Author: Historical Librarian

  The Atlanta Constitution July 23rd, 1913 Defense of Leo Frank Attaches Importance to Find Made by Pinkerton Detectives. The discovery of a bloody bludgeon on the third floor of the National Pencil factory has added greater mystery to the Phagan case. It became known yesterday that Leo Frank's defense is in possession of the weapon and that it will be used as one of their strongest points in the coming trial. The club is a short, thick stick with small spots of blood at the end. It was found by Pinkerton detectives on May 10 after headquarters detectives had

The Atlanta Constitution July 23rd, 1913 Attorneys for Relatives in the Crawford Will Hearing Are Willing to Yield Their Claim of Priority. The conflict between the dates of hearing the litigation over the $250,000 estate of the late Joshua B. Crawford, and the trial of Leo M. Frank, charged with the Mary Phagan murder, may cause a postponement of the Frank trial, as Attorneys Reuben R. Arnold and Luther Z. Rosser are connected with both cases. The Crawford hearing will be renewed today and by right of priority takes precedence over the other trial. It is expected, however, than an

Atlanta ConstitutionJuly 24th, 1913 For First Time Since Mary Phagan Was Killed Two Negroes Are Brought Face to Face. James Conley, a sweeper at the National Pencil factory, and Newt Lee, night watchman, who carried the police to where Mary Phagan's body lay on the morning of April 27, were brought face to face yesterday afternoon in the tower by Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey and Frank A. Hooper, an attorney who is aiding the solicitor. J. M. Gantt was taken there by the attorneys, as he knew Conley while both were working for the pencil factory. Attorney Hooper stated after

Atlanta ConstitutionJuly 24th, 1913 Report Says That It Has Been Sent to Northern City to Be Put Under Microscope. That the bloody club found in the National Pencil factory after the murder of Mary Phagan is in some northern city undergoing microscopic examination after having been inspected by local experts, is a rumor that prevailed at police headquarters yesterday. Upon being examined by an Atlanta expert, who, it is said, declared that it would be impossible to determine whether or not the blood spots were from animal or human, the weapon was sent north for more minute examination. Frank's lawyers

Atlanta ConstitutionJuly 25th, 1913 Negro Was Taken to Tower Without Knowledge of Beavers or Lanford. Action is likely to be taken against Detective John Starnes and Pat Campbell, who Wednesday afternoon carried Jim Conley, the negro in the Phagan case, from police headquarters to the Tower without permission of either Chief Beavers or Chief Lanford. When asked by a Constitution reporter Thursday afternoon what steps he would probably take against the detectives, Chief Beavers declined to talk. He inferred, however, that an investigation would likely result and that action would be taken. Conley was taken from the station house prison

  The Atlanta Constitution, July 25th, 1913 Negro Is Taken in Chief's Auto to Sections He Claims to Have Visited on Murder Night. Jim Conley, the negro sweeper and most important figure in the Phagan case, was taken from police headquarters in the automobile of Chief Beavers yesterday afternoon and carried over the ground on which he accounts for his whereabouts during the afternoon of the murder. He was in charge of Chief Beavers and Detectives Pat Campbell and John Starnes, headquarters men who have been attached to the solicitor's office throughout the investigation. He was driven through the Peters

    Atlanta Constitution July 25th, 1913, Friday. One Hundred and Forty-Four Names Drawn From Jury Box—No Effort So Far at Postponement. The veniremen from which it is expected to choose the jury for the trial Monday of Leo M. Frank, charged with the Mary Phagan murder, was drawn yesterday afternoon by Judge John T. Pendleton, at the request of Judge L. S. Roan, who returned from Covington, Georgia, slightly ill. The names of 144 men were drawn from the petit jury box, and as far as is known no actual attempt was made to have them drawn from the

    Atlanta Constitution July 25th, 1913, Friday. As a reward for his success in the Mary Phagan mystery, Detective Harry Scott, assistant superintendent of the Atlanta Pinkerton offices, has been promoted to the superintendency of the Houston, Texas branch, to which he goes immediately following the close of the Leo Frank trial. Scott's work has been declared to have been the most successful in the entire Phagan investigation. It was a result of his efforts that the famous Jim Conley confession was obtained, in which admission the negro acknowledged complicity and accused Leo Frank of the actual murder. The