Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-21
Continued From Page I.

know If Colyar's service for the de-
tective department extended into the
investigation of the Phagan murder.
Il 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 initia-
tive when he made the alleged at
tempts at bribery, | want to know it.
If he was taking orders from someone
else or was acting under theid rection
when he was carrying on this alleged
crooked work, | want to know who 1t
was,
II know exactly where Colyar is.
I am acquainted with his past record.
He is not the only one whose connec-
ton with the case is under investl-
CATION
Burns, discussing the charges Of
"frame-up" that have been made
against the detective departments said
that he had come across nothing as
against Frank.
yet to indicate a deliberate plot
1.-THE detectives, as frequently is the
case, were over-Zealous," 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 afloat 1t was
only natural chat 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.
have found nothing difficult in it. 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.
II am not ready to hazard an opin-
ion as to the guilt or innocence either
of Frank or of Conley. / only wish
TO call attention to the too common
practice of jumping at conclusion.
When l 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 d eli
max, and that his final report may be
expected within two weeks. Dan Lee
hon, of New Orleans, superintendent
of the Southern division of the Burns
agency, is expected to arrive in At
lanta 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 investigated 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 atect
Frank or some other person
81 intend to prove absolutely the
identity of the guilty man. said MT
Burns Il will leave nothing to the
Imagination; nothing to prejudice.
That may sound like l am Boosting,
but I am just egotistical enough to
believe that | know what am doing,
and that I can dc 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 ne
was working on the case solely with
a view to clearing. Frank. This he
declared to be ridiculous and absurd,
Il am here to find the murderer.
not to shield Frank or anyone else,
he declared. 81 went into this case
with the understanding that my in
vestigation should be impartial, that
if I found after careful investigation
that Frank is the guilty man should
saw so without reservation.
There isn't enough money in the
world to tempt me to thwart justice
or aid in thwarting it. l came into
this case with an open mind, with
contract that gave me liberty to in
vestigate as pleased without the ne
cessitv of shielding anyone; and in
tend to continue making my investi-
CATION impartially, and will find the
guilty man and prove that he is
guilty, no matter who he may be-
Mr.. Burns reiterated his intention
of seeing Jim Conley and interview
ing the negro, but would not say
when he expected to do It,
throughout the plot of this muir
der can be seen plainly the thread Of
a criminals mental process" said
Burns. THE slayer of Mary Phagan