The Murder and Ghost of Pearl Bryan, Part lll

Scott Jackson continued to
insist to reporters he had
been wrongly convicted.

During Pearl Bryan's sensationalized murder trial testimony of unreliable witness accounts were used because neither Scott Jackson nor Alonzo Walling confessed to the crime.

A Star Witness

Two of the witnesses at the trials testified they saw Jackson enter Wallingford’s saloon with a blonde lady the night before Pearl was discovered dead.

Later Jackson and Walling left with this lady in a horse cab driven by a third man.

This cabman could not be found so several newspapers offered large rewards to anyone who could identify this man.

A black man by the name of George Jackson came forward to claim the reward. He was later convicted of perjury in another trial.

He told the authorities that Walling had offered him 10 dollars to drive a doctor and his patient across the bridge to Kentucky.

Alonzo Walling

Later Walling drove up in a carriage and he took over the reins.

When he heard a woman moaning in the back of the carriage he tried to leave but he stated Walling drew a pistol on him and forced him to continue.

When they arrived at their destination he saw another man exit the carriage with a woman who could barely walk--as they went into the woods he took off on foot.

George Jackson’s story was highly unlikely. Later the police chief and his former employee in Springfield publicaly stated that they believed he was lying.

He was a known conman who craved notoriety.

When he was taken to the prison to identify Scott Jackson--he didn’t recognize anyone until a guard let Jackson’s name slip at which point he pointed him out.

His story was put into evidence and used at the trials. His testimony turned out to be the most controversial. 

People wondered why two experienced horseman--Scott Jackson and Alonzo Walling would hire a witness to their crime.

George Jackson was ordered to recreate
the fatal journey. This time with
3 police officers in the back.

Final Thoughts

The story of Pearl Bryan’s death was horrific enough without all the exaggerated myths and rumors that were spread at the time.

These myths are often given as the reason why Bobby Mackey’s Music World in Wilder, Kentucky is haunted by Scott Jackson, Alonzo Walling and the most active of the three ghosts--Pearl Bryan.

Pearl probably haunts this building because it is near where she was decapitated.

But the two men probably haunt it--not because of some exaggerated story about them being members of an occult group--but because they possibly might have been convicted and hanged for a crime they didn’t directly commit.

The real truth is lost to history and a poor investigation and trial.

Haunted Night Club

Bobby Mackey, a popular country music star, bought an old wooden building located in Wilder, Kentucky in 1978. It was on this site where the original slaughterhouse building stood.

There is a sign posted on the door that states, “possibility of paranormal activity enter at own risk.”

His nightclub is a popular spot to hear good music, it is also a place that many paranormal investigators visit.

Sign on door.

Three Ghosts

Witnesses have stated that they have seen both Pearl’s and Alonzo Walling’s apparitions in this building.

Yet another newspaper reported Walling just before the noose was slipped around his neck stated he intended to return and haunt the area. Many feel he followed through on his promise.

A psychic stated that she saw Scott Jackson having an argument with Pearl. She saw him yelling at Pearl as she fretted and held her head in her hands stating, “My head, my head.”

He yelled at her, “It was your fault.”

One female employee at the bar states that as she walked into the club one day an unplugged jukebox started to play The Anniversary Song.

This jukebox does not include this song on its selection boards. This employee feels that Pearl has a romantic side and it was her that played this song.

Several women patrons, pregnant at the time they visited the night club, have started that Pearl messed with them.

Bobby Mackey’s wife Janet while 5 months pregnant--Pearl was 5 months pregnant when she died-- was grabbed around the waist and thrown to the ground by an unseen entity.

The sign posted on the door--warning patrons to enter at their own risk--was placed there at the recommendation of a lawyer after a female patron had her clothes ripped in the restroom by a disapproving entity.

In Part l of The Murder andGhost of Pearl Bryan, I share several of the bizarre rumors and myths that surround this case.

Arbuckle: Hollywood’s First Scandal, Part lll

Roscoe Arbuckle

After a Labor Day party in San Francisco Roscoe Arbuckle who had just signed a lucrative contract with Paramount Studios to make feature films for one million dollars a year found himself the center of Hollywood’s first scandal.

This talented gentle giant found the public that once adored him now hated him. He now was spat upon when he ventured out in public.

