Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-08

d train wreck at Kitchens siding,
will take the stand III Renfroe s dt
next Tuesday morning. She is C
any theory of conspiracy the pros
Mrs. Costner declared positively
today that she would clear her
name of the stigma fastened upon
it by the accusations of railroad
officials by lending her testimony
to free Renfroe of a charge Of muir
der brought against HIM in con-
nection with the wreck.
Ed Renfroe, former railroad fireman
and close personal friend of Jake Cost
ner, who lived with the Costners in
their Atlanta home until the day South
ern train No. 43 left the rails at Kitch-
ems and Costner was killed, will be put
on trial for his life in ClarksviIe Tues
day Indicted with him is Tom Tanks
ley. Murray county youth who is al
legged to have MADE a full confession TO
railroad detectives duplicating Renfroe.
Tanksley while a prisoner in the Full
ton county jail denied any knowledge
Of the cause of the wreck.
Must Clear Her Name.
Mrs. Costner said today that she
could not sit idle in Atlanta and let the
trial take its course, when railroad de-
tectives had linked her name with that
Of Renfroe's in the hope of proving a
conspiracy to accomplish her husband s
death.
Il have heard 1t said that railroad de-
tectiVes have circulated the report in
Habersham county that Renfroe was
my husbands chauffeur and while my
husband was out of town / was driving
with him continually
There isn't a word of truth in that.
Ed Renfroe never drove an automobile
but then only because my husband
looked after him. He had been injured
in a train wreck when he worked for
the Southern as a fireman and was I'M
able to fire an engine. My husband
gave him some carpenter work on q
garage we were building"
Indications are that both the prose-
Mcmillan. assisted by attorneys for the
Southern railroad, and the defense Of
Renfroe. conducted by Edgar Lathum.
of Atlanta, and Edwards & Edwards,
of GAINESVILLE, are preparing for a des-
perate struggle.
While the case of the railroad has
not been outlined for publication, the
movements of officials indicate that
Tanksley's confession will play the most
important part Some sort of an at
tempt will be made to show that Rem
froe and Mrs. Costner entered into a
conspiracy
Strangely enough, the indictments re-
turned by the Habersham grand jury
against Renfroe and Tanksley charge
them with the Staying of Costner The
charge Of murder is made directly and
the indictments were not returned UNI
der the special statute providing pun
ishment for train wrecking.
The name OF the negro fireman who
was killed in the wreck. or the names
Of any of the persons injured appear
nowhere in the bills.
Conspiracy Theory.
At least the defense is confident that
the conspiracy theory will be played
prominently by the prosecution, for
Mrs Costner has consented to go to
GAINESVILLE on that superstition.
The theories and cross theories which
have been advanced as to the exact
cause of the Southern wreck at Kitch-
ems siding have given the whole case an
air of mystery.
ON October 4, at 4:30 O'Clock in the
morning. Southern passenger No. 43.
due in Atlanta at $50 o'clock. jumped
the track at Kitchens siding mile
south of Cornella. Jake Costner. cnei-
neer, and a negro fireman We're killed
outright. Tire forward coaches OF the
train were demolished ana several per-
sons injured.
Since the wreck damage suits aggre-
eating $15o,000 have been filed i'm the
Habersham courts against the South
ern railroad. Mrs. Costner sued for
$4,000 damages for the death Of her
husband.
Renfroe, who is said to have been in
Cornelia the day before the wreck. was