Atlanta Georgian., 1914-02-26
F RANK HOPEFUL
Of CLEARING
HIS NAME
Continued From Page 2.

weeks and coerced her into making the
affidavit, was intensified Thursday by a
statement given out by Chief of De
tectives Lanford.
The chief charged that the attack on
the detectives is "a frame-up, pure and
simple for the sole purpose of dis
crediting the detective department and
to even up" for fight made by de-
tectives on certain gamblers He de-
clared he had information that con-
vinced him that Harry Latham, recent
ly arrested In a gambling raid in a
downtown office building, was the in
stigator Of the "frame-up.'
He said that Harry Latham was pres
ent in the home OF the Formby woman
at the time she was interviewed by
himself and Chief Beavers as to the
information later contained in the affi-
davit, and that Latham professed to be
a particular friend of the woman.
Threats Against Seuths.
Latham, according to the chief, also
has made threats against Detectives
Vickery and Handy. who arrested La
than and several others in the gam bling
raid and whose names are mentioned IN
the Formby woman's statement IN New
York
Detective Vickery. on behalf OF him
self and his partner, Detective HANDY,
branded the Formby story as an IN
famous and malicious lie from start to
finish" Detective Chewing. one of the
detectives mentioned as having fur
.nished whisky to Mrs. Formby for three
weeks to induce her to make the am
davit, was equally vehement in his de-
nial.
The negro Albert Mcknight still is
being sought by the detectives, and
his affidavit stating that he testified
falsely against Frank is being inVes-
tigated
Meantime Attorneys Rosser and Ar
nold for the defense, are going ahead
with the preparation of their detailed
reasons for new trial, which they
will present for decision before Judge
Ben II. Hill in the lower court soon,
following the Supreme Courts denial
of rehearing on the original evil
dence.
THE published reports of Mrs.
Formby's confession in New York
come as news to me-" said Luther
New York even. l haven't anything
to say at present on the possible
bearing of her admissions on our
case
Mrs. Formby, pleading repentance
over having given false evidence
against Leo NJ. Frank" Wednesday
called up a New York paper and ask
ed to be permitted to make public
denial of her affidavit.
Mrs Formby said she was piled
with whisky" by detectives who want
ed her to make the statement against
Frank; that she was ION the border
of delirium tremens;" that she was
taken before witnesses at detective
headquarters and forced to state that
she had made discriminating state
ments against Frank
Here is Mrs. Formbys story:
81 remember quite well the day
that Mary Phagan was murdered. 1t
was on April IS, and | remember it
because it was my birthday. l re-
member also quite well that day that
Mr.. Frank was arrested and | re-
member, too, that it was only about
a week afterward that Detectives
Norris and Chewing called me up
over the telephone and asked me if
| had any booze. / told them [ didn't
have any. and they said they would
bring some around to my house.
"They called around that evening
and they brought the booze. We
drank booze and played cards in the
dining room. They mentioned the
arrest of Mr.. Frank only incidentally
called them up that day over the
telephone and suggested to them
might be able to tell them something
about Mr.. Frank. l don't know who
their informant was, as they wouldn't
tell me.
always Brought Booze"
For three weeks Norris and Chew
ming came to my apartment. Thev
were there every night, and they AL
ways brought booze. We played
cards as usual in the dining room. and
something was said each time abont
the Frank case. l remember now
that when they went away each time
we had drunk up all the whisky
Il can't say how many days thew
came to my apartment and talked
about the Frank case before thcy
asked me if Mr. Frank wasn't a de-
generate.
"Of course. ! said | didn't know:
but at that time | was under the in
auence of liquor. When Norris and
Chewing kept asking me if I didn't
know that Mr. Frank was a degen-
crate, | finally lost the power to dts
criminate about what ! was saying
They asked me the same question
so many times that at last gave
them the answer they wanted me- to
give them. said:
"'Yes. he is 1t was right there
made a fatal mistake.