Before he could even present his side of the story everyone believed he was a monster that raped and killed a young “innocent” starlet by the name of Virginia Rappe.

Fuel to Fire

After Rappe’s death on Friday September 9^th lies and rumors spread quickly.

Within a short period of time newspapers most prominently William Randolph Hearst’s were filled with reports that Arbuckle had sexually assaulted Rappe, which resulted in her death.

Hearst was later to state that the Arbuckle scandal sold more papers for him then the sinking of the Lusitania, which turned America against Germany before entering WWl.

Hearst’s papers also were responsible for highlighting the disgusting rumors that Roscoe had raped Rappe with a Cocoa-Cola or champagne bottle, which was never taken seriously or brought up in the subsequent trials.

A headline on one of Hearst's' papers.

A Chance for Fame and Fortune

If it wasn’t for Delmont’s lies and an opportunistic San Francisco District Attorney named Mathew Brady, Roscoe Arbuckle probably would never have been accused of murder.

Brady felt the high profile case would make his career--he had political ambitions. He conducted many interviews with Maude Delmont each time she changed her story. He knew she wasn’t a credible witness and never put her on the stand.

But Brady was out to make a name for himself. When he brought Arbuckle before the grand jury, he threatened Zey Prevon an actress that attended the party with prosecution for perjury unless she agreed with a police statement alleging that a dying Rappe had said, “Roscoe hurt me.”

Three Trials

By the time the case was tried the charge against Arbuckle was reduced to manslaughter--which meant a prison term, not death.

Brady was the prosecuting attorney during Roscoe’s first trial. The defense lawyer Gavin McNab often defended celebrities.

During the trial Betty Campbell a model who had attended the party testified that she had seen Arbuckle relaxing and enjoying himself an hour after the rape. Brady was trying to point out to the jury that Arbuckle was neither remorseful nor concerned about Rappe’s condition.

Under McNab’s cross-examination Campbell dropped a bombshell. Despite Brady’s frenzied objections, she told the court that the prosecution had threatened her with imprisonment if she didn’t testify against Arbuckle.

McNab then presented 2 other affidavits from Zey Prevon and another actress Alice Blake to the judge that backed up Campbell’s claims of intimidation by the prosecution.

Prevon testified that she made the statement where Rappe had claimed, “He killed me” under duress. Blake testified to similar pressure on the witness stand.

It was also discovered that Brady had faked fingerprints he put into evidence. He wanted to prove that Arbuckle and Rappe had struggled. He stated that Rappe’s fingerprints were found on a bedroom door because she had tried to escape but Arbuckle slammed the door shut.

McNab found a hotel maid who testified to the fact she had dusted the door several times before it was sealed and examined by the District Attorney.

Minty at trail

Roscoe's estranged wife Minty believed in his innocent and she sat in the court every day to show her support. Roscoe took the stand and gave compelling testimony in his own defense.

The jury ended in a deadlock 10 to 2 in favor of acquittal. One jurist who was a holdout, Helen Hubbard told her fellow jurors that she would never change her mind. She knew Arbuckle was guilty as soon as he was arrested.

In Arbuckle’s second trial the defense took a different tact they decided to attack Rappe’s character. This had not been done in the first trial to Arbuckle’s credit for he had refused to let his attorneys do this.

This attack on the deceased Rappe did not play well. Mentioning her drinking, erratic ways, and her multi-sex partners put a bad taste in the jurors’ mouths.

This, plus the fact they didn’t have Arbuckle testify and the general feeling that they didn’t have to fight what they considered was a “weak” prosecution was also a mistake.

This time the jury came back deadlocked 10 to 2 for conviction.

During the third trial, the defense once more put Arbuckle on the stand to testify. This time the defense once more went all out.

It worked for the jury came back with a quick acquittal. They also issued on their own initiative an apology where they stated Arbuckle had been wronged. They felt that there had not been any “evidence” or “slightest proof” he had committed this crime.

Roscoe Arbuckle in court

In Part lV of Roscoe Arbuckle: Hollywood’s First Scandal I share information about what might actually have caused Rappe’s death, Roscoe’s life post-trial and Virginia Rappe’s ghost.

Here is a brief overview of this story: