Forgotten Felonies

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After nine episodes, 19 weeks, more than 350 historical newspaper articles, and more twists and turns than we ever could have imagined, we've finally reached the end of the Pearl Bryan story.

But this nineteenth-century tragedy isn't finished surprising us.

In this final installment, we revisit the people, the evidence, and the extraordinary events surrounding one of America's most sensational criminal cases. We'll uncover some astonishing details that have remained buried in the historical record for more than a century, follow familiar faces beyond the headlines, and take one last look at the questions that have haunted this story since 1896.

And after almost five months of research, Monica has developed a theory of her own—one that might change the way you think about everything you've heard.

Join us for the unforgettable conclusion to our nine-part Pearl Bryan series.

Songs featured:

Pearl Bryan, performed by the Phipps Family Band, 1965. (Used with permission from Smithsonian Folkways Records)

Dixieland March, performed by the Columbia Orchestra, 1905 

God Be With You Till We Meet Again, performed by the Haydn Quartet, 1905

Home Sweet Home, performed by the Haydn Quartet, 1902

In the Sweet Bye and Bye, performed by the Haydn Quartet, 1903

Lead, Kindly Light, performed by the Haydn Quartet, 1905

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Scott Jackson and Alonzo Walling have been convicted of murdering Pearl Bryan, but their story is far from over.

As the two condemned men settle into life behind bars, they find themselves surrounded by bizarre jailhouse antics, an attempted escape, and a public fascination that shows no signs of fading. Meanwhile, their attorneys fight desperately for new trials, and Alonzo clings to the belief that Scott will eventually tell the truth and save his life.

But just when it seems the case couldn't possibly get any stranger, a convicted perjurer comes forward with an extraordinary new account of Pearl's death—one that sends Monica down a research rabbit hole and leads to the discovery of a woman whose history raises some fascinating new questions.

With the gallows looming and their legal options disappearing, Scott and Alonzo have one last chance to change their fate. But will the truth finally come out before it's too late?

God Be With You Till We Meet Again, performed by the Haydn Quartet, 1905

Pearl Bryan, performed by the Phipps Family Band, 1965

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Just days after Scott Jackson is convicted of murdering Pearl Bryan, chaos erupts at the Newport Jail. Six prisoners make a break for freedom—and Scott and Alonzo are suddenly caught in the middle of an escape that could have changed everything.

Then Alonzo Walling finally faces a jury of his own.

His attorney, Colonel Washington, mounts what may be the strongest defense we have seen anywhere in this case. He attacks the prosecution’s timeline, challenges its witnesses, tests its physical evidence, and brings in experts who raise serious questions about how—and even where—Pearl Bryan died.

Washington asks the jury for one thing: actually look at the evidence.

But when the case is finally placed in their hands, the question becomes whether they are willing to do that at all.

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Scott Jackson finally takes the stand in his own defense—and for six and a half hours, he tries to explain everything. 

But Scott’s testimony is only the beginning. As the trial barrels toward its conclusion, the courtroom descends into chaos: witnesses are accused of manufacturing evidence, an ex-convict “detective” gets caught coaching testimony, a professional mind reader retraces the alleged murder route, George H. Jackson becomes a dime-museum attraction, and two attorneys come dangerously close to settling their differences outside the courtroom.

Then come the closing arguments—and one of the most dramatic lines of the entire Pearl Bryan case.

By the end of the episode, the jury will finally decide Scott Jackson’s fate, but questions begin to emerge about a 3rd roommate.

And somehow—after 6 full episodes—the story still isn’t over.

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Scott Jackson’s trial finally begins in Newport, Kentucky, and after four episodes of rumors, "confessions," strange witnesses, missing evidence, and absolutely bizarre behavior, the Commonwealth finally has to put all of it together in front of a jury.

Pearl’s family takes the stand. Letters are read in court. Testimony swirls about blood coagulation, cocaine, and whether or not Pearl had been alive when she reached Kentucky. Little does the prosecution know, but their expert witnesses are playing right into the hands of the defense.

And somehow, the circus outside the courtroom is still going strong. Women, children—even celebrities stop in to visit the notorious dental students. 

