with them. On arriving there the books of the firm were again examined and the name of Pearl Bryan was found on them, and the fact that she had bought a pair of No. 3 shoes was found. In all their scrutiny of the books this fact had escaped the detectives and shoe dealers.
IDENTIFIED THE CLOTHING.
This settled the fact that Pearl Bryan had purchased the shoes, and at two o"clock Wednesday morning the officers visited the home of the Bryans, taking with them the clothes found on the murdered woman. Here an awful climax came. The mother of Pearl was shown the clothes and one by one she positively identified them between her sobs and cries of "My Pearl, my Pearl."
The dress was one which had been made over for Pearl out of one which had belonged to a dead sister. The b.l.o.o.d.y undershirt was at once recognized. The family sought to find something upon which to base a hope that it might not be their loved one, and argued that she might have given her clothes to some one else, but this has positively been disproven. The murdered woman was Pearl Bryan.
The blow to their hopes came when the officers told them that the murdered woman had webbed or deformed toes, and described them to her.
Her sister exclaimed: "My G.o.d, it is Pearl! We used to tease her about those when she was little." The scar on the right hand was then told of and added a link to the identification.
Even the hairpins were positively identified as belonging to Pearl.
There were two gold-plated and two rubber ones of an auburn hue. There remained no doubt as to whom the missing woman was, and there was but one thing to do--pursue her murderer.
The whole thing became plain to the officers. They at once determined to secure the arrest of both Jackson and Wood. They knew that Jackson was in Cincinnati so they decided to wire Chief of Police Deitsch and have Jackson arrested and to go in person to South Bend, Ind., for which place Wood had left on the Thursday previous, for the purpose of studying medicine with his uncle, and place Wood under arrest.
They at once sent the following telegram:
"GREENCASTLE, IND., FEBRUARY 5, 1896.
PHILIP DEITSCH, Superintendent of Police, Cincinnati, Ohio: Arrest and charge with murder of Pearl Bryan, one Scott Jackson, student at Dental College, about 24 years old, 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high, weighs about 136 pounds, blonde, nearly sandy mustache, light complexion, may have beard of about six months growth, effeminate in appearance. Positive identification of clothing by family.
Arrest if in Cincinnati, William Wood, friend of Jackson. Charge as accomplice. About 20 years, 5 feet 11 inches, light blonde hair, smooth face, rather slender, weighs 165 pounds. We go from here to South Bend after Wood as he left here for that place.
CRIM MCDERMOTT AND PLUMMER."
Immediately on receipt of the telegram Colonel Deitsch detailed Detectives Witte, Bulmer and Jackson to look after Jackson. It was learned that he roomed at the house of Mrs. McNevin, at 222 West Ninth, next door to Robinson"s Opera House. Detective Jackson was stationed in the house and Witte and Bulmer in the saloon opposite.
Just when it seemed as though their intended game had discovered the fact that the officers were after him and had left for parts unknown he was captured.
It was after nine o"clock, when almost the last ray of hope had died out of the officers b.r.e.a.s.t.s, that Chief of Police Deitsch received word that Jackson had just been seen at the Palace Hotel. The chief started out and ran into a man answering Jackson"s description. He informed the detectives of the fact, the fellow was watched and was seen to walk slowly down Ninth Street, and on reaching 222 he looked up at the windows. He strolled slowly to Plum Street and stopped and again looked back at the house.
He then walked rapidly north on Plum Street toward Court. When he had traversed part of the square Detective Bulmer stepped up to him, saying: "Your name is Jackson, isn"t it?"
The man turned perfectly livid and trembled like an aspen, and as the detective continued to say, "I want you," he exclaimed, "My G.o.d! what is this for?"
At the same time the start was made for the Mayor"s Office.
At Ninth Street Colonel Deitsch met the prisoner and said: "Well, "Dusty" (Jackson"s nickname), we have got you."
"Yes," responded the prisoner, "it looks like it."
AT THE MAYOR"S OFFICE.
When the Mayor"s office was reached the prisoner was hustled into the presence of Mayor Caldwell.
The scene in the private office of Mayor Caldwell in the City Hall was undoubtedly the most remarkable ever witnessed there.
The Mayor was sitting in his office with his Chief Clerk, Cliff Lakeman, when Jackson was ushered into his presence by the officers, at the head of whom was Chief of Police Deitsch. A few minutes later the room was thronged with representatives of the newspapers and detectives. Coroner Haerr was also there waiting for possible developments.
Jackson, the prisoner, sat in the center of a long sofa on the east side of the room. On the side of him was Chief Deitsch. The latter conducted the examination, while the Mayor sat in his chair, smoked a cigar and listened.
THE EXAMINATION.
"Is this Mayor Caldwell?" asked Jackson.
"It is," responded His Honor.
"The officers say you want to see me."
"Yes, I want to talk with you."
"What is your name?"
"Scott Jackson."
"You are also known as Dusty?"
"Yes, sometimes."
"Where is your home?"
"My home is in Greencastle, Ind."
"Do you know Pearl Bryan?"