Category: TRANSCRIPTS: ATLANTA GEORGIAN

  The Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Coroner's Jury inspects remains and scene of tragedy, then waits until Wednesday Lying on a slab in the chapel of the Bloomfield undertaking establishment, with the white throat bearing the red marks of the rope that strangled her, the body of Mary Phagan was viewed by thousands this morning. No such gathering of the morbidly curious has ever before been seen in Atlanta. More people were attracted than by any crime in the history of the city. The crowds came in droves, and a steady procession passed before the slab on which

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 "I'd help lynch the man that killed poor Mary. If they'd let me, I'd like to hold the rope that choked him to death. That's all he deserves. I was playing with Mary only a few days ago. She was my playmate nearly every day. But when I saw her dead body I wouldn't have known her, her face was so bruised and out and swollen. It was horrible. I hope they catch the man that did it."—VERA EPPS, twelve-year-old chum of Mary Phagan. Vera Epps clenched her little hands and anger blazed

  Edgar L. Sentell, lifelong friend of Mary Phagan, says he saw a man answering this description, walking with the girl after midnight Sunday, a few hours before the body was found. He has identified the man as Arthur Mullinax, who, however, was to-day apparently cleared by an alibi established by his sweetheart.   Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 E. S. Skipper Tells Police He Saw Lads Urging Her Down Street Night of Crime. The story of three men leading a weeping, unwilling girl on Forsyth Street Saturday night is being sounded to its depths to-day by Atlanta policemen

  Photograph of Mary Phagan showing her in street dress. JOHN M. GANTT ACCUSED OF THE CRIME; FORMER BOOKKEEPER TAKEN BY POLICE Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 J. M. Gantt, arrested in Marietta for the murder of Mary Phagan, gave to a reporter for The Georgian his story of his actions that led to his arrest. He protested his innocence, and declared he was home in bed at the time the crime is supposed to have been committed. In striking contradiction to this statement is the assertion of Mrs. F. C. Terrell, of 284 East Linden Street, where Gantt

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Stretched full length, face downward on the floor of the basement at the rear of the plant, the body was found. A length of heavy cord or wrapping twine, which had been used by the slayer to strangle the child after he had beaten her to insensibility, was looped around the neck, and a clumsy bandage of cloth, torn from her petticoat, as if to conceal the horrible method of murder swathed the face. The stray end of the cord lay along the child's back between her two heavy braids of dark red

    Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 In the room where Mary Phagan was attacked and paid out her young life to the brutality of her assailant, across the floor where her limp form was dragged, down the stairs and down through the square trap-door into the dirty basement where her body was found, Chief of Police Beavers and two detectives trailed, step by step, every move of the girl's murderer to-day. Determined that not a clew should be overlooked in the efforts to fix guilt upon the man or men that took the young girl's life, the Chief

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Pieces of wood, the stains on which are believed to be those of the blood of murdered Mary Phagan, are undergoing a chemical examination this afternoon by the city chemist. The discovery of white powder on the factory floor strengthened the belief that a frantic effort had been made to erase the evidences of the crime. The powder resembled very much cleaning preparations that are used. * * * Atlanta Georgian, April 28th 1913, "City Chemist Test Stains for Blood," Leo Frank case newspaper article series  

  At the right is Miss Ruth Phagan, aunt of Mary Phagan, and in her arms is Miss Ollie Phagan, sister of the victim, whom she is trying to comfort.   Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Gantt was arrested on a warrant sworn out, in Judge Powers' court, charging him with murder. Gantt was last seen before his arrest at 8:45 this morning by Herbert Schiff, assistant superintendent of the factory. A few minutes later he was on a car bound for Marietta. The officers in Marietta were notified by telephone and were on the watch for a man

    Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Declaring her belief in the absolute innocence of her sweetheart, Arthur Mullinax, in the murder of Mary Phagan, pretty 16-year-old Pearl Robinson made a pathetic figure as she appeared before Chief of Detectives Lanford this afternoon and accounted for the whereabouts of Mullinax Saturday night up until about 10:30 o'clock. With Miss Robinson were Mrs. Emma Rutherford, the landlady of Mullinax, and her two sons, Thomas and James, who took up the moves of Mullinax from the time he left Miss Robinson until the next morning, establishing what appears to be a

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Stepfather and Sister to Accompany Body, But Mother May Not Be Able to Go. The body of murdered Mary Phagan, which has been at the Bloomfield morgue since she was found strangled to death Sunday morning, will be taken to Marietta to-morrow morning at 8:35 o'clock, over the W. & A. Railroad. At noon the funeral services will be held and the body of the child will be laid to rest in the family lot in the Marietta Cemetary. W. J. Coleman, the girl's stepfather, and her sister, Miss Ollie Phagan, will accompany

    Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Standing with bared head in the doorway of his Marietta home, with tears falling unheeded down his furrowed cheeks, W. J. Phagan cried to heaven for vengeance for the murder of his granddaughter, fourteen-year-old Mary Phagan, and vowed that he would not rest until the murderer had been brought to justice. In a silence unbroken save by the sound of his own sobs and the noise of the gently falling rain, the old man lifted his quavering voice in a passionate plea for the life of the wretch who had lured the

  This youth, formerly a street car conductor, is held in connection with the investigation of the slaying of Mary Phagan in the basement of the National Pencil Factory in South Forsyth Street. He stoutly denies any connection with the crime, and declares his arrest as a "horrible mistake." He has accounted for himself, and likely will be released.   Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Arthur Mullinax, identified as the man who was with Mary Phagan at midnight Saturday, a few short hours before her dead body was found, and now a prisoner in solitary confinement at police headquarters,

  Mary Phagan, 14-year-old daughter of Mrs. J. W. Coleman, 146 Lindsay Street, whose slain body was found in the basement of the National Pencil Factory, 37-39 South Forsyth Street. The girl left her home Saturday morning to go to the factory, where she had been employed, to draw wages due her. She was seen on the streets at midnight Saturday with a strange man. She was not seen alive thereafter. MRS. COLEMAN PROSTRATED BY CHILD'S DEATH Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 "No Working Girl Is Safe," She Sobs, Overcome by Her Sudden Sorrow. Lying on the bed in

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Two mysterious notes—incoherent, misspelled and unintelligible—were found in the cellar of death; Were they written by the girl as she lay in delirium just before the end came, or Were they written by her slayer to throw the police off the track and turn suspicion towards a negro? Here they are: "He said he wood love me laid down like the night witch did it but that long tall black negro did by his sleb." "mama that negro hired down here did this I went to get water and he pushed me down

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Edgar L. Sentell, twenty-one years old, a clerk employed in C. J. Kamper's store, and whose home is at 82 Davis Street, was one of the first to give the detectives a hopeful clue to the solution of the hideous mystery. Sentell, a well-known young man, had known Mary Phagan almost all her life. When she was just beginning to think of dolls with never a thought of dreary factories and the tragedies of life, he used to see her playing in the streets of East Point when her folks lived there. She

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Newt Lee, the negro-night-watchman arrested in connection with the Phagan murder, practically admitted to Detective John Black this afternoon that he knows something of the circumstances surrounding the death of the little girl. The police are confident that Lee will tell all he knows before 6 o'clock. Lee's admission came after he had been "sweated" for two hours by a corps of officers under the direction of Detective John Black, and was wrung from him by a trap which Black set and into which the negro walked. Black said: "Now, Lee, I know

    Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Arthur Mullinax was arrested by detectives late in the afternoon in Bellwood Avenue, near the viaduct, as he was on his way to his boarding house. His positive identification by E. L. Sentell, of 82 Davis Street, a clerk for the Kemper Grocery Company, as the man he saw with the little Phagan girl in Forsyth Street about 12:20 o'clock yesterday morning, and alleged discrepancies in the statement of the prisoner led Chief Beavers and Chief of Detectives Lanford to order him locked in a cell and held on suspicion. Sentell, who

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Superintendent Leo M. Frank Is Convinced Newt Morris Was Not Implicated. Owing to a delay in receipt of metal shipment part of the plant of the National Pencil Company had been shut down for most of the week and Mary Phagan worked but part of the time. A few minutes after 12 o'clock Saturday she went to the office and drew her pay, which amounted to $1.60. A holiday had been given the employees on Memorial Day and there were but very few about the place. The day watchman left shortly before 11

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Slaying of Mary Phagan Arouses Friends of Family to Threats of Violence. "I wouldn't have liked to be held responsible for the fate of the murderer of little Mary Phagan if the men in this neighborhood had got hold of him last night," was the statement to-day of George W. Epps, 246 Fox Street, whose home adjoins that of Mrs. Coleman, mother of the slain girl. By to-day the first hot wave of indignation that cried for the blood of the criminal had had time to subside, but the feeling still ran high

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Investigate Story of Wife of Employee That She Saw Strange Negro Around Factory. The Pinkerton Detective Agency was brought into the Phagan murder mystery this afternoon when Leo Frank, superintendent of the National Pencil Company's factory, called upon the local representatives and engaged their services. The operatives went to work at once, following out clews already obtained and developing new ones. Their attention was called to the story of Mrs. Arthur White, wife of one of the employees of the factory, who went to the factory to see her husband Saturday. She noticed

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 "She was just a little, playful girl, without a bad thought in her mind, and she has been made the victim of the blackest crime that can be perpetuated," was the bitter denunciation of the assailant of Mary Phagan by her uncle, D. R. Benton, yesterday. Mary and her mother lived with Mr. Benton at his home near Marietta for several years following the death of Mr. Phagan. Then Mary's mother married J. W. Coleman and the family moved from Marietta to East Point about 1907. Twelve months ago they moved to their

  STRAND OF HAIR CLEW IN KILLING OF PHAGAN GIRL Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Body of Mary Phagan Is Found in Basement of Old Granite Hotel in Forsyth Street—Mute Evidence of Terrible Battle Victim Made for Life WHITE YOUTH AND NEGRO ARE HELD BY THE POLICE After Being Beaten Into Insensibility Child Was Strangled and Dragged With Cord Back and Forth Across Floor—Incoherent Notes a Clew. Leo M. Frank, superintendent of the National Pencil Company plant, in which Mary Phagan was employed, was taken to police court this morning by Detective Black to tell what he knows in

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Timekeeper at Pencil Factory Declares Mary Phagan Attended Strictly to Her Work. "She was a quiet and modest little girl," was the tribute paid Mary Phagan to-day by E. F. Holloway, a timekeeper at the National Pencil Company's plant. "I never noticed her talking with any of the employees. She was invariably polite, as though she had been carefully reared in her home. She paid attention strictly to her own work and never was seen conversing with any of the men, so far as I know. "In fact, I don't know that she

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Weeping Girl Like Mary Phagan Seen Saturday in Company of Soda Jerker. The police late this afternoon began a search for a soda water clerk who was seen talking to a girl answering the description of Mary Phagan Saturday night at 12:10 o'clock, in front of a rooming house at 286 1-2 Whitehall Street. The information was given to the police by L. B. and R. C. King, brothers, who said they passed the Whitehall Street address at that hour and saw the couple. Their attention was called to them, they say, by

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 A new turn was given the mystery to-day when strands of blood-matted hair were found in a lathing machine on the second floor of the factory. The discovery made it certain that the crime was committed in the factory by some one who had access to the building, a theory which had been without conclusive support previously. Blood stains leading from the lathe to the door showed the manner in which the fiend had dragged the body of his victim and had taken her to the basement. Appearances indicated that the murderer had

  DENIES GUILT BUT IS IDENTIFIED AS MAN SEEN LEADING GIRL Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 The Georgian will pay $500 reward for EXCLUSIVE information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer of Mary Phagan. J. M. Gantt, accused of the strangling of Mary Phagan, was brought to Atlanta this afternoon at 4 o'clock from Marietta, where he had been under arrest in the Sheriff's office since forenoon. Fearing a demonstration from the crowd that had been waiting at the Walton Street station for several hours, Detective Hazlett transferred his prisoner from a Marietta car to a

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, April 28th, 1913 Detectives to-day are using all their resources to learn where Mary Phagan was every minute of Saturday and Saturday night, whom she saw, with whom she talked, and what she said. There are wide blanks in the story of her movements. These must be filled. 12:10 p. m.—Mary Phagan appeared at the National Pencil Factory at ten or fifteen minutes after 12 o'clock noon, Saturday, and drew the pay due her, $1.60. She chatted a few minutes with friends. The manager is sure she then left the building. She told her mother she

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Says Phagan Suspect Left Pair of Shoes In His Place Saturday Evening. Charles W. McGee, of Colonial Hills, a bartender in the saloon of J. P. Hunter at 35 South Forsyth Street, almost directly across from the National Pencil Company plant, corroborated to-day the story told by J. M. Gantt about leaving a pair of shoes in the saloon from Saturday night until Monday morning. "The man I judge to be Gantt from the description came into the saloon, but stayed only a short time," said McGee. "I noticed nothing suspicious about Gantt

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 John Milton Gantt, the accusation of a terrible crime hanging over him, from his cell at police headquarters, has made to-day a complete denial of any connection with the Mary Phagan murder in the first formal statement to the public since his arrest in Marietta yesterday afternoon. The statement, which was given to a Georgian reporter, was said by Chief Beavers to be substantially the same as that taken by the police department stenographer last night for the use of the city detectives. This remarkable denial, if it is to be given credence,

  Gantt reading murder warrant   Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 A sensational arrest will be made in the Mary Phagan murder mystery within a few hours. It will be based on the firm theory of the police and detectives that the strangled girl was never outside the factory of the National Pencil Company from the time she went in there for her pay Saturday noon until her dead and mutilated body was taken to the morgue early Sunday morning. The detectives do not believe that Arthur Mullinax is guilty of the murder. They do not believe that J.

