Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-11
MINCEYS STORY
JOLTS POLICE
To ACTIVITY
Steps Taken Immediately to Dis
credit Affidavit Published Ex-
cIusiveIy in The Georgian,

! afternoon that Mary Phagan was
/ slain. created a big stir Friday in po-
/ lice circles and immediate efforts
we're made to discredit the accusa-
lions against the negro.
Detectives set out at once on a
still hunt for Mincey. Lines were
/ thrown out to produce witnesses who
would swear that Mincey's word was
not to be depended upon. The de-
tective force, which virtually had
been resting on its oars in the Pha-
gan case for several weeks, was gall
vanized into action by the startling
charges made in the affidavit of Min
cey, which was first made public by
The Georgian.
Police Deny Being Told.
Interviews with the detective heads
brought denials that Mincey ever had
told them the story that was print
ed in The Georgian. Attorneys for
the defense, however, corroborated
the published details of the affida
Wit.
1T is correct in every detail" said
one Of the lawyers 1T was not the
| intention to make any Of our impor-
tant evidence public, but now that
Mincey's story has found its way into
print, there is nothing to do but ad-
nit that we have the affidavit and
that It makes the assertions which
The Georgian printed yesterday.
1T is only natural that an attempt
will be made to discredit Minceys
story. But we are assured of its
truth and are confident that it will
stand the test of all the investigation
that can be made"
]. S. Dukes, manager Of the Ameri
can Insurance Company. by whom
Mlncey was employed until two weeks
ago. was seen Friday and was dis
posed to discredit Mincey's AFFIDAVIT
He declared that Mincey was some
thing OF a braggart and that on the
Monday following the crime had as
serted his belief in the guilt of Newt
Lee. When Conley was arrested, said
Dukes, Mincey at once became just
as certain that Conley had committed
the crime.
"Mincey was wondering how much
money he might make as a witness
and seemed more concerned with this
phase Of the case than with the iden.
tity Of the murderer" said Dukes.
Conley Indictment Likely.
The speedy Indictment of Jim Con-
ley on the charge Of numbering Mary
Phagan was the strong possibility dis
cussed in court circles Friday follow
ing the sensational turn given the
stranglng mystery.
For nearly two months a self-con-
| fessed accessory after the fact of the
murder of the little factory girl. Con-
ley has been allowed to go without an
attempt at bringing an indictment
against him. The startling new evil
denCe which indicates most strongly,
II the Credibility of the defense's wiz
ness can be established, that Conley
was not the accessory after the fact,
but the actual principal in the crime,
is expected to result in a thorough in
vestigation by the Grand Jury of all
the rumors and stories which have
been in circulation of the negros con-
nection with the pencil factory trag
edy.
Dorsey Makes No Comment.
Solicitor Dorsey Friday morning
would make no comment on the new
evidence.
The detectives openly declared their
disbelief in the statements of Mincey.
They said that he told a different
story when he was a. police head
quarters and that ne asserted after
confronting the negro that Conley
was not the man with whom he talked
the afternoon that Mary Phagan was
| murdered.
Chief Lanford. of the city detec-
tives and Harry Scot. of the Pinker-
| tons, said that If MinCey had related
to them the story told in his sensa
tional affidavit they would have made
an immediate investigation in an at
| tempt to verify it and would have
sworn out a warrant charging Conley
with the murder If a basis for the
story could have been found.
Denies Police Assertions.
Minceys statement in so far as it
provides an answer to the detectives
was that he did tell the same story to
them, that he did idenGfy Conley as
|
| afternoon, and that the detectives
told him they didn't care to take his
! evidence
"Conley told me Saturday afternoon
that he had killed a girl, and didn't
want to kill anybody else" Mincey
swears he told the detectives
This man Mincev never made men
ton of having heard Conley say that
he had killed a girl. and MinCey never
even identified Conley." is the reply
of Detective Scott to this assertion.
Detective headquarters were thrown
! into excitement by the publication
of the startling developments With
in a few minutes Scott was in con-
| ference with Chief Lanford and it
was said that Z had been decided
10 make a search for Mincey with a
view of bringing him before Solicitor
| Dorsey for a Erilling in regard to his
! story accusing the negro.
News Oisturbs Dorsey.
| Solicitor Dorsey was evidently dis
| turbed by the new turn in the mys-
| terry, but would make no announce
| ment Of his intentions in respect to
! quizzing Mincey providing Mincey
! can be found. The witness is said to
| be in Chattanooga at present teach
! ing school Leo Franks lawyers, if
| they know MinCey's whereabouts, are