The Washington times., 1915-02-14
Defense Launches Case with Expert Medical
Testimony and Foundation for Attack
on Jim Conley's Testimony.
FRANK CALLS STATES WITNESS

killing 14-year-od Mary Phagan the National Pencil Factory
in Atlanta Ga launched in today nstalmen of the testimony
in the extraordinary murder mystery.
Dr. H. F. Harris, with his astonishing declaration that he
able to tell almost to the minute the time of the girls death
from scientific examination nine days after she an brought
end the States Franks lawyers at marshaed
their witnesses and called first Dr. Leroy Chds to establish
that SCIENCE nearly omniscient is becoming, hardly
60 far to the precise minute passed away nine
days before.
Dr. Harris, who is secretary and director of he Georgia
State Board of Health and has had impressive medical
the target for the dcue of the attorneys for the defense
through the remainder of the trial.
1t the negro Jim Conleys sinister story of the crime
however, that the defense strove most determinedy against If
Conleys story stood Frank would be convicted Approaching
the desperate situation of their Client for Frank from
the beginning the end bent their strongest efforts to the desuc
ton of the damnng accusations of the negro.
Outlying phases Of the will intervene occasionally as
the publication of the testimony progresses but Will be plainly
apparent that the black story Coney the objective Of all the
er.attacks made by the attorneys for the defendant
Sensing the spirit of bitter hostility that had been aroused
and intensified against Frank by Conleys version of the crime
and his assertion that Frank in the habit Of inviting
to his Office Luther Roer sprang surprise at the conclusion
of Dr. Chdss testimony by calling back States Witness Harry
Scott Pnkerton detective With Scott the stand Attorney
began systematic attempt to tear the story of Coney
pieces attempt in which he was unsuccessful with Coney
himself the stand.
The lawyer calling scotts attention particularly to last
negros adavi when he said he teng the whole
truth and holding back nothing went through every line of
Conleys testimony in court and compared statement by state
ment with the affidavit emphasizing he progressed his conten
constructed piece by piece from those parts of his former state
that would fit in his finished version from tips and hints
dropped by the city detectives who quzzed him almost daily from
his reading of daily papers and from his wonderful mag
nation made lively by necessty-f
nec-of shifting the blame for the terrible crime onto other
shoulders.
CONTRADICTIONS SHOWN.
no place the strange contradictions in the negros
story so strkngly shown in the examination of Scott
Conleys ss-examnaon by Luther Rosser occupied the
greater part Of the nent published last week in this
The negro although forced time and again to " DON'T know
when asked explanation for the radical changes
statements stuck the main part his accusation that Frank
Phagan girl to the metal the second floor
pencil factory and there attacked and killed her. that Frank
called him from the first floor where he watching to aid in
dsposng of the body and that the of them carried the body
to the basement where 1t be left until Conley returned
forty minutes later to burn it, Conley said he went home and fell
asleep and for thateason did back to burn the body
The State concluded its case by calling on Sheriff c. W.
Mangum who testified that Frank Jail refused Conley
the detectives unless his lawyer present.
Dalton who told of going to the factory several times with Daisy
Hopkins and seeing in Franks office; w. Anderson
policeman who said he twice tried to get Franks home
telephone shortly after girls body found
cesul Albert Mcknight who swore Frank home but
luncheon the afternoon of the crme and Dr. Harris
the medical expert.
DR.. Harris in last Sundays nstalment, told of exhuming
the body Mary Phagan May days after the MURDER
and determining that she to her death within half three
quarters of hour after she ate dinner and left home He
certain of this he d because the digestion of the bread and
cabbage she had eaten had been arrested before fairly under
Dr. j. W. Hurt county physician testified before Dr. Harris
concluded but the testimony of the latter has been kept
together in order to make it continuous
Dr.. Harris under the direct examination of Solicitor General
Dorsey the midst of interesting explanation of his estimate
of the time of Mary Phagans death todays nament begins
He has just narrated the results of series of experiments living
each of which proved to him that had the Phagan
girl been killed than theequarters of hour after leaving
home the digestion would have proceeded much further.
His testimony continues from this point:
hydrochlorc
girl not
that she