  Leo M. Frank.   Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Mysterious Action of Officials Gives New and Startling Turn to Hunt for Guilty Man—Attorney Rosser, Barred, Later Admitted to Client. Has the Phagan murder mystery been solved? The police say they know the guilty man. Chief of Detectives Lanford at 2 o'clock this afternoon told The Georgian: "We have evidence in hand which will clear the mystery in the next few hours and satisfy the public." All the afternoon the police have been "sweating" Leo M. Frank, superintendent of the factory where the girl worked, and putting through the

    Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 The little town of Marietta, Georgia, where her baby eyes first opened upon the light of day scarcely fourteen years ago, will to-day witness the sorrowful funeral of Mary Phagan, the sweet young girl who was mysteriously murdered in the National Pencil Factory Saturday night and whose body was later found in the basement where it had been dragged by unknown hands. The casket, accompanied by the girl's stricken family—her mother and stepfather, her sister Ollie, 18 years old, and her three brothers, Ben, Charley and Josh, all young boys, left the Union

Mrs. J. W. Coleman, below, mother of slain Mary Phagan, and Ollie Phagan, sister of the murdered girl . Mrs. Coleman is prostrated by grief over the crime, and warns all mothers of working girls to watch carefully their loved ones. Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Has the murderer of pretty little Mary Phagan slipped the net that the police most carefully spread for him? Is the author of the crime that shocked the city and State with its terrible brutality still at large? Is the mystery, as baffling in its myriad conflicting elements as it is revolting in

Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Among all the hearts that are bowed down in sorrow over the murder of Mary Phagan, the 14-year-old factory child found dead in the National Pencil factory Saturday, there is none who feels the suffering and the anguish of the separation so keenly as her sister, Ollie, 18 years old, her companion since childhood. For with her it is the suffering of youth, when the rose-veil of life has been lifted to show its tragic and terrible side in all its fullness for the first time. And it is all the more pitiful for

    Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Is the murderer of Mary Phagan among the four men who are being held at police headquarters, or is he still at large, either among those still unsuspected or among those who have been severely quizzed by the officers? The men still in custody are: 1—Newt Lee, negro night watchman, who is thought to know much more about the crime than he has told, but who has not been regarded as the perpetrator; 2—Arthur Mullinax, former street car conductor, for whom a strong alibi has been established, and from whom suspicion is

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 J. W. Phillips Thinks Couple Who Asked for Room May Have Been Gantt and Girl. Was the young woman who, in company with a young man, applied to John W. Phillips, keeper of a rooming house at Forsyth and Hunter Streets at about 11 o'clock Saturday night for a room, Mary Phagan, the little girl who was found murdered the following morning? And was Gantt the man with her? Phillips was not positive to-day. He saw the young woman in the morgue at Bloomfield's undertaking establishment, and it is understood he positively identified

  Miss Pearl Robinson, sweetheart of Arthur Mullinax, the man questioned by the police in connection with the slaying of Mary Phagan. Her story cleared Mullinax of any suspicion of complicity in the crime which has shocked Atlanta.   Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Brave little Pearl Robinson! Her loyalty and devotion to Arthur Mullinax, one of the four men held in connection with the brutal strangling of Mary Phagan, form the only bright feature in a sordid and revolting crime. What did she care for the stares of the groups of people that hung about the detective headquarters

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 That Mary Phagan never left the factory after she entered it at 12:15 o'clock Saturday, the day of her murder, and that she was killed and her body dragged into the basement by the negro night watchman, Newt Lee, now in jail, is the firm belief of the child's stepfather, W. J. Coleman, and other members of her family. As for Arthur Mullinax, former street car conductor, held on suspicion, Mr. Coleman told a Georgian reporter he thought him innocent of the crime. He was also very doubtful if J. M. Gantt, ex-bookkeeper

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Suggestive Illustrations Clipped From Magazines Pasted Up About Scene of Tragedy. Pictures of Salome dancers in scanty raiment, and of chorus girls in different postures adorned the walls of the National Pencil Company's plant. They had been clipped from a theatrical and prize-fighting magazine. A more melodramatic stage setting for a rendezvous or for the committing of a murder could hardly have been obtained. The building is cut up with partitions, which allow of a person passing about from one part to another without attracting the attention of others. While the main entrance

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Mother and Aunt of Mary Phagan Swoon at Burial in Marietta This Morning. A thousand persons saw a minister of God raise his hands to heaven to-day and heard him call for divine justice. Before his closed eyes was a little casket, its pure whiteness hid by the banks and banks of beautiful flowers. Within the casket lay the bruised and mutilated body of Mary Phagan, the innocent young victim of one of Atlanta's blackest and most bestial crimes. The spirit of the terrible tragedy filled the air. An aunt of the strangled

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Who Would Be the Most Interested in Saying That the Night Watchman Did Not Do It? While the tendency of the police straight through has seemed to be to doubt that Mary Phagan, the murdered girl, really wrote the small notes found beside her body purporting to give a clew to her murderer, the girl's stepfather, W.J. Coleman, thinks it possible that she may have written one of the scrawls. That one is the note written on the little yellow factory slip—so faintly traced it is almost impossible to read it. It is

    Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 Hope for apprehension of the slayer of Mary Phagan has come to the police with the discovery of distinct finger prints, stamped in blood on the sleeve of the dead girl's jacket. The discovery was made by a Georgian reporter in the course of a minute inspection of the girl's clothes yesterday evening. The finger prints are on the right arm of the light silk dress. The imprints of two fingers are just below the shoulder, staining purple the lavender of the child's dress and penetrating to the arm, as if they

Atlanta Georgian Wednesday April 30th, 1913 G. W. Epps, Jr., 14 years old, of 248 Fox Street, who lives just around the corner from Mary Phagan, and who was her boy sweetheart, testified before the Coroner's Jury this afternoon that Mary Phagan had asked him to come down by the factory and go home with her a few days ago. She told him, he said, that Mr. Frank had been in the habit of going down to the front door and waiting there until she came out and looked suspicious at her and winked. He was asked: Q. When did

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 At Special Council Meeting Called by Mayor Only One Man Opposes Action. At a special session of city council to-day, called by Mayor Woodward, to give the city's financial aid to the apprehension of the guilty persons in the Mary Phagan strangling case, $1,000 was appropriated as a reward to the person furnishing information leading to the arrest of the man or men who committed the deed. The appropriation found one opponent in Councilman Thomson, who said the lure of a high award would be likely to result in the arrest and hanging

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Records Purport to Show Watchman Failed to Register Three Times Saturday Night. What does the National Pencil Factory time clock show? It was the duty of Newt Lee, the negro night watchman, to punch it every half-hour. Records brought to the police station purport to show that Lee three times failed to punch the clock. But Leo M. Frank, superintendent of the factory, told a Georgian reporter Sunday afternoon that Lee had punched the clock regularly and that the clock record was all right. Misses Were Not Consecutive. Accepting the evidence of the

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Negro Woman Says Man Accused of Phagan Crime Was Not Home Saturday Night. If Newt Lee, the watchman, went home on Saturday night and discarded a bloody, stained shirt, Lorena Townes, the negro woman with whom he boarded, knows it. Lorena says Lee was not home on Saturday night. Detectives found the blood-stained shirt in an old barrel in Lee's room, and around this point has been built the theory that after committing the crime the man went home, changed his shirt, returned to the factory and then telephoned the police. Supporting this

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Working Conditions Here Wrong, Proved by Phagan Crime, Says McKelway. Dr. A. J. McKelway, president pro tem of the Southern Sociological Congress, declared to-day that if factory conditions in Atlanta were what they should be 14-year-old Mary Phagan never would have been slain. "If social conditions, if factory conditions in Atlanta were what they should be here, if children of tender years were not forced to work in shops this frightful tragedy could not have been enacted," he asserted. Dr. McKelway's remarks came in the course of a conversation in which he discussed

  A new photograph of Mary Phagan   NEW ARRESTS LIKELY; LEO FRANK STILL HELD; CASE AGAINST NEGRO Atlanta Georgian Wednesday April 30th, 1913 Inquest Into Slaying of Factory Girl Begins, and Flood of New Light Is Expected To Be Thrown on the Tragedy—Lee Maintains His Story. The Phagan inquest began to-day at police headquarters. It seemed likely when this edition of The Georgian went to press that a flood of light would be thrown on the murder mystery before the day was over. Notwithstanding what the police said yesterday—that the mystery had been solved—it does not appear at this

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday April 30th, 1913 F. M. Berry, one of the most important witnesses of the afternoon, identified the handwriting on the notes found near Mary Phagan's body as practically the same as that of Newt Lee, who wrote a test note for the detectives. Mr. Berry said that he had been connected with the Fourth National Bank for 22 years and is at present assistant cashier. During these 22 years he said that he had studied handwriting continually. He was given both notes found by the body of the girl and was asked if they were written

Leo M. Frank, Superintendent of the National Pencil Company's factory, still held by the police. Frank's lawyer says he has given to the police every detail of his whereabouts to account for his time on Saturday and Sunday. Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Leo M. Frank, superintendent of the National Pencil Company and one of the central figures in the sensational murder mystery surrounding the death of little Mary Phagan, is well regarded by a host of friends in Atlanta, who scoff at the idea that he can in any way be implicated in the horrible tragedy. His friends

    Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 A formal statement from Newt Lee, the negro night watchman arrested after he had telephoned the police of the finding of Mary Phagan's mutilated body, was given to the public for the first time to-day. In it he made a sweeping denial of complicity in or knowledge of the crime and said: "It looks like Mr. Frank was trying to put the crime one me." Staggering from the weariness of two days of the "third degree," and bleary-eyed from the persistent attentions of detectives who went to his cell in relays to

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday April 30th, 1913 R. P. Barrett, 180 Griffin Street, a machinist at the National Pencil Company, was one of the witnesses of the late afternoon. He was asked: Q. How long have you worked at the National Pencil Company?—A. Seven weeks the last time. I worked there about two years ago. Q. Did you know Mary Phagan?—A. Yes. Q. What did she do?—A. She ran a "tipping" machine. Q. When did you last see her?—A. A week ago Tuesday. Q. Did she work last week?—A. No. Q. You say you worked in the same department with

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Gantt's Mother, for Whom Mary Phagan Was Named, Weeps for Son. In an easy chair in front of an open fireplace in a little Cobb County farm house, sat an aged mother, with lines of suffering marking her face and her white head bowed in sorrow, praying that her son may be found innocent of the terrible crime for which he is held by the Atlanta police. For two days she sat in the same chair, staring constantly with dry eyes into the embers of the dying fire, seeing in the clouds of

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Chief of Detectives Lanford was confident this morning that he and his department had completed a strong case to present to the Grand Jury for indictment. He said that the evidence against the negro night-watchman at the National Pencil Factory had grown stronger since yesterday. He declared, however, that there still appeared the strongest indications that another person, in all probability a white man, was involved in some manner in the crime. Many puzzling questions have arisen, since the closing of the net around Lee began. The detectives have been utterly unable to

    Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Describes finding of body of slain girl and events at Pencil Factory before and at time of discovery of crime Newt Lee, watchman at the National Pencil Company's factory, who notified the police of the discovery of Mary Phagan's body, told his complete story on the stand at the coroner's inquest to-day. Lee was on the stand for more than an hour and was plied with questions intended to throw light on the tragedy. He replied to questions in a straightforward way, and in detail his story is substantially the same as

    Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Newt Lee, the negro night watchman, was questioned as follows: Q. What is your name? A. Newt Lee. Q. Where do you live? A.  Rear of 40 Henry Street. Q. What do you do? A. Night watchman at the National Pencil Company. Q. What kind of work do you do? A. Watch and sweep up the first floor. Q. What time do you go to work? At what time? A. Six o'clock. If it is not quite 6 o'clock I go around and see if the windows are down. If it is

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 R. M. Lasseter , the policeman on the morning watch past the pencil factory, was called at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. He was questioned as follows: Q. Were you in the pencil factory Saturday night or Sunday morning?—A. I was there at 4:45 Sunday morning. Q. What did you find?—A. A parasol. Q. Where did you find it?—A. At the bottom of the elevator shaft. I found there also a big ball of red wrapping twine that never had been opened. (Here the witness was shown the cord that had strangled the

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Brown Offers $200 for Capture of Slayer—C. C. Jones Also Gives $100. Governor Joseph M. Brown to-day offered a reward of $200 for the apprehension and conviction of the murderer of little Mary Phagan and Mayor James G. Woodward issued a call for a special meeting of Council for tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, urging a $1,000 reward. Governor Brown's decision was reached on receipt of the following letter from Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey: "From the best information obtainable, it is my belief that the circumstances surrounding the death of little Miss Mary

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday April 30th, 1913 Sergeant R. J. Brown, the second witness at the inquest, corroborated Anderson's story of the finding of the body. Brown, who was in charge of the morning watch, was one of the four men who answered the call of the negro night watchman, Newt Lee. Brown was interrogated as follows: "How did you get to the factory?" "Call Officer Anderson answered the phone call, and Anderson, Sergeant Dobbs, myself and a man named Rogers—we call him ‘Boots'—went in Mr. Rogers' car to the factory." "Who met you when you got there?" "We got

  A photographic study of the victim in the strangling mystery showing the sad expression in her eyes. Another picture of the Phagan girl in a studious pose. The child was strikingly pretty and the pictures here shown are from photographs prized by grief-stricken relatives in Marietta. Mary Phagan and her young aunt, Mattie Phagan, who was one of the girl's best friends and is heart-broken over the tragedy.   Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 F. C. Terrell, 284 East Linden Avenue, told a Georgian reporter to-day that his wife had declared to him that she did not tell

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday April 30th, 1913 Edgar L. Sentell, the man who identified Mullinax as being the man he saw with Mary Phagan Saturday night was the first witness to take the stand when the coroner's jury convened at 2:30 o'clock. The witness said that he worked at Kamper's grocery store, starting to work there last Thursday. He was questioned as follows: Q. How late did you work Saturday night? A. To about 10:30 o'clock. Q. What is your work? A. I drive a wagon. Q. What time did you get in with your wagon Saturday night? A. About

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday April 30th, 1913 Sergeant L. S. Dobbs was the third witness. He said he answered the call to the pencil company plant Sunday morning. Q.—Did you find an umbrella? A.—No. Lassiter did. Q.—Did you find the notes there? A.—One of them. He then identified the two notes. Q.—Were you at the plant when Lassiter found the umbrella? A.—No; he found them about 7 o'clock. Q.—Where did you find the body? A.—About 150 feet from the elevator shaft. Q.—Did you examine the body? "Yes. When I turned the body over I found the face full of dirt,

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday April 30th, 1913 Previous to Watchman Newt Lee's testimony, three police officers, who were called to the pencil factory when Mary Phagan's body was found, testified. Their testimony, with the exception of such parts as were unfit to print, follows: W. T. Anderson, police call officer on duty Sunday morning, was first witness. "We went over in an automobile to the pencil factory and the negro took us into the cellar where the body was found," he said. Anderson told of the location of the scuttle hole, from which a ladder led to the basement, and

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday April 30th, 1913 J. G. Spier followed Newt Lee on the stand. He lives at Cartersville, Georgia Q. Were you about the National Pencil Company plant? A. Yes, sir; we walked over to the Terminal station from the Kimball House. I was with a friend. I left the Terminal station at 10 minutes of 4, then walked back there, going back Forsyth Street. I passed the pencil factory about 10 minutes after 4 o'clock. I noticed a young girl and a young man, a Jew of about 25, talking. Q. Were they excited? A. My impression

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 Experts Declare Note Written by Lee Resembles That Found Near Slain Girl. Handwriting experts said to-day that they were able to determine a resemblance between the handwriting of Newt Lee, the negro watchman in the National Pencil factory, and that in the mysterious notes found by the body of Mary Phagan in the basement of the factory. They were of the opinion that the negro wrote both notes, as they asserted that many of the peculiarities in the handwriting of Lee were found in the messages that lay in the dirty basement. The

