Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-22
j. s. PROBES
SUSPECTS
CAREER
Police Accept Story Of Freeman
That Confession Was Hoax;
Turn to Nolan.

With the statement Of r. s. Free
man that his confession of the rob-
berry of the Nashville, Chattanooga
and st. Louis passenger train last
week was only a Joke virtually &C
cepted by the police, detectives
Thursday morning turned their atten-
ton once more to an investigation of
John Nolan, the man who was arrest
ed at Bolton shortly after the rob-
berry. and is held in the Tower as a
suspect in the case. following the en-
try OF the United States Government
into the case.
The Federal investigation is being
conducted under the direction OF l..
sion OF the Bureau of Investigation.
and is based on the belief that Nolan
is in reality James Nolan, wanted In
Omaha for gliding q prisoner to es-
cape from Savannah jail. where the
prisoner was held on IAN Omaha
charge. One of Mr. Baley,s agents
spent several hours at police heat
quarters Thursday morning. securing
from Bertillon Expert Jeff Wright
photographs and measurements CT
Nolan, which will be sent to Omaha
for the identification of the man.
Resembles Man Wanted.
Mr. Baley's agent stated that Nolan
resembled greatly the pictures of
James Nolan. for whom they have
been searching for more than q yesr.
1t is charged that he aided Ernest
Nolan, a prisoner. to escape from a
Savannah jail Later Nolan was re-
captured near Memphis, and the
Memphis United States Marshal
started with him TO Omaha. When
the train was only few miles out OF
Memphis, the marshal was attacked
by James Nolan and a,gang Of con-
federates, who tried to rescue the
prisoner. The marshal beat them Off,
but they escaped from the train.
Neither the county police nor the
CITY detectives have unearthed any
additional evidence tending to connect
Nolan with the train robbery. Scores
of his pictures and copies OF his Ber-
tillon measurements have been sent
| out all over the United States. In the
hope of learning something about his
past record County policemen are
also working on clews in the neigh
borhood of Winnings and Bolton. aud
city detectives are endeavorinS to DO
cate some Of the mans pals who are
| thought to be In Atlanta.
Mother Aids Freemans.
Mrs ]. D. Freeman, the mother OF
| the Freeman boys. has furnished tho
police with complete account or
the whereabouts Of the two lads on
the night of the robbery of the ~. G.
g. St l.. train, and declares that her
son. Rowell s, could not have com
mitted the crime. despite the boys
confession to Fred Ball, taxicab
chauffeur, which, however, he later
repudiated, declaring he was only
Boosting
Both OF my boys weer at home
all night" said the mother. They
couldn't have committed the crime
| think Rowell 10 telling tho truth
when no said he was only boasting
that he had committed the robbery.
He Is nothing but great big baby
and Is not responsible for what he
says. He just thought it would be
big and manly TO say he was des-
perate bandit, and no thought It
would make an impression on the
| chauffeur"
With the establishment OF an al
most certain alibi for young Freeman,
| addsd4to his statement that his con-
fess.on was only a joke. police Of
hcials Thursday morning stated that
they have virtually abandoned the
idea that tho boy was connected in
any way with the robbery Of the
train or the stealing Of $1,000 from
W. p, Morgan, a Cedartown farmer,
and have ceased all investiga tions
Continued on Pass 2, Column 2.