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

bery of the Nashville, Chattauoog
and ST Louis passenger train last
week was only Toxic virtually &C
gepted by tho police. detectives
Thursday morning turned tneir atten-
tIon 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
nto the case.
The Federal Investigation is being
conducted under the direction OF L.
j. Bailey, chief of the Southern DiVi-
sion Of the Bureau Of Investigation.
and is based on the belief that Nolan
IL in reality James Nolan, wanted in
Omaha for aiding a prisoner 10 es-
ape from a Savannah jail, where the
prisoner was held on an Omaha
charge. one Of Mr.. Baieys agents
speut several hours at police hea J.
quarters Thursday morning, securing
from Bertillon Expert jeff Wright
photographs and measurements 81
Nolan. which will he sent TO Omaha
for the Identification Of the man.
Resembles Man Wanted.
Mir Balev's agent stated that Nolan
resembled greatly the pictures or
James Nolan, for whom they nave
been searching for more than yeac.
Il Is charged that he aided Ernest
Nolan. a prisoner. 10 escape from a
Savannah Jail Later Nolan was re-
captured near Memphis. and the
Memphis United States Marsh9i
started with him 10 Omaha. When
the train was only few miles out OF
Memphis. the marshal WAS attacked
by James Nolan and gang OF con
federates, who tried TO rescue the
prisoner The marshal beat them OF,
but they escaped from the train.
Neither the county police nor the
city detectives have unearthed any
additional evidence tending 10 connect
Nolan with the train robbery Scores
Of his pictures and copies OF his Ber-
tillon measurements have been sent
ont all over the United states, in he
hope Of learning something about his
past record. County policemen are
also working on clews in the neigh :
borhood OF Winnings and Bolton, and
CITY detectives are endeaVoring to 10
cate some OF the mans pals who are
thought 10 be in Atlanta,
Mother Aids Freemans.
Mrs j d. Freeman, the mother oil
the freeman boys. has furnished the
police win tOlitIitit oN''hh' Va
The wherea bouts Of the two lads on
The night OF the robbery Of the n, c.
& st /. train. and declares that her
son Rowell s. could not have COM
mitted the crime, despite the boys
confession to Fred Ball, a taxicao
chauffeur. which, however, he later
repudiated declaring he was only
boasting.
Both OF my boys were at home
all night" said the mother They
couldn't have committed the crime.
1 think Rowell is telling the truth
when he SAID he was only boasting
that he had committed the robbery.
He is nothing but a great big baby
and is not responsible for what he
saws. He lust thought il would be
big and manly TO say he was a des-
perate bandit, and he thought IT
would make an impression on the
chauffeur"
Hearing Delayed for Father.
The preliminary hlarlng of Rewell
and Eugene Freeman has been set for
2:3O o'clock Friday afternoon. at .he
request of their mother. who wished
the hearing delayed until their father
could reach Atlanta from Pinehurst
" c., where he has been on business
In the meantime officers Fortson and
kJTetHf WIZ hiitHA'V AN'N'Aa = 1 'AA-' "a
are searching for some of the victims
of the train holdup, and will have
them look at Freeman 10 see II they
can identify him as the man who
robbed them.
The police are also searching t)r
several men to whom Rowell Free
man is said TO have told the same
story he told TO the chauffeur, Fred
Ball 1t is contended that If it can
De found that Freeman confessed TO
half dozen men the truth of his as
sertion that the confession was a joke
would be definitely established and
his claim of being the biggest brag-
CART in Atlanta" sustained.
Stolen Jewelry Recovered.
The police stated Thursday morn
ing that much of tie jewelry stolen
by the two boys has been recovered.
Two rings valued at $50 each, which
Rowell Freeman sold TO r. ID. Watson,
of the firm Of Blackwell & Watts On,
Edgewood avenue and Pryor street,
for sS5 and $3.50, were recovered
Thursday. and four pawn tickets
which were found on Eugene II. Row
ell are being investigated The thie !
ring. which Rowell Freeman says he
sold, has not been located The boy
said he sold Ii for $50 70 n man he
met in an Alabama street poolroom.
and that he does not remember the
mans name.
Detectives who are working on he
case said Thursday that in his own
neighborhood Rowell Freeman has the
reputation Of being a braggart Of I'M
limited powers. Virtually every crime
he hears Of, they say. he boasts that
he committed. and for several weeks
ne had been telling weird story of
being arrested in Macon and saving
his wa out of Jail
Police Abandon Case.
With the establishment Of an al
mos certain alibi for young Freeman.
added to his statement that his con-
lesson was only a joke. police Of
ficials Thursday morning stated that
they have virtually abandoned the
idea that the 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 investigations
started with a view 20 connecting the
boy with these crimes
The two Freeman boys and their
confessed pal, T, H. Whaley, how
ever, Will be prosecuted for the theft
Of a large amount OF diamonds from
the Nollmer Jewelry Company, which
the Freeman boys have admitted. A
fourth boy, said 10 be George Mann
is being hunted hy the police in con-