Recently, I have been contacted by a great niece of John Pearl.  She says, "My family states John was innocent and that
another man confessed to the murder on his death bed.  That John was afraid of this other man and so he took the blame, and punishment.  My family also says that John's father would not pay for legal representation, and that caused a lot of bitterness in the family."

John A. Pearl was the son of John W. Pearl (23 October 1848 in Kentucky - died 1 January 1929 in Texas) and  Sarah Rebecca Jane "Betty" Wolf (born in 1859 in Burnet County, Texas - died in 1949).  His siblings were Charlotte "Lottie" Pearl, born 12 November 1878;  Louis Pearl, born 3 March 1880; Aleck A. Pearl, born 3 February 1886; Mary Pearl, born 20 September 1887; George William Pearl, born 25 June 1898.  (Rootsweb Worldconnect genealogy files.)
 

supposed picture of John Pearl January 25, 1876 - October 22, 1901

This "tintype" (or ferrotype), labeled "John Pearl," has been on display in the Coleman Museum at the Coleman City Park since the 1960's, framed with the following 1960 Coleman newspaper clipping and a news picture of the jury that tried John Pearl in Coleman County.  I have lightened this image, as the original is very dark, with surface imperfections, which I have not retouched.  It appears that he has a mustache, but it is difficult to tell. This picture appears to be of a man in his late 20's or early 30's.  John Pearl was only 25 years old when he died.  The man in the picture could have looked older than he was.  This image could have been made in Coleman, or before he was arrested.  But how did this image wind up in Coleman, if it was not made during the time he was in jail in Coleman?  If it was made in Coleman at the time John Pearl was in jail, the image was probably made by Jesse Moore, whose studio was across Live Oak Street, south of the courthouse, at the time. As a photographic historian, I found it odd that a tintype, rather than a paper print, was made of him.  This photographic process was pretty much obsolete by 1900 in Texas.  I have seen a few tintypes made in the 1890's, but not in Coleman.  Both the crowd scene and the jury picture are paper prints.  Moore did photograph the crowd scene. In other words, I do not believe this could be a picture of John Pearl, who was hung at Coleman.

In corresponding with another cousin of John Pearl's, she says, "I inherited my grandmother's old album of tintypes (actually it dates back to 1861 and first belonged to her brother-in-law, and then her mother (who died in 1916).  The picture of my great-grandfather, John A. Pearl (I am sure the "A" is for Aikman, for that was his mother's maiden name), born 1807, died 1878, is missing.  I feel almost certain the tintype from the Coleman Museum is of this John A. Pearl and not his grandson, another John A. Pearl, who met his unfortunate death on a gallows in Coleman County.  This picture doesn't resemble this latter John Pearl's father or mother,  but my grandmother and some of her siblings (one of her sisters, in particular) had features like those in the tintype picture.  In fact, my father had the same nose, mouth and other facial features.  Great-grandfather John would have had auburn hair, quite thick and naturally curly.  I am a bit perplexed about the rumpled look of the man's suit, as most of the Pearl family look quite neat in their pictures.  But, again, Great-grandfather Pearl lived in a difficult time in our history." I question also that this is an image of John Pearl's grandfather.  He was born in 1807.  Tintypes were not commonly available until about 1860.  That would mean he would have been about 53 years old when tintypes first came on the scene.  This particular tintype is not the earliest type.  It is one of the later "thicker" tintypes, which means it was probably taken in the late 1860's, making John Pearl's grandfather about 60 years old.  In my opinion, this image does not show a man in his late 50's or early 60's. The cousin replies, "The picture is definitely NOT John W. Pearl, the father of the John Pearl of Coleman County history.  I agree the picture is of a younger man than my great-grandfather, John A. Pearl." So who is the man in the picture?  I feel it is the wrong type of photograph to be taken of John Pearl in his last days ... John Pearl’s says it is definitely not John W. Pearl, father of John Pearl, who was hung.  His grandfather would have been too old for a tintype.  So, is this John Pearl ... or someone whose pictures has been substituted for John Pearl?  Some of history's mysteries will never be solved.

Tombstone of John Pearl at the Coleman Cemetery (Map Page 4 - Section II) (Note incorrect deathdate on stone.)