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 1st, 1913 Watchman and Frank Go on Witness Stand This Afternoon—Dorsey, Dissatisfied, May Call Special Session of Grand Jury To-morrow. Coroner Donohuoo late to-day issued a commitment against Leo M. Frank, superintendent at the National Pencil Company, and Newt Lee, night watchman, charging them with being suspected in connection with the death of Mary Phagan and remanding them to the custody of the sheriff. They were later taken to the Tower. Arthur Mullinaux , held since Sunday, was released. Frank's commitment read as follows: To Jailor: You are hereby required to take into custody

  Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 1st, 1913 O. H. Clark, in charge of the check room at the Terminal Station, is convinced that the girl who created a scene there last week, when the man she was with attempted to board a train, was Mary Phagan. Clark came out to-day with a story that substantiates, in part at least, the story told by the two station guards who watched the couple's peculiar actions. Clark asserts that the incident occurred on Saturday rather than Friday, and the man, when he finally abandoned his trip at the girl's expostulations, went to the

    Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 2nd, 1913 200 Witnesses To Be Called When Inquest Into Slaying of Factory Girl Is Resumed Next Monday—Detectives Are Busy. Coroner Declares Inquiry Will Not Be Made Hastily—Every Clew To Be Probed Thoroughly. Lee and Frank Are in Tower. Grand Jury Meets, but Considers Only Routine Matters—Was No Truth in Report That Militia Had Been Ordered to Mobilize. Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey this afternoon engaged private detectives to run down clews which have not as yet been fully developed by the men already working on the Phagan case. The detectives are to investigate

    Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 2nd, 1913 200 Witnesses To Be Called When Inquest Into Slaying of Factory Girl Is Resumed Next Monday—Felder to Aid State. The exact facts in the Phagan case as this edition of The Georgian goes to press can be stated as follows: First. The Coroner's inquest is not yet ended. It has been adjourned until Monday afternoon next; and until it is ended the State is not likely to take hold of the case except in so far as Solicitor General Dorsey may deem it necessary to acquaint himself with facts that may aid

    Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 3rd, 1913 Three Former Employees at Pencil Factory Are Summoned to Testify. Expected That Frank and Watchman Will Be Questioned Further. It was reported to-day that three young women, former employees of the National Pencil Factory, will be important witnesses for the Coroner's jury in the Phagan case on Monday. Dr. Claude Smith, city bacteriologist, was asked by the police to-day to make a chemical analysis of the bloodstains on the shirt found in the back yard of the home of Lee. The garment was given to Dr. Smith by Detective Rosser. The detectives

  Dr. John E. White   Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 4th, 1913 Draws a Lesson From the Shocking Occurrence of a Week Ago, and Urges Confidence in the Courage of the Law. By DR. JOHN E. WHITE. Pastor of the Second Baptist Church of Atlanta. The proper study of mankind is man, but the conditions for this study are only occasionally favorable. Dressed up in his everyday clothes, thinking his ordinary thoughts, and his human impulses suppressed to the requirements of conventional life, a man throws very little light on the problem of humanity. The individual exhibits mankind neither at

  Let the Law Take Its Course, He Says ‘Guilty Will Be Punished, Innocent Free' Atlanta Constitution Sunday, May 4th, 1913 I desire to commend, with all the emphasis at my command, the Hearst newspapers' timely suggestion to the people of Atlanta and Georgian that they remember the sanctity and majesty of the law of the land, and the sure operation of justice through the courts, in contemplating a recent horrible and unspeakable murder in our midst. I desire to offer the Hearst newspapers a word of praise in that they—leading newspapers of the South—while being brave enough to print

    Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 4th, 1913 The uncertainty that has marked every phase in the case of Mary Phagan probably will be somewhat removed when the new Fulton County Grand Jury for the May term of the Superior Court meets to-morrow. Definite action by that body is anticipated after the Coroner's jury, which also resumes its sessions to-morrow, has reached a decision. The action, it is believed, will be the result of the efforts of a small army of private detectives retained by the authority of Solicitor General Dorsey. The number of the detectives could not be determined,

    Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 4th, 1913 Problem of Slaying in Pencil Factory One That Never May Be Cleared, Declares Crime Expert. BY AN OLD POLICE REPORTER. Perhaps as many of the great murder mysteries of history have been solved through the efforts of police reporters—men assigned by newspapers to "cover" criminal cases—as have been solved by detectives. At any rate the police will always admit that police reporters have had a large part in unraveling the knotty problems. In a case of this sort the police reporter's analysis is particularly good, for he is simply seeking the truth.

    Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 4th, 1913 The mystery of the death of pretty Mary Phagan enters upon its second week to-day with the police authorities admitting that they are still without a conclusive solution. So far as the public has been permitted to learn, the detectives are not even certain that they have in custody the person or persons responsible for her death. In the light of present developments, the police believe that no more arrests will be made, but they admit that the entrance of another theory might entirely change the aspect of the case. The detectives

Hugh Dorsey, Solicitor General, on left, and Judge W. D. Ellis. The former is hard at work on the Phagan case. The latter has charged the Grand Jury to probe the slaying thoroughly. Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 5th, 1913 In the following story will be found the developments in the Phagan case up to the time the inquest was resumed Monday afternoon: It is said, but without authority, that a great deal of very important evidence has been accumulated, but that it will not be presented at the Coroner's inquest. Instead, it will go directly into the hands of Solicitor

    Grand Jury Instructed to Probe Deeply Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 5th, 1913 Evidence Secured by Detectives May Not Be Presented at Coroner's Inquest—Lee and Frank to Testify. Many Other Witnesses Are Ready. The Phagan inquest began at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon at police headquarters. There was a great throng of witnesses in attendance. A large force of police was on hand to keep the crowd of curiosity seekers in order. Frank and Lee were taken from the Tower to police headquarters in charge of Deputy Sheriff Minor. A small crowd congregated about the jail in anticipation of the transfer

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 5th, 1913 Makes Statement Under Oath; Nervous, But Replies Quickly Phagan Inquest, Starting Late Monday Afternoon, Attracts Throng—200 Girls and Women Summoned As Witnesses, at Police Station. The Coroner's inquest into the Phagan mystery did not really begin until 3 o'clock on Monday afternoon, instead of 2 o'clock, the hour set for the hearing. Leo M. Frank and Newt Lee left the jail in charge of Chief of Police Beavers, Detectives Lanford and Starnes and entered the patrol wagon for the trip to police headquarters. A curious crowd waited around the jail doorway to get

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 5th, 1913 Judge Ellis, in his charge to the May Grand Jury, took up the Mary Phagan case. The address is published in full in this issue of The Georgian. What Judge Ellis said specifically about the Phagan case follows: The Mary Phagan case calls for your immediate and vigorous attention. The power of the State is behind you. What appears to be an awful crime has been committed, and the welfare of the community, the good name of Atlanta, public justice and the majesty of the law demand at the hands of this Grand

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 5th, 1913 Urges Enforcement of Laws Regulating Locker Clubs and Against Sunday Tippling, Questionable Houses and Carrying Concealed Weapons Judge W. D. Ellis, of the Superior Court, delivered the following address to the new Grand Jury, and touched upon the Phagan case: "Under our system of judicial procedure, we have in the Superior Court of this county six terms each year. Grand juries are drawn and impaneled at each term, but the duties of making investigations into matters of a general nature, such as the inspection of the offices, the books, papers and records of

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 5th, 1913 The reason for the delay in beginning the Coroner's inquest was that Coroner Donehoo was in Marietta up to 2:30 o'clock. The body of Mary Phagan was exhumed by direction of the Coroner who went to Marietta for the purpose. An examination of the contents of the stomach will be made for the purpose of determining whether the child had been poisoned before she was attacked on the day of her death. It will probably be several days before this examination can be completed. The examination was done very quietly, and few people

    Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Atlanta Police Do Not Believe He is Implicated in Tragedy—Letters From Women and 50 Photographs of Girls Found in Prisoners Trunk. The Atlanta police and State officials say they place little importance in the arrest of Paul P. Bowen, the former Atlanta youth who is being held by the Houston authorities. In Bowen's trunk was found a mass of clippings telling of the Phagan killing, and at least 50 photographs of girls and young women. Several times while he was being questioned, Bowen is said to have contradicted himself. Bowen stoutly maintains

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Paul P. Bowen, arrested in Houston, Texas, on suspicion of complicity in the murder of Mary Phagan, could not have been connected with the Atlanta mystery, according to members of his family here. Albert Bowen, a brother, said Paul Bowen has been in the West since last August, when he went to Arkansas to work for the Rock Island Railraod. He has never been back to Georgia since, he declared, but has spent the time in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. On April 21, Albert Bowen declared, he received a letter from Paul written

    Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Factory Superintendent's Statements on the Witness Stand Considered Distinctly Favorable to Him. Leo M. Frank's testimony before the Coroner's inquest threw no new light upon the Phagan case. Indeed, if it did anything it strengthend the belief in the minds of many persons that the mystery is far from solved. Frank's testimony was distinctly favorable to him. He was on the witness stand for several hours. He answered every question in a straight-forward manner. He was not more nervous than any other man in the room. He never halted for a word

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Factory Superintendent Explains Every Hour of the Saturday Phagan Girl Was Slain. Here is told how Frank passed the whole day of the Saturday when Mary Phagan was killed. The following is taken from Frank's testimony: 7 o'clock a. m.—Arose, and dressed at home. 8—Left home for factory. 8:20—Arrived at factory. 8:50 or 9—M. D. Darley and others entered there. 10—Went over to office of Sig Montag, factory manager, on Nelson Street. 11—Went back to the factory office. 12—Stenographer and office boy left him alone in office. 12:10 p. m.—Mary Phagan came for

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Body of Slain Girl Exhumed and Bloodstains on Factory Floor Analyzed. NEW THEORY ANNOUNCED Solicitor Believes Victim May Have Been Thrown, Still Alive, Down Elevator Shaft. Solicitor General Dorsey, Chief of Detectives Lanford, Chief of Police Beavers, and all men working under them in the Phagan case seem thoroughly satisfied with the progress they are making in the great mystery. They are actively engaged in many unknown directions—as they say, "piling up evidence to strengthen the case." What evidence the officials have other than that which has already been made public they refuse

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 By A GEORGIA LAWYER. It is absurd to say, as some people have been saying in Atlanta of late, that Solicitor General Dorsey "has taken the Phagan case from the Coroner," or has "butted in" on the Coroner's business in some way. It would be equally sensible to say that the commanding general in a battle had "butted in" on a captain's business, when, as the battle progressed, the general gave directions of one sort and another to the captain as to its conduct. The truth of the matter is, Solicitor General Dorsey

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 7th, 1913 Detectives Figure Strangling Was a Typical Mediterranean Crime—Solicitor Dorsey Grills Watchman Lee in Effort to Get New Points. A new and sensational interpretation was given the Phagan mystery Wednesday afternoon when it was revealed that Pinkerton detectives are trailing a Greek now missing who was employed in a restaurant near the National Pencil factory before the crime was committed. The reasons that the city detectives give for the adoption of the new theory are: The slaying of Mary Phagan was not a negro crime, as the only negro who has been suspected in

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 7th, 1913 Important Light is Trown on Case Also by Girl Companion of Mary Phagan. With new evidence in hand, Solicitor Dorsey went to the jail at 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon to question Newt Lee, the night watchman, exhaustively. He plied the negro with questions for forty-five minutes. Before closeting himself with the negro the Solicitor said he had never questioned Lee himself, and he hoped to leave the jail late today with valuable information. Detective Rosser was reported to have found a 14-year-old girl who had important information bearing on the case. This girl

    Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 7th, 1913 Third Time Unfortunate Victim's Remains Have Been Exhumed—Dorsey Says Officials Are Not Looking for Finger Prints, but Other Clews. The body of Mary Phagan was exhumed early Wednesday for the second time in two days. The unofficial explanation is that the exhumation is made for the purpose of making a microscopic and minute examination of every wound on the body for finger prints and other clews as well. Solicitor Dorsey let it be known that the police are not working on the idea that the finger prints would be helpful in solving

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 7th, 1913 Inquest, To Be Resumed Thursday, Will Bring Out Important Facts Not Yet Made Public—Medical Experts To Be Called by Coroner. New mystery was added to the Mary Phagan case on Wednesday, when the authorities for some reason not yet disclosed, did not follow out the order given by Solicitor Dorsey for the exhumation of the remains. It was said by Solicitor Dorsey that he had given this order in the hope that new clews might be discovered. A difference of opinion as to the advisability of the exhumation evidently has arisen, but the

  Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Pinkertons Find No Foundation for Report of Lunch Room Helper's Disappearance. Harry Scott, of the Pinkertons, said Thursday that the information obtained by his agency to the effect that a Greek helper in a restaurant had disappeared following the killing of Mary Phagan had proved baseless so far as he was able to determine. "It was a blind clew," he said. "We were unable to find that any one was missing from the restaurant. Neither were we able to locate the supposedly missing person in Anniston, Ala., where our information said he was."

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 John Black, city detective, followed Scott. Q. Tell about the shirt.—A. Sergeant Bullard and I went out to the rear of 40 Henry Street and searched Newt Lee's room. Q. What did you find?—A. Lots of things. Q. Tell about finding the shirt?—A. We found it in the bottom of an old barrel. Q. Was the shirt on the top or in the bottom of the barrel?—A. In the bottom. Q. When was this?—A. On Wednesday after the murder. Q. Did you see the shirt Lee wore Sunday morning?—A. Yes. Q. What

"Boots" Rogers, former county policeman who drove the police to the Pencil Factory when the first news of the Phagan slaying reached headquarters. Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 W. W. Rogers was the first witness. He lives at 104 McDonough Road, and operates an automobile for himself. He said he took a party of officers to the National Pencil plant at five minutes past 3 o'clock Sunday morning, April 27. He corroborated statements of officers regarding the finding of Mary Phagan's body and the notes beside it, and of the body being face downward. Q. Who telephoned Frank of

  Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Man Who Said Mary Phagan Passed His Place Testifies He Was Wrong. J. L. Watkins, who testified that he saw Mary Phagan Saturday afternoon, April 26, between 4 and 5 o'clock, was called to the witness stand. He was accompanied to the inquest by a girl, Daisy Brown, who he said was the girl he mistook for Mary Phagan. He said he became convinced of his mistake when detectives came out to his place and had Daisy Brown to dress as she was Saturday afternoon. Then he discovered, he said, that she was

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Frank was slightly nervous when he was answering the questions. He was asked: Q. What kind of an elevator floor have you in the factory on the office floor?—A. A solid sliding door. Q. Where was the elevator Friday night and Saturday?—A. I didn't notice it. Q. What protection would there be from a person from falling into the shaft if the door was open?—A. There is a bar across the shaft. Q. Where was the elevator Saturday?—A. I did not notice it. Q. Where was it Sunday?—A. On the office floor.

