The Mysterious Murder of Pearl Bryan / or: the Headless Horror

Holmes.
"Jackson has the cunning to plot and plan, and to conceal.
"Jackson is a mind far beyond the ordinary. He has a head such as Napoleon would have.
PICKED OUT OF A THOUSAND.
"Jackson knew fully and realized what lay before him in the murder of Pearl Bryan.
"Jackson is absolutely incapable of any expression of remorse.
"The only appeal that can be made to Jackson is through his fear of punishment.
"Jackson's skull is abnormal, and unusually long in proportion to its breadth. It is abnormally developed on the right side in front and on the left side in the rear of the head.
"Jackson is a natural monster, or monstrosity, which ever you will. Look at his portrait," and the Sergeant held up his photograph. "Is that the face of a criminal?
"Jackson has other peculiarities. His fingers are disproportionately long to his height.
"Jackson has all the characteristics of a criminal by nature."
WAS IT FATE OR WAS IT DESTINE?
Was it cruel fate which led pure, beautiful, innocent and attractive Pearl Bryan into the toils of such a fiend in human shape? Or was it the blind Goddess of Justice that led Jackson to meet Miss Pearl and sacrifice her life that the demon Jackson might be exposed to the world, his deeds of evil and misdoings brought to light, and he expatiate the many crimes which he had committed on the gallows or by serving a life sentence in the penitentiary?
Be that as it may they met through the intimate acquaintance and friendship of each with Will Wood, who little thought when he brought this pure spotless virgin in contact with the hypocrite and demon, Jackson, that he was committing a sin, which he would regret to his dying day, and which would bring disgrace, dishonor and ruin on two highly respected families and also upon his own head and that of his aged respected and christian father, who was at the time the Presiding Elder of a church for the Greencastle District.