And, through it all, the attorney for the defense is absolutely convinced his client will be set free once the whole story is told.

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Psychics. Séances. Strange packages. Secret transmitters hidden inside jail cells.

As the investigation into Pearl Bryan’s murder moves into March of 1896, Cincinnati seems to have completely lost its mind. While mystics and dreamers offer their own solutions to the mystery, investigators uncover new witnesses, physical evidence, and a big problem with Scott Jackson’s latest confession.

At the same time, Scott Jackson and Alonzo Walling have become tourist attractions—and after weeks of fighting extradition, their time in the safety of an Ohio jail is finally running out.

...because Kentucky is waiting, and Greencastle is on its way.

Christian was sick this time, so we had to substitute someone (live and robotic) for the quotes. We omitted ads for this one—nobody can replace Christian's commercial voice! *Feel better soon, Christian!*

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By the end of February 1896, the murder of Pearl Bryan had become more than an investigation. It had become a true spectacle.

Detectives were chasing new leads. Reporters were printing every rumor they could find. Songs were being written, crowds were paying to watch reenactments of the crime, and seemingly everyone connected to Pearl Bryan had something to say.

Some witnesses offered details that could change the entire case. Others told stories that became stranger every time they were repeated.

In Part 3, a mysterious midnight journey comes under new scrutiny, William Wood’s role in the case becomes increasingly complicated, and two young women step forward with extraordinary claims about what happened before—and after—Pearl Bryan arrived in Cincinnati.

Scott Jackson has a story. Alonzo Walling has a story. William Wood has a story. May Smith has a story.

And Lulu May Hollingsworth has... several.

Everyone has a story. But which one is true?

Pearl Bryan folksong used with permission from Smithsonian Folkways Records

Vintage Ads:

• Ayer's Cathartic Pills (1896)
• Conroy's Washer (1896)

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After Pearl Bryan's identity is finally discovered, investigators begin the difficult task of answering an even larger question: What happened during her final days in Cincinnati?

Following newspaper accounts, trial testimony, and contemporary records, we retrace Pearl's last known movements—from train depots and hotels to piano stores, saloons, and a visit to a mysterious trance medium. Along the way, witnesses begin to emerge, conflicting stories multiply, and detectives struggle to separate fact from fiction as two young dental students each point the finger at the other.

As the investigation gathers momentum, one overlooked witness may hold the key to where Pearl spent the final hours of her life.

This is Part 2 of our in-depth series on the 1896 murder of Pearl Bryan.

"Pearl Bryan" by The Phipps Family Band, used with permission from Smithsonian Folkways Records. (Thanks again!)

"A Mother's Appeal to her Boy" performed by Joy Byers (The best piano teacher in the West! 😁)

Vintage ads:

• Parks Vaginal Suppositories (1896)
• Hypnotism lessons by Dr. Stuard (1896)
• Dr. Conway's Bust Tabloids (1896)
• The When - Bicycle Exhibit (1896)

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In January 1896, 23-year-old Pearl Bryan boarded a train bound for Indianapolis... and never came home.

When her body was discovered in northern Kentucky a few days later, investigators didn't even know who the victim was. But once they uncovered her identity, the trail led them to two young dental students and one of the most sensational murder investigations of the nineteenth century.

In Part 1, we follow the investigation from its shocking beginning through the first confession—a confession that seemed to solve the case but only made the mystery even more complicated.

Folksong Pearl Bryan (1965) by The Phipps Family, used with permission from the Smithsonian Folkways. (Thanks, again!)

Vintage ads used in this episode:

• Fat-Ten-U and Corpula, 1897
• Ayer's Sarsaparilla, 1897
• Ely's Cream Balm, 1896

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In June of 1865, fourteen-year-old Isabella Joyce and her twelve-year-old brother John packed a picnic basket, visited their grandmother, and set out for a summer afternoon in the woods outside Boston.

They never returned.

What followed was years of false arrests, sensational newspaper headlines, an ingenious undercover prison operation, and a suspect with one of the most unforgettable names I've ever encountered: Scratch Gravel. But every promising lead collapsed, leaving behind one of Massachusetts' oldest unsolved murder mysteries.