Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-14
STATE STILL
CONFIDENT
Of CASE
Story Of Negro Who Says He Was
Eyewitness Of Staying Disbe-
Iieved by Solicitor.

Solicitor General Hugh NJ. Dorsey
and Attorney Frank A. Hooper. en-
gagged in the prosecution of Leo M
Frank, were induced Monday to break
the silence they have maintained
since grilling the negro Jim Conley
last week. They made their first public
comments on the sensational devel-
opments of the last few days in the
Phagan murder mystery.
Both declared emphatically that
neither the affidavit of w. H. Min
Cey, insurance solicitor, nor the re-
b ported confession of the negro VIII
Green, who is said to have been an
eyewitness of the attack upon Mary
Phagan, gave evidence sufficient 70
shake their conviction of Leo Franks
guilt.
Rumors that the State was prepar
ing to change its theory and to ask
for the Indictment Of Jim Conley were
laughed at.
Mincey Affidavit Discounted.
81 sincerely doubt" said Mr.. Hoop
er. IF that Mincey affidavit ever will
be heard from again as a seriously
considered piece Of evidence in the
Phagan case. To my mind it means
absolutely nothing. The statement
undoubtedly, was made and sworn to,
but the prosecution places no de-
pendence in it and will be able to dis
prove it if its signer is called as
witness in the case.
1T is difficult to understand, of
course how such a statement could
be made in good faith. II 1t was
made in good faith, believe that
Mincey was laboring under a delu-
sion. Possibly he was talking to
negro the afternoon of the crime.
When he read of the murder of the
little factory girl. the incidents of his
conversation with some unidentified
coIored man took on form in his
excited imagination that made him
certain that this negro had told of
a killing and that the negro was Jim
Conley."
lief that the affidavit and Minceys
testimony will be important in their
efforts TO prove the innocence Of
Frank and the guilt of Conley. This
mart of the defense will be strength
ened by character testimony for Min
cev and by statements from negro
women who are said to have over
heard the conversation between Con-
lev and Mincey in which the negro
is quoted as Boosting;
~ killed a girl to-day; / don't want
TO kill anybody else"
Green Important Witness.
Much depends on the testimony Of
the negro, Will Green, who has been
tracked through A half dozen States
and is now believed to be in the hands
Of detectives in Birmingham, Ala. The
report that he had declared he had
been an eyewitness of the attack
mon Mary Phagan and had asserted
that it was a negro who was guilty of
the crime gave weight for the first
time to the possibility that direct evil
dence would be produced at the trial
OF Leo Frank.
Until Green entered the case the
evidence against both Frank and Lee
was purely circumstantiaL If Green
sticks to the story he is said to have
told to companions, it will throw the
bulk of the dependence for the con-
yiction of Conley upon his evidence.
Green, according. to report, told
friends he was shooting craps with a
negro on the first floor of the pencil
factory on Saturday, April &C. He is
reported to have said a little girl came
down the steps and that his negro
companion. who was partially intoxi-
Gated and had been losing money, de-
clared he was going TO steal the girls
money.
Green demonstrated, he said, but
the other negro started toward the
girl and Green fed. The next Monday
he read of the murder and left for 81.
Louis. It was at this city the hunt
for him began.