Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-12
FACE CONLEY
AND FRANK.
LANFORD
URGES
Detective Chief Ready to Have
ACCuser Confront Prisoner
Before Grand Jury,

New ensatlons are expected In the
Phagan mystery Friday morning
wnen the petition Of Solicitor Dorsey
for the revocation Of the order hold
ing James Conley as material wit
ness is heard before Judge L. s. Roam.
Luther u, Rosser, attorney for Leo
Frank. will be afforded his first OPP
portunity formally to present his rea-
sons for the holding Of James Conlev.
not only as a material witness in the
battling murder mystery. but as an
actual suspect
While II is not anticipated that the
attorney viii disclose his hand too
| freely, Il is to be supposed that he
will present every argument he be
'Iieves necessary TO keep the negro in
/ the custody Of the state
Lanford Agrees to Test.
Chief Of Detectives Lanford Thurs
day replied to the demand of Luther
y. Rosser that Jim Couley be taken
before the Grand Jury by making the
startling proposition that he would
take the negro to be questioned by
this body the instant that Rosser as
scented to having Frank before the
Grand Jury at the same time.
That this dramatic situation is not
beyond the pale Of possibilities with
in the next few days is indicated by
the attitude Of Franks friends. who
have been suggesting just such an
arrangement.
Chief Lanford Is Willing.
Il am perfectly willing that Coniey
should be taken before the Grand
Jury" said Chief Lanford. Il think
it only fair however, that Rosser per-
init his client to go there at the sans
time where he may be confronted BY
the negro and where the negro may
tell his story right before Frank.
Just the instant that Rosser CON
sents to an arrangement of this sort,
I will be prepared to have Conley on
his way TO the Grand Jury room.
There will be no delay. Il is irregu-
lar of course. but I am perfectly will
ing TO waive that phase Of the mat
ter The fact that Frank already is
indicted makes il unnecessary for
/ Conley to be called before the Grand
Jury TO give testimony against him"
chief Lanford. referring TO the eff
fort 10 remove Conley from the sta
ton house TO the Jail, said that he
would hold the negro at police head
quarters until there was a court or
der TO the contrary. He said that if
Solicitor Dorsey's petition was sue
/ cessful and Conley was freed from the
present court order that he would
still be held at the station as a ma
terial witness.
Attorney Rosser would make no
comment for publication on the prop
ositi0n made bv Chief Lanford, ex-
Cept TO say that he stood on his open
/ letter published earlier in the week.
In this letter he made an emphatic
demand that the Grand Jury investi-
gate Jim Conley. with a view Of in
dieting him as the possible murderer
of Mary Phagan.
Little Chance for Bargain.
It has been The attitude of the de-
I fens- from the start that it has no
/ reason 90 trade with the detective
| force and for this reason il is regard
cd as doubtful if the appearance OF
/ Couley and Frank before the Grand
Jury viii come as the result of a bar
| gain between Chief Lanford and At
I t0rney Rosser.
Attorney Rosser. however, will con-
| tinue to insist that it is within tho
I province and the duty Of the Grand
Jury to probe Jim ConIeys story and
TO indicr him as the suspected muir
derer. il the evidence warrants. In
| this investigation Leo Frank as an
indicted suspect, is in the hands Of
the Grand Jury and can be called al
any time. This makes it entirely pos
sibIe. if Chief Lanford consents Il
iIet Conley go before the Grand JSEX