Author: Historical Librarian

A. S. Colyar, who figures in the dictograph sensation. Records show he has been confined in two insane asylums and numerous prisons. His operations are alleged to extend from New York to Mexico. He is a member of a prominent Tennessee family. Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 The following conversation occurred in room No. 31, at Williams House No. 2, 34-36 N. Forsyth Street, Atlanta, Georgia, Wednesday evening, between 8 and 9 o'clock, between C. C. Jones, E. O. Miles and A. S. Colyar: Colyar—It has been very warm to-day, hasn't it? Miles—Yes, it has. I asked Mr. Felder

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 Denies, However, That He Ever Offered Money During Course of Conversation Recorded. Mayor Woodward Saturday admitted that the dictograph record of his conversation in the room of the mysterious Colyar was correct. After reading the report in The Georgian, he said: "This is not as strong as the conversation I told you I had before I knew they had a dictograph on me. "I did not offer them any money, but I will say now that I will subscribe to a fund that might unearth any graft in any city department. But I haven't

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 Wanted Woodward to See Just What Sort of a Crook Colyar Was, He Declares. Edward O. Miles, a private detective, assumes the responsibility for the presence of Mayor Woodward at the Williams House, resulting in the dictographing of the Chief Executive of Atlanta. He also says it was at his suggestion Colonel Thomas B. Felder discontinued even his acquaintance with A. S. Colyar, the wild-eyed investigator from Tennessee. Miles' statement to a Georgian reporter follows: "Colonel Felder had already been to see Colyar and he asked me to go and see what he had;

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 But He Fails to Produce Man to Prove Charge, as He Promised. A. S. Colyar, Jr. failed entirely to produce the "mysterious man" whom he declared had been hired to "shoot to death" Chief of Police J. L. Beavers. When Colyar gave the sensational information of the conspiracy to kill the police official he declared that he would bring to police headquarters the man who had been secured to commit the deed; that this person would make affidavit to bear out the plot charges, and would swear also that he had been promised immunity

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 True Bills Already Drawn by Solicitor Against Frank and Lee. The Grand Jury resumed Saturday morning the Phagan murder case with indictments against Leo M. Frank and Newt Lee charging strangulation. While nothing definite could be learned, it was confidently expected at the office of the Solicitor Saturday morning the case of Frank might be completed during the day. Only a few more witnesses were to be called. It was learned, and these could tell what they knew in a few hours. The indictments are the first of the kind to have been drawn

Colonel Thomas B. Felder in an earnest attitude, as he denies charges of attempted bribery and sourges Atlanta's police officials. Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 25th, 1913 Colonel Thomas B. Felder Saturday night issued an exhaustive statement denying once more that he had offered a bribe of $1,000 to Chief Lanford's clerk, G. C. February , for evidence involving his superiors; charging that the dictograph records of his conversations with February and A. S. Colyar were padded; denouncing Colyar as a proved crook and ex-convict, and charging wholesale corruption in the police department, particularly against Beavers and Lanford. He said he

Mayor James G. Woodward, of Atlanta, accused by dictograph in conversation in A. S. Colyar's room at the Williams House, denies that he offered money to secure evidence of corruption against police and detective departments. Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 25th, 1913 Woodward Brands Dictograph Trap Scheme to Make Him "Goat" Against Beavers. Mayor Woodward declared Saturday night that the sensational dictograph records were merely the "froth of a plot of a ‘dirty gang,'" and too unworthy and ridiculous to require any official action from him. "I think the matter reached its proper culmination when the dirty old crook Colyar, seemingly

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 25th, 1913 Athens Judge Tells Colonel Felder That Dictograph ‘Trapper' Is Under Suspended Sentence in Georgia. Knoxville Complaint To Be Pressed. A. S. Colyar, soldier of fortune, who plotted the destruction, by means of the dictograph, of Colonel T. B. Felder and Mayor Woodward, last night was released under bond from the city prison. The charge of forgery on which he was arrested, he declared, was trumped up in order to take him from Atlanta, and was brought, he says, by Felder or his friends. Colyar was arrested at Marietta and Forsyth Streets Saturday afternoon by

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 25th, 1913 Hugh M. Dorsey, Solicitor General, made it plain last night that if investigation develops the fact that there is anything in the charges of graft and corruption in the police department, or that Colonel Felder attempted to bribe public officials to secure evidence in the Phagan case, he most assuredly would present the matter to the Grand Jury. He said, however, that he does not think the charges and counter charges would amount to anything when sifted to the final analysis, other than a controversy between the city detectives and the man who brought

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 25th, 1913 Declares He Will Die Fighting ‘Foes of Reform' Felder Denies Bribe Charges and Scores Police Chief Sees Conspiracy to Overthrow His Rule and Calls Felder Leader in the Plot Chief of Police James L. Beavers Saturday night gave to The Sunday American a sensational statement in reply to Colonel T. B. Felder's accusations against him and the police department, and declared that he would go before the Grand Jury, and seek to indict Felder and all others implicated in the "conspiracy" against him. He made it very plain that if there were men "higher