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 The inquest was resumed at 2:40. Only a small crowd was present. Miss Hattie Hall, stenographer for the Pencil Company, was called. She said she had been connected with the company since December 4. From a pile of papers taken from the factory records, Miss Hall identified a number that were written by herself. She said she did not think she could identify Frank's writing. Miss Hall selected eight letters that she had written. She said she didn't know how long it had taken her to write the letters. Miss Hall looked

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Miss Corinthia Hall, one of the employees at the National Pencil factory, was a witness. She lives near Kirkwood, at 19 Weatherby Street, and has worked at the factory for three years. She knew Mary Phagan. Miss Hall was at the factory at 11:45 Saturday, April 26. She went to get another girl's coat. She went to the fourth floor and stopped in at the office and asked Mr. Frank if she could go to the fourth floor. She was accompanied by a young woman who had recently married and whose coat

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Late this afternoon the police and detectives engaged on the Phagan case said they were satisfied with the progress being made before the Coroner's Jury. Apparently all other clews have been abandoned, and the present line of police activity would seem to center around Lee and Frank. Whatever evidence the police have they refuse to disclose. The entire mystery will be taken up by the Grand Jury within the next few days. * * * Atlanta Georgian, May 8th 1913, "Grand Jury to Sift the Evidence in the Phagan Case Within the

  Miss Hattie Hall, Superintendent Leo M. Frank's stenographer, who testified to-day at the Phagan inquest.   Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Crowd in Small, Smoke-Filled Room Breathlessly Follows the Phagan Slaying Inquiry. FATHER WEEPS SILENTLY Jurors, Officials and Detectives Manifest Intense Interest in Replies of Witnesses. In a small, crowded and smoke-filled room at police  headquarters, Coroner Donehoo on Thursday morning began what it is thought will be the last session of the jury impaneled to inquire into the death of Mary Phagan, strangled to death in the basement of the National Pencil Factory April 26. The situation

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Newt Lee followed Black on the stand. Q. Tell the jury of your conversation with Frank in private—A. I was in the room and he came in. I said, Mr. Frank, it is mighty hard to be sitting here handcuffed. He said he thought I was innocent, and I said I didn't know anything except finding the body. "Yes," Mr. Frank said, "and you keep that up we will both go to hell!" I told him that if she had been killed in the basement I would have known it, and he

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Newt Lee Called to Stand for Further Examination—Coroner Will Put Case in Hands of Jury by 7 o'clock, It is Predicted. Leo M. Frank, superintendent of the National Pencil Factory, and Newt Lee, night watchman, both of whom are being held in connection with inquiry into the death of Mary Phagan, were recalled to the witness stand late Thursday afternoon at the inquest. Frank was given a more searching examination as to movements on the day of the tragedy than he underwent his first day on the stand and an apparent endeavor

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Harry Scott, the Pinkerton detective who has been working on the case since the day of the crime, took the stand when Schiff concluded his testimony. Scott testified that Frank called him up Sunday afternoon before there was any talk of his arrest and asked the Pinkertons to begin work on the case and find the slayer. Scott testified as follows: Q. How are you interested in the Phagan case?—A. I was retained by the National Pencil Company to find the guilty man. Q. Who retained you?—A. I received a call from Mr. Frank

  Luther Z. Rosser, attorney for Leo M. Frank, who was one of the interested listeners to the testimony presented Thursday at the Coroner's inquest into the death of Mary Phagan.   Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Witnesses Are Quizzed in Detail, but Nothing Important Brought Out. Officials Say They Are Satisfied With Case as It Is Being Developed. Whatever evidence the police officials may have directly to connect any of the suspects with the killing of Mary Phagan, it was not produced at the early session of the Coroner's inquest Thursday. What this evidence is the officials refuse

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 L. A. Quinn, foreman of the department of the pencil factory in which Mary Phagan worked, testified as follows: Q. What is your business?—A. Machinist. Q. Did you know Mary Phagan?—A. Yes. Q. What is your department?—A. Metal department. Q. What department was she in?—A. Same. Q. When did you see Mary Phagan last?—A. The Monday before the murder. Q. Do you know her associates?—A. I know some who talked with her—girls. Q. Any boys in that department?—A. Henry Smith and John Ramey. Q. Were they thrown together?—A. All were working in

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Miss Hattie Hall, the stenographer who worked at the National Pencil Factory Saturday morning, April 26, testified as follows: She lives at 69 Luckie Street and works for the National Pencil Company, in Montag Bros.' office. Saturday morning, April 26, she went to Montag Bros.' office on Nelson Street, arriving there at approximately 8 o'clock. She left there between 10:30 and 11. She had talked with Frank over the phone several times during the morning. "The regular stenographer at the plant was off, I think on account of sickness," she said, "and I went

  Miss Nellie Pettis, at top, who testified against Frank at the inquest. At the bottom, Mrs. Lillie Pettis, her sister-in-law, former employee at the pencil factory.   Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 9th, 1913 Solicitor Dorsey Says He Has Secured Powerful Aid in Search for Slayer of Girl—Woman Says She Heard Screams in Pencil Factory. Shelby Smith, chairman of the Fulton commission, declared Friday afternoon that the board would back Solicitor Dorsey in any and all expense he might incur in the state's exhaustive investigation into the Phagan murder mystery. Smith said; "We have instructed Dorsey to obtain the best

    Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 10th, 1913 Names of Witnesses Withheld by Dorsey to Prevent "Manufacturers of Public Opinion" Getting in Touch with Them—Satisfied with Progress. Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey declared Saturday afternoon that he was very well satisfied with the progress made in the investigation of the Phagan murder mystery and made the significant remark that he would not reveal the names of new witnesses so that manufacturers of public opinion could not get to them. The Solicitor held a conference with Dr. H. F. Harris, of the State Board of Health, who examined the girl's body.

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 11th, 1913 Robert T. House, a Special Policeman, Gives New Evidence to City Detectives. In the evidence obtained Saturday in the Mary Phagan case, one piece that the detectives regard as the most important bore on Frank's alleged conduct when he was in company with a young girl in Druid Hills Park. The new evidence came from Robert F. House, a special policeman, who is in the employ of the Druid Hills Land Company. House declared that he had ejected a man from the park at one time from whom he obtained damaging admissions. House visited

    Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 11th, 1913 Leo M. Frank, calmly and without any apparent fear or apprehension, is awaiting the decision of the 24 men who will determine this week whether or not an indictment shall be returned against him in connection with the killing of Mary Phagan. Yesterday—which was very much like the other days that he has been confined in the Tower—he read, said a few words now and then to the guards, greeted members of his family as they came to see him and discussed various subjects with them in a quiet, matter-of-fact manner, not

    Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 11th, 1913 BY JAMES. B. NEVIN. Mary Phagan is dead. She was murdered. Leo Frank, and Newt Lee are in jail, upon the findings of a Coroner's jury, held as suspects for investigation by the Grand Jury. Here is a case of cause and effect involving the most elusive series of connecting events that ever came under my observation of criminals and crime, through fifteen years of varied newspaper experience in a number of American cities. It is not my purpose here to try this case. Such comments as I may set down are

  Solicitor General Hugh Dorsey, in a characteristic pose, examining a witness. On Solicitor Dorsey is placed dependence for the solving of the puzzling Phagan slaying case. He is making every effort to unravel the mystery.   NO REAL SOLUTION OF PHAGAN SLAYING MYSTERY EVIDENCE AGAINST MEN NOW HELD IN BAFFLING CASE WEAK, SAYS OLD POLICE REPORTER Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 11th, 1913 Detectives in Coroner's Jury Probe Admit They Have Nothing on Which to Convict Anyone in Mysterious Tragedy of Atlanta. TESTIMONY BROUGHT OUT NO INCRIMINATING POINTS BY AN OLD POLICE REPORTER. The most sensational testimony offered at the

  Leo M. Frank, the pencil factory superintendent, held in the Phagan mystery, in a new photograph. Mrs. Frank yesterday visited her husband in the Tower, where he is a prisoner pending the action of the Grand Jury.   Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 12th, 1913 Famous American Detective Cables He Will Return Immediately In Response to Col. Felder's Plea For His Services to Capture Slayer. William J. Burns, the world-famed detective, probably will take charge of the Phagan case. The man who unearthed the dynamite outrages and brought the McNamara brothers to justice, will in all probability come to Atlanta

    Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 12th, 1913 Not Likely to Go to Grand Jury This Week More Time Taken to Strengthen Evidence Evidence in the Phagan case may not be presented to the Grand Jury this week. This was the intimation given by Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey Monday morning, as he began the process of elimination of the unimportant matter contained in the great mass of evidence collected by the Coroner's jury and police officials. The postponement of its presentation to the Grand Jury is to permit the collection in systematic form of all the essential details of

    Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 13th, 1913 Of the many prisoners confined in the Tower, Leo M. Frank stands far above them all as the central figure in the public eye while the exhaustive investigation into the death of Mary Phagan continues. Hundreds of curious persons apply daily at the prison in a futile effort to see the man now being held in the Phagan mystery. The jailers are beset with thousands of questions pertaining to his life during the two weeks that he has spent behind the bars. Only Frank's attorney, his immediate relatives and a few friends

Mary Phagan's mother, Fannie Phagan Coleman (center), with her family in Atlanta, 1902. She holds Mary (right) and another child. Mary Phagan's older sister, Ollie Mae, stands at front left. Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 13th, 1913 Mrs. J. W. Coleman, mother of little 14-year-old Mary Phagan, prostrated with grief for sixteen days following the tragic slaying of her child, took up her household duties Tuesday for the first time, resigned to the calamity that has befallen her home, and relying on the law to avenge the death of her child. "It was such a beautiful morning," said Mrs. Coleman to

Solicitor Dorsey in his office; a snapshot of the Phagan case prosecutor taken by a Georgian photographer. Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 13th, 1913 Detectives Not Centering All Their Efforts on Frank and Lee Now. Detectives in Phagan mystery are not centering all their efforts upon Frank and Lee. New theories have been advanced, new clews examined and every possible theory is being investigated. It was because of these rumors on the streets to-day that a report was spread that an entirely new lead was being followed by Solicitor Dorsey that might eliminate both Frank and Lee. Solicitor Dorsey paid very

A young Leo Frank (top center) and friends enjoy a day at the beach in New York. Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 14th, 1913 If Leo M. Frank is guilty of any connection with the murder of Mary Phagan, his actions in the Tower belie the time-honored theories of the greatest criminologists the world has ever produced, visitors to the prisoner declare. Famous psychologists, working on the supposition that the great weight of guilt upon the mind of a murderer will, if given time, finally overbalance the calm exterior with which he faces his accusers, have made excellent use of what

William J. Burns Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 14th, 1913 Probably Will Not Reveal Presence in City as He Investigates Phagan Case. Colonel Thomas B. Felder said Wednesday that Detective William J. Burns had not arrived, as yet, in New York from his European trip, but that as soon as he did he undoubtedly would start at once for Atlanta to work upon the Mary Phagan strangling mystery. Colonel Felder is acquainted with the day and the hour on which the famous sleuth will reach this city, but for the purposes of the investigation he is withholding the information. "There was

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 15th, 1913 Noted Detective, Himself, to Take Up Case June 1—One of His Experts Coming Soon. Colonel Thomas B. Felder, noted Atlanta lawyer, Thursday issued the positive statement that William J. Burns would take charge of the Phagan investigation immediately upon his return from Europe, June 1. In the meantime a criminal investigator will be sent from the Burns Agency's New York office to prosecute the investigation. Colonel Felder gave out the following dispatch received from Raymond J. Burns, son of William J. Burns, in New York, which tells of the father's determination to take up

Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 16th, 1913 Subscriptions From Persons Who Withhold Names Increases the Fund—Other Rewards. The fund inaugurated to bring W. J. Burns, the renowned detective, to Atlanta to clear the Phagan mystery was augmented Friday by contributions which bring the total close to the thousand mark. More than six substantial subscriptions from persons who asked that their names be withheld have been received. The fund thus far made public is: The Georgian, $100. The Constitution, $100. Homer George, $10. The Georgian will be glad to receive contributions to the Burns' fund, and repeats its offer of $500 reward,

Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 16th, 1913 Skilled Aide of Famous Detective Arrives in Atlanta—Keeps Identity Secret. Contributions for a fund to bring W. J. Burns, the great detective, to Atlanta in the Phagan case follow: The Georgian ……………$100 The Constitution ………..  100 Homer George …………..   10 More than six substantial subscriptions from persons who asked that their names be kept secret have been added to the above. The Burns investigation into the Phagan murder mystery began Friday. William J. Burns, who personally will conduct the case some time shortly after his arrival from Europe on June 1, cabled his orders

Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 16th, 1913 Investigator for Great Detective Believed To Be in City Hunting Phagan Slayer—Will Be on Same Plane as Pinkertons—State Won't Aid. Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey said Friday that William J. Burns and his assistants would work on the Phagan case under the same conditions as the Pinkertons, namely, that while he would welcome any information from them, they would receive none from his office. Mr. Dorsey issued the following statement: "Mr. Burns is welcome. We are delighted to have aid in arriving at the truth no matter from what source it comes. However, Mr.

