Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-10
ASKS
GRAND JURY
GRILL FOR
CONLEY


Luther 2. Rosser, chief Of counse
for Leo NJ. Frank, issued the frs
public statement Tuesday that he ha
made since the arrest of the factor,
superintendent six weeks ago on tn
suspicion of being the murderer o
Mary Phagan,
He took occasion to point out man.
Of the absurdities in the stories o
the negro Jim Conley and paid hi
respects in a foroible manner both Il
Chief of Detectives Lanford and Colo
mel Thomas B. Fielder, who have beer
accusing each other Of trying to pro
teGt Frank.
Mr.. Rosser explained the violation
of his invariahle custom of maintain
ing absolute silence in regard to |
case in which he vas interested b!
calling attention TO the prejudice tina
had been aroused in the public mini
against Frank by the controversy be
tween Lanford and Colonel Fielder.
His statement, in full. follows:
M. Rosser's Statement.
Editor Atlanta Georgian:
Fielder and Lanford, in an eff
fort TO make progress In their
feud, charge each the other with
giving aid TO Leo Frank. Lanford
charges that Fielder was employed
by Frank and is seeking for that
reason to shield him. Fielder
charges that Lanford and his as
sooiates are also seeking, for
some reason. TO shield and pro-
tect Frank,
Both charges are untrue, and,
at a time when no harm could
come to an innocent man, might
well be treated as antidotes to
monotony.
Unfortunately, however, the
present situation Is such that
fair-minded citizens may be mis-
led by these counter charges.
Fielder does not, nor has he at
any time, directly or Indirectly,
represented Frank For Lanford
to charge the contrary does
Frank a serious injustice.
Fielder Against Frank.
If Chief LanfoTd had been in a
sane, normal mood, he would have
known that every act OF Fielder
mas been against Frank. The en-
gagement OF the Burns Agency
ought to have satisfied Lanford
No detective agency Of half pru-
dence would have double crossed
the Atlanta Department in the
Phagan case. Nor did Fielder have
excuse for suspicion against Lam
ford. There was reason TO sus-
pect his fairness, his accuracy
and the soundness Of his meth
ods, but not his reckless zeal
against Frank.
Had Fielder been in calm
mood I am sure he would never
have charged the Chief and his
associates with intention to help
Frank.
Lsnford at once. as soon as Eel
der charged him with favoring
Frank. settled in his mind the
guilt Of Frank, and from that mo-
ment has bent every energy Of
his department. not in finding the
murderer. but in trying TO prove
to the public that Fielder was
wrong in charging him with try
ing to shield Frank.
Frank Found Clean.
His department has exhausted
itself in an effort TO fix upon
Frank an immoral life, on the
theory that a violstor Of the Sew
enth Commandment was likewise
a murderer. This effort has
failed. No man in Atlanta has
had his moral character subjected
to such a test, and there is not in
the whole city Of Atlanta a half
dozen men who could have more
succe ssfully stoCS the test.
His employees, without a sin
gle exception. have made afiida-
Wits 10 his uprightness. Ian
lords department subpenaed ey-
cry one OF them before the Cor
oneT's jury, and after keeping
them more than two DAYS, did not
dare 20 swear a single one OF
them.
Before and after the Coroner's
verdict this whole city mas been