Thursday, 23rd April 1914: Conley Is Guilty, Asserts W. J. Burns, The Atlanta Constitution

Detective Files Preliminary Report on Investigation. Dorsey Prepares Answer to Extraordinary Motion.

Solicitor Dorsey shut himself in his office in the Kiser Building Wednesday, locked the door, gave instructions that he be not even called over the telephone, and worked two shifts of stenographers for twelve hours preparing the answer of the prosecution to the motion for a new trial to be made by Leo Frank's counsel this morning. On the heels of the postponement of the argument for the extraordinary motion, which was made at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning, Detective William J. Burns made an advance statement to the attorneys for Leo Frank that he would name Jim Conley as the guilty man in his report, and that he would submit evidence to corroborate his accusation.

The argument was postponed until this morning when the attorneys for both sides gathered before Judge Ben Hill yesterday. Only the extraordinary motion on ground of new evidence will be argued today. The motion of Attorney John L. Tye to upset the verdict of guilty on constitutional grounds was continued until May 1.

Detective Burns announced Wednesday that the reward he offered two weeks ago to persons producing evidence of perversion against Leo Frank had been raised from $1,000 to $5,000. Thus far, he states, he has not been able to find evidence of perversion against anyone except the Negro Conley.

The following is the letter revealing the theme of the proposed Burns report, which the detective forwarded to Frank's attorneys Wednesday morning:

April 22, 1914. Messrs. L. Z. Rosser, Reuben R. Arnold, Henry A. Alexander, Herbert J. Haas, Leonard Haas Attorneys for Leo M. Frank, Atlanta, Ga. Dear Sirs: I hoped to be able to furnish you today with my complete report showing the results of my investigation of the murder of Mary Phagan.

Investigation Complete.

My investigation is about complete, with the exception of a few details which I have as yet been unable to cover. In addition to these, I had also expected to secure today from Chief of Detectives Lanford, according to a promise he had made while I was out of the city, certain affidavits bearing on the case, which were extremely important, in view of the fact that I had offered a reward of $1,000 to any person furnishing evidence of Leo M. Frank's immorality, and the only response thereto was from Chief Lanford, who had stated, through the public press, that he would turn certain affidavits over to me upon my return to the city which would prove this.

I called on Chief Lanford today and requested to see the affidavits he had, but he declined to let me see them, and made the astounding assertion that the charge of perversion did not enter into the case and had simply been injected by the attorneys for Frank.

This being, as stated, the only response made by any person to my offer of reward for evidence of Leo M. Frank's immorality, I am, of course, very anxious to see these affidavits, and until I do see them it will be impossible for me to render my final report.

I must, therefore, ask your indulgence in the matter until I can get free and complete access to all evidence bearing upon the case.

Increases Reward.

It is my intention today to immediately increase the offer of reward for such information as I have previously mentioned to the amount of $5,000.

I am now engaged in drawing up my formal report, which will be submitted to you as soon as the same has been finally completed. I desire, however, to anticipate the same in these respects:

1. The murder was unquestionably the crime of a pervert of homicidal tendencies of the most pronounced type.

2. That Leo M. Frank is not a pervert, and is innocent of the murder for which he has been convicted.

3. That James Conley and he alone is guilty of the murder of Mary Phagan, and further, he is a pervert of the type heretofore described.

All of which I am prepared to prove.

WILLIAM J. BURNS.