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 17th, 1913 Solicitor General Dorsey Declares Work of His Greatest Detective Has Been Completed. WELCOMES AID OF BURNS IN CLEARING UP MYSTERY Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey said Saturday that his "greatest detective in America" would not figure again in the Phagan investigation, and that it was extremely doubtful whether he would be recalled to testify at the trial. "He has finished his investigation," said the Solicitor, "and we have no further need for him. A detective is one thing and a witness is another. His investigation led us to witnesses. It is not necessary for him,

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 18th, 1913 World's Most Famous Detective Must Disregard All Theories Advanced Thus Far and Must Evolve His Own Solution of the Mysterious Slaying. By AN OLD POLICE REPORTER. Can William J. Burns solve the Phagan mystery? I certainly hope so, as does everybody else who would like to see the guilty person in this extraordinary case brought to justice. Unless Burns and his assistants are successful, I fear we shall never know who actually committed the crime. In my article in The Sunday American on May 4, I said: "At present, on the evidence now before

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 18th, 1913 Progress of Investigation Into Girl's Slaying Very Rapid, Declares Felder. After 24 hours on the scene of the Phagan muder, the head of the department of criminal investigation of the Burns Detective Agency made his first report to his client, Thomas B. Felder, last night. The report was so satisfactory that Colonel Felder announced more had been accomplished in the 24 hours than in any week of the investigation before the arrival of the Burns detective. The fund to secure the services of William J. Burns and defray the expenses of the investigation of

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 18th, 1913 No people in Atlanta have been more anxious than the Greeks to see the murderer of little Mary Phagan brought to justice. A letter received by Colonel Thomas B. Felder yesterday enclosed a check for $25 from the Greek community to be added to the Burns fund, and carried with it a fervent wish that the mystery be cleared. The letter follows: I beg to enclose check for twenty-five dollars, which represents the proceeds of a spontaneous contribution of the members of the Greek Community, to the "Burns Fund." The Greeks of Atlanta wish

Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 19th, 1913 Famous Detective's Aid, C. W. Tobie, Issues First Statement on Work in Slaying Case. C. W. Tobie, manager of the criminal department of the W. J. Burns Detective Agency, Monday made public his theory of the murder of Mary Phagan. For the first time the man who is representing Burns in Atlanta's greatest mystery until the noted detective arrived consented to see reporters. Tobie's theory is that Mary Phagan was murdered inside the National Pencil plant, by some one familiar with the premises, and that her body was dragged to the basement for purposes

Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 19th, 1913 Famous Detective Expected to Arrive From Europe and Start Work Before June 1. STARTLING NEW EVIDENCE IS REPORTED DISCOVERED Important Revelation Looked For To-day—Search Being Pushed With Renewed Vigor. Colonel Thomas B. Felder announced Monday morning that he had received word from William J. Burns that he would arrive in America before June 1 and would probably be on the scene of the Phagan slaying before that date. Colonel Felder said the great detective had taken an unusual interest in the Phagan mystery and he would not be surprised to hear from him in

Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 20th, 1913 Solicitor General Dorsey Declares All Evidence Will Go to the Grand Jury Friday. Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey announced Tuesday morning that the State's case against Leo M. Frank and Newt Lee in connection with the Phagan murder, would go to the Grand Jury Friday of this week. He said that he could anticipate no new arrest or development that would make it necessary to change this plan. Mrs. Jane F. Carr, 251 Ponce De-Leon Avenue, in an open letter, asked every woman in Atlanta to contribute to the fund to employ the Burns

Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 21st, 1913 Stories That He Was Retained by Prisoner's Friends Silly, He Declares. Mystery piles up upon mystery in the Phagan case. Colonel Thomas B. Felder was asked Wednesday afternoon by The Georgian to reply to rumors circulating on the street, all making the general charge that he had been retained by friends of Leo Frank, prisoner in the Phagan case, and that his object in bringing the great detective, William J. Burns, here, was not to aid the prosecution. Colonel Felder said: "Any stories to that effect are silly and ridiculous—if nothing worse. Anybody who

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 22nd, 1913 Understood That Cases Will Be Brought Separately, With One Accused as Accomplice. Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey announced Thursday afternoon that he was prepared to go before the Grand Jury Friday morning with his strongest evidence in the case of Leo M. Frank and Newt Lee, held in connection with the murder of Mary Phagan. Although Mr. Dorsey would not discuss the form in which the cases would be presented, it was reliably stated they would be heard separately and the charge against one would be that he was an accessory to the fact.

Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 23rd, 1913 The Georgian on Wednesday published an exclusive story that Colonel Thomas B. Felder was involved in the Phagan murder case in a manner that would at least require a very explicit explanation. Developments Friday would seem to indicate that the police officials intend to bring the whole matter before the Grand Jury for a thorough investigation of Felder's attitude for attempted bribery. He is accused by A. S. Colyar, Jr., of offering G. C. February , Chief Clerk to Newport Lanford, $1,000 for an affidavit made by J. W. Coleman and wife denying that

Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 23rd, 1913 Colonel Felder late this afternoon issued this statement: "The first development in this case was a visit from Colyar, at which he told me that the police were framing up on me, Dorsey and The Constitution. He said the police had affidavits to show that we were working in the interest of Leo Frank, and that large sums of money had been paid us and that I had been paid by an uncle of the accused man in New York." "Colyar also told me that he had proof of the corruption of Lanford and

Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 23rd, 1913 Affidavits and an alleged dictograph record made public Friday afternoon, accuse Colonel Thomas B. Felder of offering to G. C. February , a bribe of $1,000 for possession of police records of the Phagan case. These affidavits and the dictograph record are sworn to by A. S. Colyar, Jr., of Nashville, and February, who is stenographer to Newport Lanford, Chief of the Atlanta Detective Department. The Georgian on Wednesday published the fact that there were rumors on the streets that connected the name of Colonel Felder with the Phagan case in a sinister way.

Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 23rd, 1913 Leo Frank was seen this morning by a reporter for the first time since he was put in jail. He absolutely refused to talk on the Mary Phagan murder mystery, saying he had been advised not to say a word. "What do you know about the affidavit, charging that on the night of the murder of Mary Phagan you called Mrs. Nina Famby on the telephone and tried to engage a room for yourself and a young girl?" "I will not talk," said Frank. "I have been cautioned not to say one word." "Do

Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 23rd, 1913 Here is an affidavit in possession of the police sworn today Lanford's secretary, G. C. Febuary and A. S. Colyar detailing the conversation alleged to have taken place Monday night in Colonel Felder's office: State of Georgia, County of Fulton—Personally appeared before me, a notary public in and for the above State and County, A. S. Colyar and G. C. Febuary, who being duly sworn, deposes and says, "We met Mr. Felder in his office Monday night at 8 o'clock p. m., and Mr. Felder said, ‘I know who killed Mary Phagan. I have

Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 23rd, 1913 Great Mass of Evidence Carefully Prepared by Solicitor Submitted to Grand Jury. CRIME STUDIED 3 HOURS, ADJOURNS TILL SATURDAY Utmost Care Taken to Insure Secrecy at the Investigation, Diagram Studied. The Phagan case is now in the process of investigation by the Fulton County Grand Jury. Two bills for indictment of Leo M. Frank and Newt Lee, for the murder of Mary Phagan, were presented before that tribunal at its session Friday morning by Solicitor Dorsey. A host of witnesses gave their testimony. The torn and blood-stained clothing of the slain girl also was

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 "Gang of Vice Promoters Have Been After Me," Declares Police Chief. Chief of Police J. L. Beavers, in answering the turmoil of accusations of graft and frame-ups which have been cast at himself and Detective Chief Lanford, declared the whole to be the result of a plot of gangsters which has been working against him ever since he closed up the Tenderloin section of Atlanta. "This whole proposition is a fight against me by a gang of vice promoters," declared Chief Beavers. "Tom Felder is the leader of it and C. C. Jones is

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 COLUMBIA, S. C., May 24.—When asked for a comment upon the Felder dictograph story, Governor Blease dictated the following: I do not see that it is necessary for me to give out any interview or to have anything to say. It is not inside of my State and I do not suppose anybody that knows Tom Felder would be surprised if he is guilty, or if this is a scheme worked up by him to get a little cheap notoriety and advertisement. However, I presume that the members of the Atlanta Bar will immediately

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. His exploits with the dictograph have created a big sensation in the Phagan case. Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 Records Show He Has Been Confined in Numerous Prisons and Twice in Asylum. Who is A. S. Colyar? The records show that Colyar was once confined in the Middle Tennessee Insane Asylum, and that more recently he was

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 A. S. Colyar, Jr., author of the alleged dictographing of Mayor Woodward and Colonel Thomas B. Felder, was placed under arrest Saturday afternoon at the request of Chief of Police Edward Connors of Knoxville, Tenn., on the charge of forgery. The arrest came on a capias from the Criminal Court of Knoxville. Upon receipt of the request from Connors, Police Chief Beavers ordered Colyar's arrest. Colyar was located at the corner of Forsyth and Marietta Streets by Detectives Chewning and Norris and taken to the police station. He was taken to Beavers' office and

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 Sensational dictograph conversations, in which Mayor James G. Woodward, Charles C. Jones, former Tenderloin proprietor and present owner of the Rex saloon; E. O. Miles, a private detective; A. S. Colyar, accuser of Colonel T. B. Felder, and Chief Lanford's clerk, February , all figure, are made public by The Atlanta Georgian to-day. The conversations, all reported by a dictograph installed at the Williams House, in the same room and by the same man who figured to the "trapping" of Felder, tend to throw new and startling light on the alleged plot to "get"

Atlanta Georgian Saturday , May 24th, 1913 Here follows, in part, the alleged dictograph record of the conversation that took place in a room in the Williams House Wednesday afternoon between Colonel Thomas B. Felder, G. C. Febuary and A. S. Colyar. Febuary: Let me understand you. You want this Coleman afdavit and all other Phagan afdavits that I can get hold of. Felder: Yes. Colyar told me that he was to have the evidence that would get those two chiefs out of commission, the Phagan papers and the Coleman afdavit. Now what have you got? Febuary: I haven't got these

G. C. Febuary Lanford's clerk, who alleges bribery offer; Febuary alleges that Felder offered $1,000 for police records. He is a modest, unassuming young man, in whom Lanford and Beavers have complete confidence. Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 Colonel Thomas B. Felder entered into an explicit and detailed denial to The Georgian of all the charges of attempted bribery contained in the affidavits signed by G. C. Febuary, secretary to Chief of Detectives Lanford, and A. S. Colyar, a private detective with spectacular career. Colonel Felder declared the alleged dictograph record of conversation he is alleged to have had

Burns showing how a dictograph can be concealed in a wall. The arrow points to the dictograph. The great detective holding a dictograph ready to place it to collect evidence. Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 Chief of Detectives Newport A. Lanford said Saturday that the whole sinister significance of the charges brought against Colonel Thomas B. Felder lay in the fact that the forces of evil in the city had been steadily laboring for the downfall of himself and Chief Beavers ever since the city was cleaned up and the disreputable resorts put out of business. He declared that

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 24th, 1913 Denouncing A. S. Colyar as an "eagle-beaked crook," W. C. Tobie, the Burns detective who is here making an investigation of the Phagan case, declared on Saturday that the charges of bribery and double-dealing brought against Felder were a frame-up concocted by the Pinkerton Detective Agency and the Atlanta Police Department, with these three ends in view: To discredit the Burns Agency. To drive the Burns Agency from the State of Georgia. To discredit Colonel Felder because he employed Burns men. Tobie charges also that Colyar was used as the "capper" in the frame-up.

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

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 25th, 1913 A deluge of statements and affidavits tending to connect him with criminal operations all over the United States and Mexico, and showing that he has served time in half a dozen penitentiaries and been an inmate of a number of insane asylums, poured in Saturday upon the head of A. S. Colyar, the man who has stirred the city with his dictograph plots and his graft and bribery accusations involving Colonel Thomas B. Felder, Mayor James G. Woodward and others. Twenty-four hours after Colyar fired his first shot he was in jail. He was

Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 26th, 1913 Topeka, Kans., Chief Wires Beavers That Burns Detective Was Not Convicted. That the local police authorities are tracing the past record of C. W. Tobie, the Burns operative investigating the Phagan case, came definitely into light Monday morning when Police Chief Beavers received a telegram from the Chief of Police of Topeka, Kans., regarding the detective. The telegram was in answer to one sent by Beavers some days ago to Topeka asking for Tobie's police record there. The answer stated that while Tobie had been involved in a kidnaping case in Topeka, that he

Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 26th, 1913 Chief of Detectives Newport Lanford Monday announced that the mystery of the Mary Phagan tragedy is solved, as nearly as is possible without the absolute, direct testimony of eyewitnesses, and expressed himself as perfectly satisfied with the evidence now in hand. Accompanying this statement comes the authoritative announcement that the great strangling crime will be placed on Leo M. Frank, now under indictment on the charge of murder, and that Newt Lee, the suspected negro night watchman of the National Pencil Factory, will not be indicted. Lee will be held in jail until the

Mrs. Nina Fomby, woman who made affidavit that Leo M. Frank had telephoned to her on the day of Mary Phagan's death trying to get a room for himself and a girl. Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 26th, 1913 Chief of Detectives Lanford was given two papers Monday accusing friends of Leo M. Frank of attempting to bribe a man and a woman to swear that they saw Mary Phagan at 10:30 Saturday night, April 26, at a soda fountain at Marietta and Forsyth Streets. These papers were given Lanford by A. S. Colyar, whose entrance into the Phagan case has

Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 26th, 1913 Police Board Minority as Anxious to Overthrow Chairman as Beavers and Lanford. Well informed politicians declared Monday that any efforts to remove Chief of Police Beavers and Chief of Detectives Newport Lanford were doomed to failure because of the support of the two officers by Carlos Mason, chairman of the Police Board, and his supporters. Despite rumors of changes of line-up on account of developments of the last few days, all indications are that, if the issue of removing Beavers and Lanford is made, the relative strength of the two old factions will remain

Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 26th, 1913 Chief of Police James L. Beavers issued a statement Monday forenoon defying his accusers to prove that he had been guilty of any act of moral turpitude as Chief of Police or as a citizen. He characterized the attack by Colonel Thomas B. Felder merely as an effort to detract attention from his own (Felder's) actions. Referring to A. S. Colyar, in his sweeping denial of the charges that have been made against the police department, he made the pertinent observation, "that it many times required a crook to turn up another crook." "I

Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 26th, 1913 Mayor James G. Woodward Monday gave out a sizzling interview in reply to Police Chief Beavers' accusations, which he concluded with this statement: "If Beavers and Lanford authorized February . ‘a trusted man,' to go out and tell lies about corruption in the department in an effort to trap somebody, they are unworthy to hold the places they occupy, and the sooner they are put out the better it will be for the police department and the city. "February has proved that he is not fit to serve in the police department in any

Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 26th, 1913 Pencil Factory Owners Told Him Not to Shield Superintendent, Scott Declares. Harry Scott, assistant superintendent of the Pinkertons, announced Monday his belief that Leo M. Frank was responsible for the slaying of 14-year-old Mary Phagan April 26. He added that his agency had been working on this theory from the time its services were engaged by officials of the National Pencil Company, two days after the crime. Scott previously had said the Pinkertons were on the case to find the guilty man, even though it might be Frank. His latest statement is believed to

Thomas B. Felder, and his expansive smile. This photograph was taken before Chief Beavers started out to make him prove his charges. What sort of a smile will Felder wear when Beavers gets through with him? Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 26th, 1913 Chief of Police Beavers and Chief of Detectives Lanford both stated emphatically Monday that they intended to go to the full limit of the law in making Thomas B. Felder prove his charges of graft in the police department. Both Beavers and Lanford will take the matter before the Grand Jury, and they will take other action in

Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 27th, 1913 C. W. Tobie, chief criminal investigator for the Burns Detective Agency, formally withdrew from the Phagan investigation Tuesday morning. The calling off of the Burns forces was announced by Dan P. Lehon, superintendent of the Southern branch, after Tobie had stated explicitly that he would not withdraw from the case. Colonel Thomas B. Felder, who brought the Burns detectives into the Phagan case, would make no statement relative to their withdrawal but announced that it did not mean the end of his investigation or connection with the case. Tobie made up his mind last

Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 27th, 1913 Attorney Carl Hutcheson Accuse Beavers of Permitting Unlawful Houses to Operate. GAMBLER'S PLOT, SAYS LANFORD IN HOT REPLY Detective Head Declares "Ring" Is Trying to Fix Charge of Bribery Against Him. Ignoring the fresh volley of charges made by Carl Hutcheson, an attorney, who offers to cite resorts which are allowed to operate by the city police. Chief Beavers Tuesday morning reiterated his declaration that the entire matter would be laid bare before the Grand Jury for decision. Detective Chief Lanford revealed another angle of the warfare when he declared that the fight being

Luther Z. Rosser, who is leading attorney of counsel for the defense of Leo M. Frank, indicted for the murder of Mary Phagan at the National Pencil factory. Mr. Rosser, as usual, is playing a game of silence. He has not indicated his line of defense. Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 27th, 1913 What will be the defense of Leo M. Frank when he is called upon next month to answer to the charge of strangling little Mary Phagan? With the confident announcement of the police Monday that they had completed a case against the factory superintendent that was as conclusive

Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 27th, 1913 Negro, Whose Story That He Wrote Notes at Frank's Dictation Is Generally Disbelieved, Was Often Drunk. Mrs. White Can Not Identify Him. Suspicion in the Phagan case was Tuesday morning turned full-flare upon James Conley, the negro whose unexpected assertion last week that he had written the notes found beside the body of Mary Phagan, at the dictation of Leo M. Frank, was followed by a speedy indictment of the pencil factory superintendent. In the opinion of E. F. Holloway, timekeeper and foreman in the factory, Conley is the guilty man. Careful study of

Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 28th, 1913 Declares That He Will "Clean Out" Disorderly Places When Hutcheson Furnishes List. Renewed crusades to clean out vice in Atlanta have been precipitated by the publication Tuesday of an open letter to Chief of Police Beavers by Carl Hutcheson, an Atlanta attorney. Chief Beavers called up Hutcheson with a demand for his information, asking names, addresses and character of occupants, and declared Wednesday that he would proceed to clean up if the requested information was furnished. Hutcheson is now preparing a list of the places which he declared are immoral and told the chief

Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 28th, 1913 Negro Sweeper in New Affidavit Denies His Former Testimony and Makes Startling Assertions; Now Declares He Wrote Notes Saturday. James Conley, negro sweeper, in an affidavit made Wednesday, said that he was lying when he said he went to the National Pencil Factory on Friday. He said that he made the statement that it was Friday when Frank (as he says) told him to write the death notes, because he was afraid he would be accused of the murder of Mary Phagan if he told the truth. He said he felt that if he

Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 28th, 1913 Police Secure Admission From Negro Sweeper During Examination for Phagan Clews. Admission that he was in the National Pencil factory on the day of the murder of Mary Phagan was gained from James Conley, the negro sweeper on whom suspicion has turned, after cross-examination by detectives at police headquarters. The negro, who became the center of attention with his amazing story that Leo Frank had told him to write the death notes, changed his narrative again to-day. Confronted by E. F. Holloway, a foreman in the plant, he admitted having been in the factory

Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 28th, 1913 Mrs. Rebecca Brannon Declares Her Belief in Innocence of Factory Superintendent. Mrs. Rebecca C. Brannon, 356 Forest Avenue, a well known Atlanta woman, has written a letter to The Georgian in defense of Leo M. Frank. Mrs. Brannon, in her communication, avows a strong belief in the pencil factory superintendent's innocence, and denounces the hardships which the law has thrust upon him. In line with its policy to present all sides of the Phagan case, The Georgian herewith prints Mrs. Brannon's letter: In the name of God, humanity, and justice, I beg the public

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 29th, 1913 All Evidence Gathered by His Operatives Sent to the Noted Detective. James Conley, the negro sweeper at the National Pencil Factory who has turned suspicion on himself with a maze of contradictory statements, was put through a gruelling third degree examination at police headquarters this afternoon. Pinkerton Detective Harry Scott said as the grilling began before Chief Beavers and Chief Lanford that he expected to glean important information. Scott had interviewed factory employees and was convinced that there were many things to be cleared up before the negro's second affidavit, on which the police

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 29th, 1913 With Detectives Looking On, Negro Shows How He Carried Girl's Body to Basement at Direction, as He Swear, of His Employer, Leo Frank. As a sensational climax to the confession of his part of the Mary Phagan tragedy, Jim Conley, negro sweeper, was taken to the National encil Factory Friday afternoon, where he enacted by movement every detail of the event that took place in the building of mystery after the death of the little girl. With the detectives noting every sentence that fell from the ready lips of the negro, Conley started from

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 29th, 1913 Believed Beavers Will Try to Have Grand Jury Consider Accusations Against Attorney. That bribery charges against Colonel Thomas B. Felder and others will be placed before the Fulton County Grand Jury by police officials, was the indication when G. C. February, secretary of Chief of Detectives Lanford, and the person alleged to have been offered $1,000 in bribe money, secured a subpena Thursday afternoon for A. S. Colyar, Jr., to appear before Solicitor General Dorsey and give testimony Friday morning. The subpena formally summoned Colyar, who was the author of the dictographing of Felder

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 29th, 1913 Swears Frank Told Him Girl Had Hit Her Head Against Something. The Georgian in it second Extra published exclusively the first REAL confession of James Conley, the negro sweeper at the National Pencil Factory, regarding the part he played in the Mary Phagan mystery. The Georgian has dealt in no haphazard guesses as to the negro Conley's testimony to the police and in giving prominence to his statements desires to say that it must not be taken as final until it is examined at the trial of Frank. Atlanta, Georgia, April 29, 1913. On

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 29th, 1913 Dorsey Ready to Act if Negro Sticks to Latest Story Accusing Frank. Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey announced that if Conley persisted in his story he would take steps to have him indicted as an accessory after the fact and bring him to trial on this charge. Conley was Friday afternoon removed to the Tower, on an order signed by Judge Roan. Conley's startling tale came late Thursday afternoon after he had been under a merciless sweating for nearly three hours. Noting the signs of weakening, Detective Harry Scott and Chief Lanford shot question

    Atlanta Georgian Friday, May 30th, 1913 Chief of Detectives Lanford admitted Friday morning that Jim Conley, under the rack of the third degree, had made the astounding confession that he had assisted Leo M. Frank in disposing of the body of the murdered Mary Phagan. His new statement is believed to contain even more startling admissions than have not yet been made public. If the negro sweeper is to be believed after his long series of deceits and lies, this forms the most damaging evidence that has been brought against Frank since suspicion was first pointed in his

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 31st, 1913 In all the grim annals of Atlanta's criminal history an illiterate negro, Jim Conley, stands out to-day the principal figure in one of the most remarkable and dramatically impressive "third degrees" ever administered by the city police. A chief of police, ordinarily stolid and unmoved, and chief of detectives and members of his force, a Pinkerton operative—all men in daily touch with every sort of crime and evil—hung with tensest interest on each word as it came from the lips of the negro, and watched, as wide-eyed as any tyro in man-hunting, the negro's

    Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 31st, 1913 Police Hope Meeting Will Prove Whether Negro Will Stick to Latest Story Under Eyes of the Man He Accuses—Ready to Pay Penalty. A determined effort is being made by the police department to bring Leo M. Frank face to face with his accuser, Jim Conley, the negro sweeper. The detectives wish to learn how Conley will go through the ordeal of confronting the man he accuses of directing the disposal of the body of Mary Phagan, and dictating the notes that were found her body. They desire also to give Frank an

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 31st, 1913 That The Georgian played a conspicuous part in obtaining the latest and most important confession from Jim Conley, the negro sweeper, in which he admitted his complicity in the crime, was the declaration of Chief of Detectives Newport Lanford late Friday afternoon. Chief Lanford, in telling of the cross-examination of Conley on Thursday afternoon which resulted in his confession, said that Conley for a long time persisted in maintaining that he knew no more of the crime than what which he had related previously. After several hours of futile questioning the chief showed him

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 31st, 1913 Will Reconvene Next Tuesday for Routine Business Only, Declares Foreman Beck. Lewis H. Beck, foreman of the Fulton County Grand Jury, which has been called to meet in special session at 10 o'clock next Thursday morning, said Saturday afternoon that the Grand Jury positively would not take up either the Phagan case or the Felder-Beavers row. The purpose of the special session, Mr. Beck said, was to appoint certain committee. Mr. Beck went a step furthere and said the Grand Jury had been called for no other purpose except to appoint these committees and

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June 1st, 1913 Negro Will Be Used as Material Evidence Against Frank, Says Solicitor Dorsey LEE LIKELY TO BE FREED Sweeper Sticks to Story Accusing Head of Pencil Factory of Phagan Slaying. The startling confessions by Jim Conley of the part he played in the Phagan murder mystery have not changed the State's case in any of its essential features, according to an announcement from Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey, at the close of a long examination of the negro yesterday. Stormed at for several hours by the Solicitor and the city detectives, Conley's story was unchanged

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June 1st, 1913 By AN OLD POLICE REPORTER. Developments came thick and fast during the past week, and one is able to approach consideration of the Phagan case to-day with more assurance and ease of mind than heretofore. Distinctly have the clouds lifted, so I think, from about Leo Frank, and if not yet are they "in the deep bosom of the ocean buried," they have, nevertheless I take it, served to let a measure of the sunshine in. Leo Frank, snatching eagerly at that faltering ray of blessed and thrice-welcome light, may thank the negro Conley

  Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June 1st, 1913 ‘He Has Told the Whole Truth—There's Not a Lawyer Who Can Shake Him,' Asserts Chief. Jim Conley has told the whole truth—there's not a shadow of a doubt about it. We feel perfectly satisfied now with the case against Frank. If we had the least suspicion that his story were false, we could not feel satisfied—we would be puzzled and worried just as much as when the crime was first committed. Conley's evidence cinches the case against Frank. He will go on the witness stand in the trial of Frank and tell his

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June, 1st, 1913 Does Not Deviate In Least From Detailed Story Despite Traps to Snare Him FRANK APPEARS PLEASED Prisoner Tells His Friends That Sweeper's Affidavit Is Good News to Him A gruelling cross-examination of Jim Conley, confessed accessory in the murder of Mary Phagan, in an effort to break down his charges against Leo M. Frank as the actual slayer of the little girl, was made by Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey late Saturday afternoon. Before the rapid-fire questioning, in which every imaginable snare was set to entrap him, the negro did not deviate one iota

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June 1st, 1913 Parents Intended to Give Child Happy Surprise—Now They Will Strew Flowers on Her Grave in Marietta Churchyard. By MIGNON HALL. This will be the saddest Sunday with Mary Phagan's family since that fatal Sunday just five weeks ago when the little girl's body was found hidden away in the basement of the National Pencil factory. For to-day is Mary's birthday, and it had been planned by her mother and stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Coleman, that they would give her a party. If she had lived it would have been celebrated last night

Atlanta Georgian Monday, June 2nd, 1913 Defense to Cite Discrepancies in Time to Disprove Conley's Affidavit—Sheriff Denies Friends of Superintendent Approached Sweeper in Cell. After a two-hour grilling by Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey Minola McKnight, a negro woman about 21 years old, was taken to police headquarters and is held under suspicion in connection with the murder of Mary Phagan. She is believed to have made sensational disclosures to the solicitor. At the police station she was in hysteria, shouting: "I am going to hang, but I didn't do it." * * * Five persons will be prepared to testify

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, June 2nd, 1913 Dictograph conversations and alleged bribery charges will be discussed by Chief of Police Beavers and Solicitor General Hugh Dorsey at a conference to be held to-day. Chief Beavers is ready to have every one who had anything to do with the graft charges called before the Grand Jury, and if conspiracy can be proven it is very probable there will be indictments. However, it is all up to Solicitor General Dorsey just what will be done. It is thought that, owing to the present state of the Phagan case, the dictographers will not

Atlanta Georgian Monday, June 2nd, 1913 Woman Questioned by Dorsey, Becomes Hysterical; Solicitor Refuses to Tell Whether She Gave Important Information; Alibi for Defense. Minola Mcknight, the negro cook in the household of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Selig, 68 Georgia Avenue, with whom Leo M. Frank lived, was put through the severest sort of grilling in the office of Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey Monday in an effort to break down Frank's alibi which tends to show that he was at home about the time James Conley swore the notes found by Mary Phagan's body were written. The negro woman grew

Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, June 3rd, 1913 Defense Prepares to Show Glaring Discrepancies in Affidavit of James Conley. "Developments of a startling nature may be expected from day to day in the Phagan case," said Chief of Detectives Lanford Tuesday morning. "They may be expected right up to the date that the trial of Leo Frank begins. "That we feel we practically have a conclusive case against the factory superintendent does not mean that we are resting in our labors to the slightest extent. We are a little more at rest in our minds, that is all. "The detectives are working

Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, June 3rd, 1913 Attorney Ready to Go Before Grand Jury, but Has Not Been Called; Hutcheson Summoned in the Airing of the Dictograph Controversy. Colonel Thomas B. Felder appeared before the Grand Jury Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, prepared, he said, to substantiate every charge he had made against the police department and its heads, and promising to open the eyes of the city to a condition of affairs that was startling in the extreme. "I have not been served with a subpena to go before the Grand Jury," Colonel Felder said, "but Mr. Hutcheson has been,

Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, June 4th, 1913 Says She Heard Frank's Wife Tell Mother Frank Had Threatened Suicide Incoherent Statement by Employee of Frank Household That Must Not Be Taken as Legal Evidence Until Heard and Corroborated in Court. Another sensational but strangely incoherent affidavit in the Mary Phagan mystery was made public this afternoon when the police gave out what purports to be a startling statement sworn to by Minola McKnight, negro cook in the Frank household, who was grilled for two hours at police headquarters Tuesday. The statement quotes the McKnight woman as declaring that she overheard Mrs. Leo

Mayor James G. Woodward (left), leaving Grand Jury room after testifying in vice probe; Thomas B. Felder (middle), who exonerates Beavers of graft charges but declares war on Lanford; Carl Hutcheson (right), who gave Grand Jury list of "houses in our midst." Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, June 4th, 1913 Police Commissioner Accused Before Grand Jury of Brawl in Disorderly House. As a climax of revelations made before the Grand Jury in its probe of vice conditions in Atlanta, Police Commissioner William F. Fain was named as the central figure in a carousal said to have been held in a house on

Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, June 4th, 1913 While police activities have been turned to this line of investigation, the negro sweeper, Jim Conley, has been given a rest. Chief of Detectives Lanford stated that the negro would be quizzed no more. Cook Counted on by Defense. "If he has not told the whole truth," said the Chief, "he will send for me within the next few days, I believe." The cook is one of the five witnesses upon whom the defense has relied to prove that Frank returned home for luncheon at 1:20 o'clock the Saturday afternoon of the murder and

  Atlanta Georgian Thursday, June 5th, 1913 Attorney Reiterates Graft Accusations Following Lanford's Defiance—Offers More Proof. Newport A. Lanford, Chief of Detectives, issued a statement Thursday morning defying Colonel Thomas B. Felder, or anyone, to substantiate the charge of graft made against him and his department in the Grand Jury's probe of vice conditions and alleged corruption in the detective and police departments. "I defy Felder, or anyone, to prove to the Grand Jury that a penny of graft has ever gone into the detective department, and I defy him to substantiate one of his blackmailing utterances against me. He

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, June 5th, 1913 Utter repudiation of the affidavits which she was alleged to have sworn to incriminating conversations in the home of Leo M. Frank, indicted for the slaying of Mary Phagan, was made Thursday by Minola McKnight, negro cook for the accused factory superintendent and his wife's parents. The woman denies absolutely every statement attributed to her by the police, and denies that she even signed the paper made public by the police. The Georgian presented the McKnight affidavit to its readers with the distinct admonition that it must not be accepted as credible evidence until

Portrait of Lucille Selig Frank Atlanta Georgian Thursday, June 5th, 1913 Following the complete denial by Minola McKnight, cook in the household of Leo M. Frank, of the statements she is alleged to have made in the sensational police affidavit given out Wednesday, Mrs. Leo M. Frank Thursday made her first public statement on the Mary Phagan mystery. Mrs. Frank makes an eloquently pathetic defense of her husband and attacks Solicitor General Dorsey's methods in the securing of evidence, charging torture and a deliberate determination to distort facts. Mrs. Frank denies absolutely that her husband in any way demeaned himself

Atlanta Georgian Thursday, June 5th, 1913 With the time when Leo M. Frank will go on trial for the murder of Mary Phagan rapidly approaching, perhaps no greater reinforcement to the accused pencil factory superintendent in facing his ordeal has been made than that in the person of his mother, who is now in Atlanta at the Selig home. Mrs. Frank came on from Brooklyn, where she makes her home, and where Frank himself formerly resided. She will remain until after the trial. A woman of considerable age, Mrs. Frank has shown wonderful bravery in coming to share her son's

George Gentry, operator of the dictograph, alleged to have trapped Colonel T. B. Felder and Mayor Woodward. Gentry now is missing. Atlanta Georgian Thursday, June 5th, 1913 Probers Question Colyar and Febuary About Alleged Admissions by Negro. Chief Lanford, in discussing the near-fight between himself and Attorney Felder in Solicitor Dorsey's office Thursday morning, characterized his opponent as all bluff. "Felder is a coward and void of all truth," declared Chief Lanford. "If I had been left with him alone for one minute I would have showed the rascal up. I wouldn't have cared if he had a dozen pistols.

L. H. Beck, foreman of Fulton County Grand Jury that is investigating vice conditions in Atlanta, the Felder bribery charges and the famous dictograph row. Mr. Beck is the one who launched the probe of reports that vice exists here. Atlanta Georgian Friday, June 6th, 1913 Resort in Spring Street Flourishes While Injunction Prevents Police Interference It became known Friday that Chief of Police James L. Beavers made the startling charge before the vice investigating Grand Jury that the courts of the State of Georgia made it impossible for him to close the most notorious resort that had ever operated

Atlanta Georgian Friday, June 6th, 1913 St. Louis, June 6.—That a negro, who is alleged to have said he witnessed the murder of Mary Phagan in Atlanta, is under arrest in Cairo, Ill., and is about to be returned to Atlanta by a Pinkerton detective, was the information brought into St. Louis today by a passenger who declared he overheard a conversation betwene the detective and an attorney in the case who were on the train en route to Cairo. According to the passenger, the negro has admitted that he was in Atlanta with a show at the time of

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, June 7th, 1913 The defense of Leo Frank against the charge of murdering Mary Phagan will be more than a mere attempt to clear Frank's skirts. It will seek directly to fix upon James Conley, negro, full and complete responsibility for the crime. Despite the secretiveness and the silence of Frank's attorneys, it has been ascertained with a reasonable degree of authority that the foregoing is the program of the defense, and that the defense believes itself abundantly prepared to take care of itself along that line. An ironclad alibi, covering all the time cited in the

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, June 7th, 1913 Getting New Evidence to Show Negro Was Located in Factory—Theory Explains Mystery of Staple Pulled From Back Door of Basement. The defense of Leo Frank against the charge of murdering Mary Phagan will be more than a mere attempt to clear Frank's skirts of the crime. It will seek directly to fix upon James Conley, negro, full and complete responsibility for the crime. Despite the secretiveness and the silence of Frank's attorneys, it has been ascertained with a reasonable degree of authority that the foregoing is the program of the defense, and that the

Atlanta Georgian Saturday, June 7th, 1913 Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey refused late Saturday afternoon to make reply to the reiterated accusations of Mrs. Leo M. Frank that "torture chamber" methods were made use of by the state to secure evidence from witnesses. "I havn't had time to read Mrs. Frank's statement fully," declared Mr. Dorsey, "and even though I did read it, I do not know that I would reply to it." Mrs. Frank's second letter was made public Saturday morning and is as follows: Atlanta Georgia, June 7, 1913. Editor Atlanta Georgian: I think fairness to Mr. Frank requires

Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June 8th, 1913 Average Atlantan Believes Frank is Guilty, but That Little Real Evidence Has Yet Pointed to Him as Slayer. Stirring Defense by Wife and Attack on Solicitor Dorsey Are Two Striking Features of Week's Progress in Case. by AN OLD POLICE REPORTER. I have thought a good deal during the past week about a fine young newspaper man I used to know some fifteen years ago, and particularly of the last thing he said to me before he died. He was a Georgian, too. We had been college mates and fraternity mates, and all that

Atlanta Georgian Monday, June 9th, 1913 R. P. Barrett, in Letter to Georgian, Gives Reasons for Suspecting Negro of Crime. R. P. Barrett, foreman of the metal department at the National Pencil Factory, in a letter to The Georgian Monday, gives his reasons for believing that Jim Conley, negro sweeper at the plant, attacked and strangled Mary Phagan. It was Barrett who found the strands of hair on the lathing machine in his department. This is supposed to be where the girl was thrown against the machine in her struggles. Later Barrett testified positively that the blood stains in the

The Atlanta Georgian June 9, 1913 Luther Z. Rosser, chief of counsel for Leo M. Frank, issued the first public statement Tuesday that he has made since the arrest of the factory superintendent six weeks ago on the suspicion of being the murderer of Mary Phagan. He took occasion to point out many of the absurdities in the stories of the negro Jim Conley, and paid his respects in a forcible manner both to Chief of Detectives Lanford and Colonel Thomas B. Felder, who have been accusing each other of trying to protect Frank. Mr. Rosser explained the violation of

Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, June 10th, 1913 Story That Companion of Conley Saw Him Strike Down Girl Opens New Clews. Jim Conley, whose sensational story has made him an accessory after the fact in the murder of Mary Phagan, is sticking closely to the details he unfolded in his remarkable affidavit, according to his attorney, William M. Smith. Mr. Smith said Tuesday morning that Conley has varied in no essential particular from the original tale of his part in the disposal of the body of the strangled girl, under the direction of Leo Frank. To Mr. Smith and others who have

The Atlanta Georgian June 10, 1913 Assistant Solicitor E. A. Stephens virtually admitted this afternoon that Police Commissioner W. P. Fain had been indicted. There was a division of the vote, it was said, but the majority was for indictment. With blank bills of indictment against Attorney Thomas B. Felder and Police Commissioner W. P. Fain under consideration, the vice probe by the Fulton County Grand Jury took a sensational turn Tuesday. Two witnesses told of disorder and rowdyism in a house at 40 East Harris Street, in which the Police Commissioner was said to have been involved. The disorder,

The Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, June 11, 1913 Chief of Detectives Newport Lanford telegraphed Chief of Police Beavers in Washington, D. C., Wednesday morning to investigate the origin of the affidavit bearing the signature of George M. Gentry in connection with the dictograph plot. The detective chief asked Chief Beavers to find Jeannette Henning, the notary in the national capital who swore Gentry to his statement, and ascertain if the stenographer signed the affidavit which was brought to Atlanta by Detective E. O. Miles. The telegram asked that a minute investigation of the statement be made and the conditions under which

The Atlanta Georgian June 11, 1913 Attorney Explains Disposition of Money Subscribed to Secure Burns' Services. Colonel Thomas B. Felder Wednesday issued an itemized statement of the funds subscribed by Atlanta citizens, to secure the employment of the Burns Detective Agency to investigate the Phagan mystery, to show that these funds had been returned to the donors. According to Mr. Felder's statement, but $102 was actually subscribed. This amount was placed in the hands of Curtis N. Anderson, a member and treasurer of the law firm of Felder, Anderson, Dillon & Whitman. In a letetr to Colonel Felder, dated June

The Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, June 11, 1913 In New Sworn Statement Gentry Declares He Came to Realize He Was Dealing with "Bunch of Crooks"—Charges Lanford and Beavers Names Were Inserted. That the dictograph conversations in which it was plotted to trap Colonel Thomas B. Felder, Mayor Woodward and C. C. Jones were padded and altered in meaning is the sensational charge brought back to Atlanta in an affidavit sworn to by George M. Gentry, who fled to Washington after the conversations, in their alleged garbled form, had been offered for publication by A. S. Colyar, Jr., and printed. Gentry's charges

Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, June 11th, 1913 Judge Roan Gives Suspect Chance to Show Why He Should Not Be Released. The Phagan case took a queer turn Wednesday afternoon when Judge Roan, apparently stirred by Luther Z. Rosser's araignment of the way Jim Conley has been "petted" by the police, issued notice to suspects in the mystery that they will be given opportunity Friday to show cause why the negro should not be released from custody as a suspect. However, the move is strictly legal in character, Conley, through his attorney, W. M. Smith, having signed a written statement to stay

The Atlanta Georgian Thursday, June 12, 1913 Detective Chief Ready to Have Accuser Confront Prisoner Before Grand Jury. New sensations are expected in the Phagan mystery Friday morning when the petition of Solicitor Dorsey for the revocation of the order holding James Conley as a material witness is heard before Judge L. S. Roan. Luther Z. Rosser, attorney for Leo Frank, will be afforded his first opportunity formally to present his reasons for the holding of James Conley, not only as a material witness in the baffling murder mystery, but as an actual suspect. While it is not anticipated that

Atlanta Georgian Friday, June 13th, 1913 Chief of Detectives Lanford Receives No Order to Take the Negro Sweeper to Court. A more explicit accusation of murder against Jim Conley, negro sweeper at the National Pencil Factory, than has yet been made since his name has been connected with the Phagan mystery, was expected Friday morning when Luther Z. Rosser, attorney for Leo Frank, was to appear before Judge L. S. Roan to combat Solicitor Dorsey's move to keep Conley at the police station and away from the tower. The probability that Conley, accuser, and Frank, accused, would be brought face

The Atlanta Georgian Friday, June 13, 1913 Rosser Declares ‘Gibbering Statements' Point Out Sweeper as Guilty of Slaying. James Conley, self-confessed accessory after the fact in the murder of Mary Phagan, Friday was discharged by Judge L. S. Roan entirely from the custody of the State on the petition of Solicitor Dorsey. Technically free, Conley was at once rearrested and held by the police on suspicion in the murder mystery. The action of Judge Roan constituted a victory for Solicitor Dorsey, who was fighting to prevent the authorities returning Conley to the Tower, from which he had been taken on

The Atlanta Georgian Saturday, June 14, 1913 Attorney for Conley Injects Politics Into Dispute Over Negro's Place of Confinement. William M. Smith, counsel for James Conley, confessed accessory after the fact in the killing of Mary Phagan, in a statement Saturday sought to make a political issue out of his controversy with Sheriff Mangum over the alleged treatment Conley received while in the Tower. Attorney Smith employed references to his own previous statement that the jail was five stories high; was divided into four wings with seventeen cell blocks distributed over five floors, to discredit Sheriff Mangum's characterization of the

The Atlanta Georgian Saturday, June 14, 1913 With certain of the strong defenses of Leo M. Frank exposed by the preliminary battle over the custody of the negro Conley, the prosecution in the Phagan murder mystery went to work on the case to-day with its first definite idea of the sort of a stronghold it must assault. It was assured that the accused man's lawyers would not rest with fighting suspicion away from Frank, but would seek to fasten the guilt so firmly upon Conley that Frank not only would be acquitted, but that he would be cleared of every

The Atlanta Georgian Monday, June 16, 1913 A. S. Colyar is in Atlanta again, promising to spring some more sensations. The investigator who engineered the dictographing of Thomas B. Felder and Mayor Woodward has been in Washington. He sent a letter to Atlanta before him, saying he objected to being made a goat. It is believed Colyar saw George M. Gentry while in Washington and got from him an affidavit. This is said to be much the same as the one printed admitting that the dictograph records had been padded, as charged in Gentry's recent affidavit, but that the general

The Atlanta Georgian Monday, June 16, 1913 Attorney Hooper Declares State Is Prepared for Any Move the Defense May Make. Frank A. Hooper, the well-known criminal lawyer who has been engaged to assist Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey in the trial of Leo M. Frank for the alleged murder of Mary Phagan, said Monday that the case was complete and was ready for presentation in court at any time. Mr. Hooper asserted that the attorneys interested in the prosecution had investigated every angle of the mystery so thoroughly and fortified themselves against any defense that Frank will present, that practically

  The Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, June 17, 1913 Out-of-Town Trips Believed To Be of Great Importance—Defense Has Strong Evidence. Frank A. Hooper, associate counsel with Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey in the prosecution of the Phagan murder mystery, left Atlanta Monday for a trip to Indianapolis. Attorney Hooper was the third man closely connected with the Phagan case to leave town within a space of three days. Colonel Thomas B. Felder, who took an active part in the hunt for the slayer of Mary Phagan until the dictograph controversy arose, left Sunday, saying that he was going to Cincinnati. He

  The Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, June 18, 1913 Extensive Preparations Made to Accommodate Great Crowd Expected at Hearing. When twelve books of evidence of more than 100 pages each were turned over to the Solicitor's office Wednesday morning by his stenographers, Assistant Solicitor General E. A. Stephens announced the State could now go to trial on 48 hours' notice. No evidence would be introduced, he said, except by witnesses who had already been questioned by the Solicitor. To bring out the salient points in the evidence of each witness, the Solicitor plans to question them from the books. They will

