Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-06
CONLEY, CHILLED BY
POLICE, AGAIN DENIES
COMPOSING KILLING
A. S. Colyar Bears Out Negroes De
NAL of the Existence of Any New
Afhdavits as Charged Before Jury.
Lanford Charges a Fielder Plot.

Strenuous denials Of any knowl-
edge of the mysterious affidavit re-
ported to have been made by Jim
Conley in which he was said to have
confessed to A. :. Colyar that he
murdered Mary Phagan was made to
Chief Of detectives Lanford Friday
by both men
Conley, on the grill declared that
he had never heard of Colyar until he
read his name in the newspapers in
connection with the photograph con-
troversy. The negro said he had
never either talked with him nor seen
him, and that he had at no time made
an affidavit other than the ones given
TO the police
Colyar made a similar denial
Following the examination, Lanford
declared that the whole report was
wholly without foundation He also
stated that Conley had reiterated the
truth of his former affidavit and that
there was nothing further 20 add
10 it,
Il attribute this report 10 Colonel
Folders work" said the chief 1T
merely shows again that Fielder is tr
league with the defense Of Frank.
that he attorney is trying to muddy
the waters Of this Investigation 10
shield Frank and throw the blame on
another.
Charges Fielder Plot.
This first became noticeable when
Fielder endeavored to secure the re-
lease Of Conley. His Interior motive,
am sure was the protection ~
Frank He had been informed thar
the negro had this damaging evidence
against Frank, and Fielder did an IN
his power to secure the negro's re-
lease. He declared that 10 was a
shame that the police should hold
Conley. an innocent negro.
He protested strenuously against
g. Yet not one time did Fielder at
tempt TO secure the release Of Newt
Lee or Gordon Bailey on the same
grounds. even though both OF these
negroes had been held longer than
Conley. This To me is significant Of
Felder's Interior motive in getting
Conley away from the police"
Peculiar Features.
A feature OF Conleys amdavIts and
stories which has struck many who
-. - 49,. ...r.. f- t1,, .r.rl.rs-,f
care which has been taken in fran
ing the declarations So that Conley
can not be held as an accessory to
the murder itself and so that the in
dictment can mold which charges Leo
Frank Of killing Mary Phagau by
strangulation
In the sensational affidavit in which
Conley swore that ne helped Frank
dispose Of the body there was no
mention Of the cord with which the
stranguIation was supposed 20 have
been accomplished u was only said
that Frank had told Conley that girl
had biz her head against something
back there This left nothing in the
negro's story TO indicate that the kill
ing had been Other than accidental
The indictment charging strangula-
ton would have had NO support in
the Negroes story.
An Omission Supplied
But the day that the negro went
through the factory with the detec-
tives and re-enaCted the tragedy this
omission was supplied. Conley was
standing at the paint where he said
ne had found the body and was de-
scribing the manner in which b. lay.
He was about 10 continue hy telling
Of placing it on his shoulder when
he was interrupted by one Of the Off
GERS.
Didn't you find any cord there ."
the officer asked.
Couley hesitated and then answered
that he had. and said that the cord
was right by the girls body. but that
he did not know that IL had been used
20 stranEle her.
Conley's story also avoided impli-
eating him as an accessory 10 the
murder by declaring that Frank had
said that the girl had struck her head
accidentally This relieved ConIey
from any guilty knowledge OF the
girls death. Had Conley framed his
story So as 90 have Frank admitting