Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-12
CONLEY KEPT
On GRILL
4HOURS
After GrueIIing Third Degree,
Officials Refuse to Deny or
Affirm Negro Confessed.

Habeas corpus proceedings to re-
lease Newt Lee collapsed in the court
of Judge Ellis Saturday morning.
BY agreement, Bernard L. Chap
pell, representing Lee. withdrew his
application for a habeas corpus; So
licitor Dorsey promised to present a
bill against Lee as a suspect in the
Phagan murder case, with the expec-
tation that a mo bill" would be re-
turned. This appeared satisfactory to
the attorneys for Lee, as well as to
the State.
Luther q. Rosser, Reuben R. Arnold
and Herbert ]. Haas, of counsel for
Frank, were in court to fight against
the appearance of Frank as a witness.
William NJ. Smith represented Conley,
one of the witnesses subpenaed.
Jim Conley underwent racking
third degree late Friday afternoon at
the hands of Solicitor General Hugh
NJ. Dorsey and Attorney Frank A.
Hooper in an effort to verify or dis
NAtulL Tic w IL AliANty dLludNtl, III
which the negro was charged with
confessing to the murder of girl on
the afternoon that Mary Phagan me;
her death.
The grilling of nearly four hours
followed The Georgian's publication
of the details of Minceys accusa-
tions and was undertaken with the
utmost secrecy, an attempt being
made to avoid knowledge of the
sweating" becoming public by TAX
ing Conley to the Commissioners
room on the second floor of the po-
lice station by a circuitous route.
Negroes Most Severe Ordeal.
1t was the most severe ordeal
through which the negro has passed.
It's result was kept a profound secret
both by the Solicitor and Attorney
Hooper. Neither would deny the ru-
NOR that Conley had made COM
plete confession admitting that 1t was
he that killed the little factory girl,
nor would they confirm the report,
" MN eAAOEt " litIl IL was ltdiUtu Lildl
Solicitor Dorsey apparently was max
ing ready to take an entirely new
statement from the negro.
Dorsey, Hooper and Chief Lanford
were present in the Commissioners
room when the inquisition began.
After a few minutes Chief Lanford
departed and did not return while
the questioning was in progress. He
was inclined to deny at first that
Conley even was behind the closed
doors. But ocular proof had been
afforded and the newspaper men how
cred about the hallway in the hope
that some scrap of information nigh;
come to them.
Policeman Guards Door.
Their lowering tactics received a
bad setback when Chief Lanford de-
tailed policeman to guard the door
and keep all inquisitive persons away.
For an hour Dorsey and Hooper
alternated in shooting questions at
the negro, apparently without getting
from him that he had not
already told. Then they removed their
coats and renewed the grilllng. AT
one point it seemed CoDley must
have wavered in some of mis- state
ments or changed some of the testi-
mony he. previously had given. Dor
sey emerged from the room and got
a blotter from Chief Beavers office.
1t was taken to mean that a new
statement was being obtained from
the negro.
The Questioning was resumed and
the Solicitor from a distant vantage
point could be seen turning sheet aft
er sheet of the testimony already
given by Conley and comparing il
with the statements then being made
Attorneys Keep Silence.
Dorsey Coatless and perspiring,
leaned far over the table and asked
the negro question after question, mis-
finger following the answers which
had been given when the negro was
before.
Not until after dark did the sweat
ing process cease. Conley was taken
back TO his cell and Dorsey and Hoop
er went to their homes. Not a word
could be obtained from either.