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

nection with the pencil factory trag
edy.
Dorsey Makes No Comment.

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 az police head
quarters. and that he 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 Scatt, 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.
Mincey's statement, In so far as II
provides an answer to the detectives,
was that he did tell the same story to
them; that he did identify Conley as
the man he talked with on Saturday
afternoon, and that the detectives
told him they didn't care to take his
evidence
"Conley told me Satw day afternoon
that he had killed a girl and didn't
want to kill anybody else" Mincey
swears he told the detectives.
This man Mincey 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 - had been decided
to make a search for Mincey with a
view Of bringing him before Solicitor
Dorsey for a grllling in regard to his
story accusing the negro.
News Disturbs 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, II
they know Mincey's whereabouts, are
keeping il a profound secret. They
had not intended even that the con-
tents of his affidavit should be made
public They declared, however, that
he would be on hand for the trial
prepared to repeat everything he said
In the affidavit.
The latest rumor in connection with
the Phagan mystery is that the girls
mesh bag poCketbook which she car
ried TO the factory on the day she
met her death has been found and
has been examined for finger prints.
This rumor could not be confirmed at
police headquarters.
Lee Hearing Saturday.
The habeas corpus proceedings in
behalf of Newt Lee, night Waterman
at the pencil factory, will be fought
out Saturday forenoon at 10 o'clock
before Judge Ellis. Bernard L.
Chappell, representing the negro, said
that he would issue subpenas for at
least so witnesses whose testimony
he would rely upon to obtain the free
dom of his client.
Among them will be Leo NJ. Frank
and Jim Conley. The appearance of
both of these men, the first accused
of murder the second held as a ma
terial witness, will be bitterly con-
tested. Reuben r. Arnold, of Coun-
sci for Frank, has declared that no
law on earth can force Frank to ap-
pear as a witness at the hearing.