This marker is the type of marker that was used in the late 1890's and early 1900's.  As the stone is period, rather than being placed her later, it is wondered if the stone was purchased and placed by the county or by the family?  As he was executed on October 22, 1901, either the stone cutter made an error in the month, or it was placed later and the date was not correctly remembered.   Originally, this tombstone had a base that the tombstone set in, but then we surveyed the Coleman Cemetery in the 1980's, it was held upright by rocks.  In taking with Thelbert Elkins of Coleman, he dug down a few years ago and found the original base about 8 inches underground, which was broken into two pieces.  Thelbert made the cement base that now holds the tombstone in place.  Thelbert also places artificial flowers at this, and many other graves in Coleman County and helps keep many cemetery lots and markers looking their best.  Thelbert is a great asset to the history and preservation of Coleman County.

"It was Sheriff Bob Goodfellow’s duty to carry out the hangman’s job, and was a source of considerable agitation to him.  He confided to one of his friends, later a sheriff, that he all but refused to carry out the action, and that it bothered him a great deal through the rest of his life.  The man executed was named John Pearl, for a murder committed in Brown County, and tried here on a change of venue.

"A bulky file of aged paper, on file now in the district clerk’s office here, trace in poignant language the story of the crime and the man’s fight for acquittal.  It went on for almost a year, and finally ended at the scaffold, with Sheriff Goodfellow springing the trap.

"Pearl was a hired man for a German farmer, Ed Tusker, just south of Bangs.  Testimony of the trial showed that he killed Tusker, burned his clothing, and dumped his body in a tank on the farm after tying a heavy rock around his waist.  Pearl then took some gathered cotton of Tusker’s, and some cottonseed to Brownwood and sold them, telling the story that Tusker had sold out to him and had returned to Germany.  He also took Tusker’s wagon and team, and other equipment, including a bill of sale for some property.  This was on December 5, 1900, and by a week later his stories had excited suspicion.  The Tusker tank was dragged for two days with trotlines and the body was brought up on the second day.

"Pearl was tried and convicted in Brown County, and a death sentence imposed by the jury, handwritten simply on a sheet of tablet paper.  A petition for a new trial and change of venue brought the case to Coleman County.  District Attorney J. H. Baker and the late J. O. Woodward prosecuted him here in a spectacular court battle, marked by numerous legal obstacles presented by Pearl’s defense counsel, Coffee and Scott.  An insanity plea was argued over and over.  The defense delays held action until September when the case went to the jury and drew a quick conviction and death penalty.

“From 1895 to 1899, he was much of the time on the road. He inspected shipments of cattle at Fort Worth, Muskogee and Coffeyville, was a part of the time on Ranger service, and while at home at Santa Anna was summoned many times by one law enforcement agency or another to take part in the solution of cases and the tracing of the guilty ones.

“An example of this was in the murder of a farmer by his hired man, one John Pearl, in Coleman County in 1899.  The Jail records tell a part of the pathetic story and the sheriff’s records still more.  Pearl was arrested a few days after the disappearance of the farmer was noted; he claimed that his employer had gone to Oklahoma, but suspicious neighbors called officers to investigate.  Somebody a few miles away noticed wagon tracks to a secluded pond of water, the body of the missing man was found weighted with rocks, and the team and wagon tracks were found to be those of the team and wagon at the dead man’s farm.

“Unable to make bond, Pearl remained in the Coleman jail through his trial, when he was found guilty of murder, and on until his execution the following year, the only man ever hanged there.  A gallows was prepared on the second floor of the jail, and since the space was so small, the sheriff had cards of admission to the execution printed and given to those whom he wished to be present.  The one sent to Banister is among his papers today, signed by the sheriff.

“On the day that John Pearl was hanged in the jail, L. E. Callan claims that he “perched on Luke Trammell’s shoulder” and witnessed the execution.  Witnessing that hanging was by invitation only, this author having seen one of the invitations sparingly given by Sheriff Bob Goodfellow, the reluctant hangman, and the occasion seems hardly proper for a child small enough to sit on a man’s shoulder.”

“The county’s most dramatic job has been that of keeping law and order, a responsibility shared by more than 20 men and one woman.  No Coleman County sheriff has ever resigned, been discharged, or charged with dishonesty in the execution of his duty.

“The county court house was the scene of one hanging, at a time when executions were done at the county level.  It was Sheriff Bob Goodfellow’s job to pull the trap, a situation which he dreaded but considered his duty.  The man executed was John Pearl, for a murder in Brown County but brought to Coleman on a change of venue.  Pearl was the hired hand of a German farmer, Ed Tusker, near Bangs.  Testimony at the trial showed that Pearl killed Tusker, burned his clothes, and dumped the body in a surface tank with a heavy rock tied around the waist.