The Atlanta Georgian Thursday, June 19, 1913 DEFENSE HAS WITNESSES TO REFUTE WOMAN Learns Identity of Other Persons in Home on Night of the Phagan Slaying. That the defense in the trial of Leo M. Frank will be able, if it wishes, to produce three or four witnesses who will testify that the affidavit of Mrs. Mima Formby is untrue was discovered Thursday when the identity of the other persons in the house of Mrs. Formby, 400 Piedmont Avenue, the night of April 26, when Mary Phagan was murdered, was learned. It was from Mrs. Formby that the detectives obtained

The Atlanta Georgian Friday, June 20, 1913 Few Witnesses of the Scores Examined Will Be Called When Case Is Heard. That the trial of Leo M. Frank will take a much shorter time that is generally thought was indicated in a statement by Judge L. S. Roan. The judge said the greatest difficulty and almost as great a length of time would be consumed in drawing a jury as in the hearing of the case. He said the actual taking of evidence might not consume more than a day. Judge Roan intimated that he expected neither side to introduce the

The Atlanta Georgian Saturday, June 21, 1913 I have not been employed in the case to prosecute Leo M. Frank, but to help find and convict the murderer of Mary Phagan. If the trial proves we are wrong, we will begin work on another angle. We have but one object and idea. It is that justice and the law be vindicated. We are, however, convinced we have a strong case against the accused. FRANK A. HOOPER, Attorney. Mrs. Mina Formby and her sensational affidavit will not be used by the State in the trial of Leo M. Frank, according to

Reuben Arnold, noted Atlanta lawyer, who in a statement to The Sunday American says he will help defend Leo M. Frank, accused of slaying Mary Phagan. The Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June 22, 1913 Declares Prisoner is Innocent Has Studied Case Deeply, He Says Noted Lawyer, in Statement to Sunday American, Tells Why He Has Decided to Take Up the Defense of the Accused Man. Negro Conley, in New Interview, Asserts He Is Eager to Face Leo M. Frank in Court and Repeat Story of Alleged Part in Crime. Positive confirmation of the report that he would be one of counsel

    The Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June 22, 1913 Writer Declares He Has Only Worked for Fair Trial and Fair Play—Race Question Is No Issue in Phagan Case—Rosser Not Writer. By AN OLD POLICE REPORTER. There were few developments in the Phagan case last week that to my mind were worth considering seriously or that threw new light upon the mystery. Perhaps it was because of this that a good many people wrote letters to "The Old Police Reporter"—some commending my articles, others condemning them; but in every case indicating clearly that the interest has not lessened. I observe that

The Atlanta Georgian Monday, June 23, 1913 Defense Has Announced Its Case Is Complete and Judge Roan Is Free. Prosecuting Attorney Hugh M. Dorsey announced for the State Monday morning that the trial of Leo M. Frank would be placed on the calendar for the week of June 30. The defense had announced that its case was completed and no continuance would be asked unless some unforeseen contingency arose. The trial judge, L. S. Roan, will have the most to say about the date for the trial. He intimated he would be ready on this date and would personally make

The Atlanta Georgian Monday, June 23, 1913 Negro Conley Sticks to Affidavit Story When Again Cross-Examined by Dorsey. The first official action of the court in preparing for the trial of Leo M. Frank for the murder of Mary Phagan was taken Monday afternoon when Judge L. S. Roan impaneled 72 men, from whom a jury to hear the case will be sought. June 30 was agreed to by Judge Roan for the opening of the case. If a postponement is desired it will now have to be asked for in open court. As yet Judge Roan said he had

The Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, June 24, 1913 Dorsey, Beavers and Lanford Summoned to Appear June 30 With All Affidavits They Have Secured Relative to the Phagan Slaying Case. Just before the conference with both sides in the Frank case started Judge Roan intimated strongly that he would set the case for July 14 or July 28 and hold it in some more commodious court room than the one in which he sits on the fourth floor of the Thrower building. Judge Roan's personal inclination leans to a date in July, and it is not likely that the State or defense

  The Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, June 25, 1913 Police Resume Questioning of the Negro Sweeper Who Accuses Leo Frank. Puzzled by several of the statements of Jim Conley in regard to his part in the happenings the day that Mary Phagan was killed, the police have resumed the questioning from which the negro had been free since he was taken to the police station by the detectives. One point that has not been cleared up is why Conley saw every one else that went into or left the factory and yet failed to see Mary Phagan. Conley, on Sunday, was

Judge L.S. Roan, who will preside at trial of alleged slayer of Mary Phagan. The Atlanta Georgian Thursday, June 26, 1913 State, However, Must Prove She Entered Factory Before Mary Phagan. With the selection of the court room made Thursday, all is virtually in readiness for the trial of Leo M. Frank, accused of strangling Mary Phagan. The venire of jurymen has been selected and July 28 is fixed as the date, and both sides have announced they are ready to go into court. A definite decision was reached by Judge L. S. Roan to hold the trial on the

The Atlanta Georgian Friday, June 27, 1913 Grand Jury Indicts Lawyer and Head of Detectives for Attacks on Each Other. Three indictments charging criminal libel were returned Friday by the Grand Jury against Colonel Thomas B. Felder, the Atlanta attorney, and Newport Lanford, Chief of Detectives, who accused each other of most everything in the category after the famous dictograph episode. There are two bills against Felder and one against Lanford. The two men will be placed under bond and will be tried in the Fulton County courts under the misdemeanor act for unlawfully and maliciously accusing each other, according

The Atlanta Georgian Friday, June 27, 1913 Solicitor Closely Guards Data of Which City Detectives Have No Knowledge. New activity was injected into the Phagan case Friday when James Conley, negro sweeper at the National Pencil Factory, was removed secretly from his cell in police station and closely questioned by Frank Hooper, who will aid Solicitor Dorsey in the prosecution of Leo Frank. The move was surrounded with the utmost secrecy. The negro was taken from his cell by Detective Starnes, and behind locked doors questioned anew in the room used by the Police Commissioners. He had been in for

  The Atlanta Georgian Saturday, June 28, 1913 With the simplest ceremonies in the history of the State, marked by the absence of all military display and red tape, John Marshall Slaton becomes Governor of the State of Georgia in the hall of the House of Representatives of the State Capitol Saturday at 12 o'clock noon, succeeding Governor Joseph M. Brown. The joint committee on inaugural arrangements selected from the memberships of the Senate and the House has conformed to the expressed desires of Governor-elect Slaton in preparing for his induction into office, and there is none of the pomp

  The Atlanta Georgian Saturday, June 28, 1913 * Conley's Admission Strengthens Rumor That He Saw Child Just Before Slaying. Frank A. Hooper, associated with Solicitor Dorsey in the prosecution of Leo M. Frank on the charge of strangling Mary Phagan, admitted Saturday that Jim Conley, negro sweeper at the National Pencil Factory, had made important additions to the story of his part in the murder mystery and had told of circumstances on the day of the crime which he had revealed in none of his previous statements. A persistent report that Conley had made the startling admission that he

The Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June 29, 1913 * * Alternate headline from another page is shown in brackets above. By An Old Police Reporter. As deplorable as the Phagan case is in all its melancholy details, it already is evident enough that there will come of it eventually much that the community may be thankful for. In the first place, Atlanta and Georgia, and incidentally the entire South will have learned a good lesson in law and order, justice and fair play, and to that extent may be the better prepared for the next case of the kind that comes

  The Atlanta Georgian Sunday, June 29, 1913 Great Array of Finger-Print and Blood-Stain Students Will Give Their Views. The trial of Leo M. Frank will bring forth the most prominent array of criminal and medical experts ever grouped in a Southern court room. This became known Saturday when Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey began making preparations to have the skilled investigators who have worked in the Phagan case return to Atlanta for the trial, July 28. The defense has not been idle and is prepared to have an expert on almost every conceivable angle to introduce in rebuttal. Fingerprint experts

The Atlanta Georgian Monday, June 30, 1913 DEFENSE PLANS TO TEAR DOWN CONLEY TALE* * This headline appeared on Page 3 of the Georgian. Expect to Prove Frank Innocent By Discrediting Negro's Story Of Phagan Crime. Warned that the State is basing practically all of its expectations of sending Leo M. Frank to the gallows on the dramatic story told by Jim Conley, the defense this week is completing the collection of a strong line of evidence with which it is planned utterly to discredit the negro's statements and his testimony in court. Conley again has insisted on confronting Frank.

The Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, July 1, 1913 Grand Jury Develops Sensational Sequel to Famous Dictograph Scandal. A. S. Colyar, Jr., dictographer of Colonel Thomas B. Felder, Mayor Woodward and C. C. Jones, was indicted by the Grand Jury on the charge of criminal libel Tuesday forenoon. Colyar is the man who sought to trap Colonel Felder by means of the dictograph into offering a bribe of $1,000 for certain affidavits in the Phagan case in the possession of the police. The dictograph records as furnished an afternoon newspaper by Colyar contained the offer. Colonel Felder swore the records were padded.

The Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, July 1, 1913 The Fulton County Grand Jury returned no bill against A. S. Colyar, Jr., Tuesday forenoon on the charge of criminal libel.  Colyar came into prominence a few weeks ago by dictographing Colonel Thomas B. Felder, Mayor Woodward and C. C. Jones in Williams House No. 2. Colyar is the man who sought to trap Colonel Felder by means of the dictograph into offering a bribe of $1,000 for certain affidavits in the Phagan case in the possession of the police. The dictograph records as furnished an afternoon newspaper by Colyar contained the offer.

The Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, July 1, 1913 Accused Man Declares He's Anxious Even for Prosecution to Cross-Examine. Surpassing in interest any of the other testimony at the trial of Leo M. Frank will be the story related on the stand by the accused man himself. That Frank will make a detailed statement of his movements on the day that Mary Phagan was murdered is regarded as one of the certainties of the trial. It was learned Wednesday that Frank was desirous of going even further than this by being sworn and submitting to a cross-examination by the attorneys for the

The Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, July 1, 1913 Grand Jury Reported as Seriously Considering Connection of Negro With the Crime. A well founded rumor Tuesday was to the effect that the Grand Jury had Jim Conley's connection with the Mary Phagan murder mystery under serious consideration with a view of finding an indictment against the negro on the charge of causing the death of the little factory girl. Announcement was made after the close of Tuesday's session that the present Grand Jury would hold its last session Wednesday, and it was reported that if action were not taken on Conley's case

The Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, July 1, 1913 JURY LIKELY TO GO OVER DORSEY'S HEAD Indictment of Negro Sweeper Would Be Severe Blow to Prosecution of Frank. That the Fulton County Grand Jury will go over the head of Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey and indict Jim Conley, the negro sweeper, for the murder of Mary Phagan, in connection with Leo M. Frank, was a probability which came to light Tuesday. While the report was not verified, its origin was such as to throw a bomb into the camp of the prosecution, as it will mean the indictment of the star

The Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, July 1, 1913 Grand Jury Declines to Indict Colyar for Reply to Attack of Colonel Felder charging A. S. Colyar, of Nashville, with libel, the Fulton county grand jury at its session on Tuesda ymorning refused to indict the Tennessean, returning a "no bill" in the case. Mr. Colyar has been in the limelight recently as a principal in the sensational dictograph episode, and has been engaged in a heated controversy with Colonel Thomas B. Felder. The Tennessean was charged specifically with libelling Mr. Felder in a card published over his signature in The Journal of

The Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, July 2, 1913 No Indication Given of Results of Investigation of Reports of Disorderly Houses. The result of the Grand Jury's sensational vice probe of a few weeks ago will be made known Wednesday when the presentments are returned to Superior Judge W. D. Ellis, who two months ago charged that an extensive investigation be made. Save when an indictment was returned against Police Commissioner W. P. Fain, which charged him with keeping a disorderly house and beating one of the women inmates, no inkling of the general trend of the probe got beyond the closed

The Atlanta Georgian Thursday, July 3, 1913 A petition filed Tuesday with the Clerk of the Superior Court by A. S. Colyar, Jr., asking for the disbarment of Colonel Thomas B. Felder from the practice of law in Georgia, has been withdrawn by Colyar on information that he first must submit his petition to the court for the determination of whether his grounds are sufficient to warrant an investigation and trial by jury. Colyar said Wednesday he would apply for a rule nisi. Until this is done there can be no action on his petition. The petition includes as reasons

The Atlanta Georgian Thursday, July 3, 1913 Attorney for Watchman Declares Client Knows Nothing of the Actual Crime. Bernard L. Chappell, attorney for Newt Lee, negro night watchman at the pencile factory, held in the Phagan case, stated Thursday morning that he would swear out a writ of habeas corpus for the release of the negro. Attorney Chappell stated that he had come to the conclusion that there was nothing the negro knew about the crime except finding the body, and that the State had no right to keep him without some charge or as a material witness. Lee was

The Atlanta Georgian Friday, July 4, 1913 Frank Defense Locates Witness Who Points to the Negro Sweeper as Slayer. A new witness, said to have the most damaging evidence yet produced against Jim Conley, the negro sweeper in the National Pencil factory, entered the Phagan case Thursday and made an affidavit, the contents fo which are carefully guarded by attorneys for Leo M. Frank, charged with causing the death of the factory girl. The identity of the witness is as much a secret as the exact nature of his testimony. It was learned, though, that the affidavit was made in

The Atlanta Georgian Saturday, July 5, 1913 Watchman's Lawyer Says He Will Await Return of Dorsey Before Filing Habeas Corpus. On account of the absence form the city of Prosecuting Attorney Hugh M. Dorsey, Bernard L. Chappell, attorney for Newt Lee, announced Saturday that he would not file a writ of habeas corpus until Monday. He claims in the petition for the release of the negro that Lee is being held unlawfully and without any charge against him. Solicitor Dorsey left for his country place at Valdosta, Georgia, Saturday morning. He will return Monday. Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey will

The Atlanta Georgian Saturday, July 5, 1913 Charges Preferred Against Another Patrolman and Suspension Is Near. Atlanta's police scandal was revived Saturday by the preferring of charges against another member of the police force. His suspension by Chief of Police James L. Beavers is expected to follow within a few hours. The subject of the accusations is the ninth policeman involved in the scandal. Chief Beavers would not make public the man's name until formal order of suspension was made. The charges against the majority of the policemen are they they frequented the notorious negro resort in the rear of

The Atlanta Georgian Saturday, July 5, 1913 Writ to Free Watchman From the Tower Will Be Filed—State to Oppose Liberation. The prosecution will fight an entirely new angle in the Phagan case Saturday morning when Barnard L. Chappell, attorney for Newt Lee, the negro night watchman, files a writ of habeas corpus for the release of the negro from the Tower, where he is being held without any charge against him. Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey will ask the courts to hold the negro as a material witness for the State, or may charge him with being an accessory. He