Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-16
RAPS IDEA Of
TRUTHFROM
NEGRO
Declares Chiefs Plan to Oppose
Burns Quizzing Accuser Does
Not Worry SIeuth.

Leo Frank Saturday paid his re-
spects to Newport Lanford In a sar-
castle criticism OF the detective chiefs
published declaration that Jim Conley
told the truth on the stand. and that
Bny change he might make in his
sworn statement now even under the
pressure Of Detective Burns question
ing, would be lie pure and simple.
what gift Of omnisciepce permits
our great detective chief 10 look into
the very soul OF the negro and dis
tinguish the instant he veers from
the Hes that he has been telling to
the straight course " veracity?
"Conley made his first statement
May 49, That was a tissue Of lies.
chief Lanford and his detectives adj
nit that. lie made another May "a.
a third on May 20 and a fourth on
May 30. each one different than the
one preceding, and all OF them more
or less untruthful
Testimony Differs, Too.
Then came the trial Conley tes-
tilted and again added and took away
from the statements he had made be-
fore.
THAT is the truth and the whole
truth, said the detective chief and
Inc Solicitor. But how do they know
that It Is? What supernatural power
IL theirs that they can pick from a
mass OF admitted and confessed lies
and say that that which they have
chosen is the truth and is sufficient
basis to hang a man?
Each successive statement the ne
gro made he gwore was the truth and
The whole truth, and yet each one was
different How can Chief Lanford ar
bitrarily ray, The fifth statement
the one which he made on the wit
ness stands true, and the others
are false?
HE not only says this much, but
be goes further and declares that
anything the negro may say in the
future which changes his story on the
stand viii be lie.
Has Confidence in Burns.
ATLANTA certainly is fortunate in
having q detective chief who is able
rot only to determine with supernat
urai insight just the moment the sub
tect OF his wonderful powers forsakes
untruth and tells the facts, but can,
with unerring accuracy, foreteil
whether this person IN the future is
70 tell the truth or lie.
II am not particularly interested In
the chiefs announcement that he will
oppose Detective Burns II Burns seeks
10 see Conlcy. don't imagine thai
Burns VIII let that worry him much.
II have enough confidence In him to
believe that he will arrive at the truth
IN spite Of any obstacles that may be
mt in his path. do not even know
that he win care 10 see conley at this
part Of his investigation"
Story Seems Groundless.
Investigation by The Georgian Sat
UTO8V RhOWeD ludl liFip " an ''NN'N' -
any. FOUNDATION for a wild story that
solicitor Dorsey had seen Frank on
the day Mary Phagan was murdered.
The story apparently grew out Of
the fact that the Solicitor was walk
ing with c. W. Mcclure when the
latter passed one Of the Montag
brothers and in the early days Of the
case recalled the fact.
The defense heard an indefinite ru-
NOR that the Solicitor had seen
Frank. It's investigation failed en-
tirely 10 establish that fact. and re-
ports that Dorsey would be put on
the stand 10 show that he nsd seen
the prisoner and been preludiced Dy
his actions were based on the merest
fconJectures. ... -.
ri e. known that Solicitor Dorsey
attended a meeting Of the Mcclure
Company. OF which he is the vice
president. on the day Of the crime.
The meeting was held about noon
and lasted some time.