John Pearl Hanged for the Murder of Ed Tusker
On or about the 5th of December 1900, Ed Tusker, a German Immigrant farmer, was killed on his farm south of Bangs, Texas. On the 12th of that month, John Pearl, a hired hand of Tusker’s, was indicted for his murder. The following is from newspaper accounts* at the time.
The deceased, Ed Tusker was a bachelor and lived on his rented farm south of Bangs. Tusker was the owner of four or five hundred dollars of property. Within a few days of the time he was killed, John Pearl began asserting ownership of the deceased's effects, claiming he purchased them from Tusker and proceeded to sell a portion of the effects. He stated Tusker, who was a German, had returned to his native land and had sold out to him. He stated that he had carried Tusker to the depot in Brownwood and he had taken that train to Germany.
Pearl's conduct caused suspicion of officers and other citizens to such an extent, an investigation was made to determine what had happened to Tusker. A search party went to the house where he had lived and discovered a trail having been made by something having been drug from the house to a nearby tank. In the tank they found the body of Tusker being held under water with a wire attached to a large rock. Above his right ear was a gunshot wound made by a bullet from a 38-caliber pistol. The tracks of a pony used to drag Tuskers body to the tank were the same feet as a pony in Pearl's possession. That and other circumstances connected Pearl with Tusker's murder.
John Pearl was convicted in Brown County. Subsequently, having been given a new trial and a change of venue to Coleman County, the jury returned the same result, guilty with punishment of death by hanging.
Before 1923 in Texas, executions of prisoners were carried out by the counties in which they were tried, or in some cases by the state at Huntsville. The “wild west” style of criminal justice had yielded to more orderly and lawful means. The state assumed absolute authority of executions in death penalty cases in 1923.
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Typical newspaper article of the hanging . . . .
Coleman, Tex., Oct. 22. – John Pearl paid the extreme penalty of the law here today in the County Jail for killing Ed Tusker of Brown County on the 5th of December last. The drop fell at 2:46 p.m. and life was pronounced extinct after 14 minutes by County Physician Pope. The body was taken down at 3:15.
Pearl spoke for one hour and 16 minutes to fully 2,000 people, who had gathered in the jail yard to hear him make his last talk. He gave a brief account of the killing of Tusker, but said to the last that he was innocent, but had helped secrete the body. After a prayer for the public and himself, he bade all good-bye as he walked back from the jail window with a firm step. He ascended the gallows and shaking hands with the guard and witnesses, called all to kneel and pray. He prayed earnestly for forgiveness and called on Rev. Birdwell to lead in prayer for him. With a firm stand he again bade all good-bye, when the black cap was adjusted and with a prayer on his lips, he was launched into eternity.
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Typical newspaper article of the hanging . . . .
On or about December 3rd last, John Pearl drove into Brownwood with a load of cotton seed. Sheriff Denman recognized the team as belonging to a friend of his, Ed Tusker by name, who was a renter, and had been for several years on a farm belonging to a Mr. Howard. Denman asked Pearl some questions about Tusker and he replied that he had bought Tusker’s crop out; that Tusker had gone to Brownwood; that he had gone to Fort Worth or Galveston, he did not know which.
After further questioning Sheriff Denman was convinced that there had been foul play and he told Pearl a tale of a man who had killed another and threw his body in a tank, at the same time watching Pearl closely. He showed great agitation. Denman was so thoroughly convinced that after investigation he took deputies to Tusker’s residence, where he found evidence of foul play. He found a drag trail from his front gate to a tank of water some 600 yards away. There with a slight search the body was found, entirely nude except for a shirt tied about the head, a bullet hole in back of the head. To the feet a rope 20 to 30 feet long had been tied. It was identified as Pearl’s by particular knots which had been tied a few days before when Pearl and another man vied with each other in tying knots. This with other circumstantial evidence convicted Pearl of the murder in the first degree in Brown County. A new trial was granted, also a change of venue to Coleman County, and as in the first trial, he was found guilty of murder in the first degree. The State Appellate Court upheld the findings of the lower courts and the Governor refused executive clemency.
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An Unsolved Mystery Remains . . . .
What happened to Ed Tusker's remains? That is the question posed by fellow researcher Ed
Walker. He explains; "But, what happened to Ed Tusker? Did he not rate better than a
pauper's burial, or at least a grave marker as did John Pearl?" *
Existing records show nothing of the sort took place for Tusker. The records that exist show
his estate was probated in 1902, in which the executer was his former landlord G.S.
Howard. The estate after expenses was approximately $250.00, which disposition was
shown as 'to heirs', of which there was none of record. A small portion of that amount
could have marked his unfortunate demise with a flourish or at the very least a simple
dignity.
No record exists to show death, obituary, funeral arrangements or place of burial for Ed
Tusker. Much attention was given to the perpetrator of the crime against Ed Tusker, but
apparently the life of the hard working old German farmer did not merit recognition, other
than to pad a certain citizen's already fat wallet.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to know where to place a simple flower on Tusker's grave, to
show that someone cared, after all these 116 years?" ~Ed Walker.
John Pearl's Find a Grave Memorial"
* Newspapers used as resources December 1900 – October 1901, Daily Express - Coleman, Tex., the Brownwood Bulletin, Dallas Morning News, San Antonio Express, etc.
Historical newspaper articles from Coleman County
10 Oct 1913
27 Mar 1914
8 Jan 1915
22 Sep 1932
8 May 1951
The Jury 14 Aug 1956
The Rope 2 Jul 1962
This and many other stories are available at the Brownwood Public Library – Genealogy & Local History Branch at 213 S. Broadway.
Volunteers from the Pecan Valley Genealogical Society are there to assist you in your family or local history research.