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,

berry Of the Nashville, Chattanooga
and s. Louis passenger train last
week was only joke virtually ae-
epted by The police detectives
Thursday morning urned their atten-
ZION once more 10 an investigation OF
John Nolan the man who was arrest
ed at Bolton shortly after the rob-
berry, snd Is held In the Tower as a
suspect in the case, following the On ?
try OF the United States Government
into the case.
The Federal investigation 10 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
is in reality James Nolan, wanted in
Omaha for aiding 81 prisoner 10 es q
ape from savannah Jail, where the
prisoner was held on al Omaha
charge. one of Mr. Baley's agents
spent several hours at police hea ] :
quarters Thursday morning, securing
from Bertillon Expert JEFF Wright
photographs and asurements II
Nolan which will be sent 10 Omaha
for the identification Of the man.
Resembles Man Wanted.
Mr. Baley's agent stated that Nolan
HSGHlplfh EltdNit NAAN w $3.50 -
James Nolan for whom they have
been searching for more than year.
II is charged that ne aided Ernes,
(olan. a prisoner. To escape from A
savannah Jail Later Nolan was re-
captured near Memphis, and the
Memphis United States Marshal
started with him 10 Omaha When
he train WAS only few miles out OF
Memphis, the marshal was attacked
BY James Nolan and gang OF con
rederates, who tried 60 rescue the
prisoner. The marshal beat them off,
but they escaped from tho 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 Bet-
tillon mea surements have been sent
out all over The United states ~ me
hope az learning something about his
past record. County policemen are
also working on clews IN the neigh !.
horhood OF Winnings and Bolton, aud
CITY detectives are endeavoring 20 10
cate some of the mans pals VINO are
thought to be In Atlanta.
Mother Aids Freemans.
Mre ]. D. Freeman, the mother oil
the Freeman boys has furnished the
police with a complete account OF
The wherea bouts of the two lads on
the night OF the robbery OF the n. &.
q ST /. train. and declares that her
son. Rowell s. could not have com
nitted the crime, despite the boy =
confession TO Fred Ball, taxicao
chauffeur. which, however, he later
repudiated, declaring he was oniy
koasting.
Both OF my bGvs were at homo
t..Lt her 'ThpA
couldn't have committed the crime.
think Rowell IS telling the truth
when he said he was only Boosting
that he had committed the robbery
He is nothing but a great big baby
and Is not responsible for what he
says He just thought II 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 h,aring OF Rowell
and Eugene Freeman has been set for
2:s0 o'clock Friday afternoon, at he
request of their mother, who wished
the hearing delayed until their father
could reach Atlanta from Pnehurst,
n. c.. where he has been on business.
In the meantime officers Furtson and
Green. who arrestkl Rowell Freeman,
are searching for some OF the victims
of the train holdup and win have
them look at Freeman TO see II thev
can identify him q 3 the man who
robbed them.
The police are also searching Tor
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
be found that Freeman confessed to
half dozen men the truth of his as
sertion that the confession was 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
Rowen Freeman sold to r. d. Watson,
OF the firm of Blackwell & Watson.
Edgewood avenue and Pryor street,
for $35 and $3.50, were recovered
Thursday, and four pawn tickets
which were found on Eugene II. Row
I'll are being investigated. The thic
ring, which Rowell Freeman says he
sold. has not been located The boy
said he sold It for $50 to man he
met in an Alabama street poolroom
anu tflAl ne hbtS IoA Itihtllhtl lNH
mans name.
Detectives who are working on he
case said Thursday that in his own
neighborhood Rowell Freeman has the
reputation Of being a hraggart Of I'M
limited powers. Virtually every crime
he hears OF, they say. he boasts that
ne committed, and for several weeks
he had been telling a 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 joke, police Of
hcials Thursday morning stated tina
they have virtually abandoned IN,
idea that the boy was connected ir
any way with the robbery of tn,
train or the stealing Of $1,000 from
w. p Morgan. a Cedarrown farmer
and have ceased all investigations
started with a view to connecting IN,
boy with these crimes.
The two Freeman boys and theu
confessed pal T. II Whaley, how.
ever, will be prosecuted for the thief
Of a large amount Of diamonds From
he Nollmer Jewelry Company, which
he Freeman boys have admitted
fourth boy, said 70 be George Mann
s being hunted by the police in con.
nection with the diamond thefts tn,