Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-20
Continued From Page I.

KNOW IT COlydTS service LOT the Oe-
tective department extended into the
investigation of the Phagan murder.
II am looking into every angle of
the case" said Burns mo detail is
too small to attract my attention. If
Colyar was acting on his own initla-
tive when he made the alleged at
tempts at bribery, I want to know 1t.
If he was taking orders from someone
else or was acting under theid rection
when he was carrying on this alleged
crooked work, l want to know who it
was
81 know exactly where Colyar is
l am acquainted with his past record.
He is not the only one whose connec-
ton with the case is under investi-
CATION"
Burns, discussing the charges Of
frame up" that have been made
against the detective department, said
that he had come across nothing as
against Frank.
yet to indicate a deliberate plot
"The detectives as frequently is the
case, were over Jealous" he said.
They undoubtedly were misled in the
turmoil and excitement of the first
days of the tragedy. There were ru-
mors of every sort ahoat. 1t was
only natural that they followed some
of them and came to believe in their
truth.
They jumped at conclusions ex-
actly the same as the general public
did. An investigation now can be
conducted with much better results
than then, ] believe. The intense
feeling that followed the murder has
been tempered in the last few months.
People are willing to think sanely and
soberly now.
Wild Stories Told
Stories that were told the de-
tectives and Solicitor then, now are
found in many instances to have been
fabrications or the product of over
excited or INSCRIPTIONS minds.
THE mystery is near its close. l
have found nothing difficult in 1t. NO
obstacles have been placed in my
way. I wish to have conferences
with all those who engaged in the
prosecution and I am sure that they
will assist me in every way possible
at arriving at the truth.
Il am not ready to hazard an opin-
ion as to the guilt or innocence either
of Frank or of Conley. l only wish
to call attention to the too common
practice of jumping at conclusion.
When / make my report I will point
out the guilty man and | will have
positive information on which to base
my declaration"
Mr.. Burns intimated that his inves-
tigation is rapidly approaching eli
max, and that his final report may he
expected within two weeks. Dan Le
hon, of New Orleans, superintendent
of the Southern division of the Burns
agency, is expected to arrive in At
1anta Sunday or Monday to assist his
chief in the final stages of the probe.
His arrival is taken to indicate that
Burns has begun to gather up the
threads of the mystery and weave
them into tangible shape.
Trail Grows Palmer.
The famous detective declared that
this investigation is progressing sat
isfactorily. and that every day the
trail of the murderer grows palmer
and easier to follow. He declared
that his final report will contain evil
dence that will dissipate the last re-
naming doubt as to the identity OF |
the murderer, although he would not |
say whether his report would affect |
Frank or some other person !
81 intend to prove absolutely the |
identity of the guilty man.. said Mr. |
Burns 81 will leave nothing to the
IMAGINATION; nothing to prejudice.
That may sound like am boasting,
but l am just egotistical enough to
believe that know what am doing,
and that can do what ! say | can,
can find the murderer of Mary Pha-
gan, and I will find him, and before
very long, too.
Mr.. Burns also took occasion, in
conversation with newspaper men
Friday to contradict rumors that he
was working on the case solely with |
a view to clearing Frank. This he
declared to be ridiculous aud absurd |
Iern