“Pearl then picked some cotton of Tuskers and took it to Brownwood to sell, telling that he had bought Tusker out as he wanted to return to Germany.  He also had Tusker’s wagon and team and other effects, with a forged bill of sale for some of them.  This was on December 5, 1900.

“His stories caused suspicion, and neighbors called officers, who found the weighted body of Tusker on the second day of dragging.  A Brown County jury found Pearl guilty and sentenced him to death, but an appeal brought the case to Coleman and a new trial.  Prosecution attorneys were J. O. Woodward and his son-in-law, J. K. Baker.  Defense lawyers were Coffee and Scott, and their plea was of insanity; when the case went to the jury there was a quick verdict of guilty, the penalty death by hanging.

“A gallows was built on the second floor of the jail, the condemned man hearing every blow of the hammer; a heavy oak beam was placed across a hole in the tin ceiling, and the trap was tested over and over.  Attendance was by printed invitation, signed by the sheriff, and among physicians to be present was T. M. Hays, who told later that he was so excited that he could hardly think what to do.  Sheriff Goodfellow cut the rope, the man fell and swung in the midst of the crowd, and Dr. Hays could hardly tell whether the wild pulse he felt were his own or that of the dying man.

“In the ceiling of the Misdemeanor was a hole with a big beam across it.  This had been the place of execution in 1901 of John Pearl, the only man ever legally put to death in Coleman County.  Convicted in 1900 for the murder of a farmer who was his employer, Pearl had hauled the body to a shallow tank in Brown County and weighted it with rocks.  When neighbors asked about the missing man, Pearl told them that he had sold everything and gone to Arkansas to live.  But the body was found, Pearl was accused of the death, and said he knew nothing of it but claimed he had bought the equipped farm from the dead man.  Through other evidence, Pearl was tried and sentenced to death.

“The gallows was built in front of one of the Misdemeanor cells, from that time called the Death Cell.  For the execution, a platform about eight feet high was built, a trapdoor in its center, and a stairway of thirteen steps led up to it.  The big rope with the noose of -  it is said -  thirteen wraps, reached from the hole in the ceiling to the trapdoor.  It must have taken days to complete, with Pearl watching every plank nailed in place, hearing every word.  Jim Sanders and Bob Goodfellow, prominent officers and both sheriffs at Coleman during the Nineties, were in charge, and printed invitations to witness the hanging were sent out.  I have seen the one filled out with Papa’s name but cannot find it among family documents.  No doubt the coffin was brought up, the prisoner bathed and dressed, some preacher present.  Not more than fifty men would have had standing room.

“I once heard Papa and Dr. T. M. Hays of Santa Anna telling of the execution.  Dr. Hays said that he was there to examine the hanging man for signs of death.  “My heart was beating so hard,” he said, “that I couldn’t be sure whether it was mine or Pearl’s.”  “It’s bad,” answered Papa. “When I was in the Ranger service, I saw three men hanged from one tree at the same time, near Austin.”  “Banister, could you pull the lever for a hanging?”  After a pause, Papa said, “Hays, I’d rather you hadn’t asked me that.”

“When we lived in the jail, the hole in the ceiling with the beam across it was still to be seen.  The electric chair for executions had been built at Huntsville, but in the fourteen years since the Pearl hanging, I find no record of any Coleman County prisoner having been executed in it, though in later years at least two have been.

“The jail was a fascinating place for a venturesome girl.  One spring afternoon when there were no prisoners in the Misdemeanor to see me, I climbed the bars and stood on the top of the cells.  Junk and discarded things were lying there, with years of dust.  At one side was a ladder leading to an opening into the attic, and at the other side was the hole in the ceiling with the big beam across it, where the hanging of John Pearl had taken place fourteen years before.  The ladder was a further temptation; what could be up there?  And why not climb the ladder and see?  It was dark in this lofty attic, but planks across the beams led to another ladder which led up and up in the highflung little steeple, steps firmly in place, and at the top was a small door, fastened on the inside and easy to open. There I was, on top of the world, as high as a four-story building, as high as I had ever been.  A small space of roof was there, and I walked out on it, fearful of the edge but wanting to look around.  I could see fifty miles or more each way, such a vista as I had never dreamed.

“Someone called me.  Of all times for repairs to the courthouse clock, three men were at it a hundred feet from me!  One of them was Ivan Austin, a schoolboy from my own class.  I was never more embarrassed in my life.  No other girl would have done such a rash thing!  I spoke to him coldly and went back inside and down.