Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-01-30
NEGRO COH[EY
MAKES DENIAL
Says He Never Confessed
to Killing Mary Pha-
gan, Factory Girl
WAS TO RECEIVE S1OO
Barber Testifies \ Lawyer Wanted
to Swear He Heard the Black Man
Admit His Guilt


Atlanta, Ga, Jan. 30-James Con
ley, final witness for the State in tn
trial oil Dan S. Lehon and O. G.. Ted
der. who represented the Burns De
tective Agency and Arthur Thur
man, a local lawyer, on charges o
subornation Of perjury in the Franl
murder case, testified yesterday tha
he never had told another negro h
killed u girl in the factory where
Mary Phagan's body was found. Hi
testimony was in support Of the state
ment of the Rev. c. B. Ragsdale tha
! his affidavit rejecting on Conley wa!
false and that he had been paid 500
! For signing it.
Conley, who was the chief witness
: against Leo NJ. Frank at his trial ir
j 1913 and who subsequently was con.
'ANtSN as an oN$SSSoiS, oINupiSu IhS
stand only short time today aut
was not cross s-eXamined.
r. l.. BARRIER, who made and latel
repudiated an affidavit supporting
that Of Ragsdale, testified that lie VS.
tied Thurman's Office April %, 1914.
and told the lawyer neither Of the ne
groes he and Ragsdale had overheard
talking was Conley.
''Mr. Thurman asked me if $l00
wouldn't persuade me to swear one
Of them was added the witness, ''!
replied that 800 wouldn't persuade
,le TO swear TO lie"
Barber then told Of another visit
10 the lawyers office the next day.
declaring Thurman finally agreed 10
pay him 800 to make an affidavit as
TO what he and the minister actually
overheard. Tedder, he said, was pres
ant, at the conference. lie explained.
however, that the affidavitS Of both
Ragsdale andEhimself were made lat
or: in the Office of Luther z. RossGr,
one of Franks attorneys.
eff you didn't believe one Of the
negroes was Conley why did you
swear to it in your affidavit ," inquire
ed General Dorsey, chief Of
the States counsel
81 didn't swear it." answered Bar
ber.
at is in the affidavit. How came it
there?"
81 don't know. All that part is
false
W. ". Rogers, former policeman
and later employed by the Burns De-
tective Agency here. testified that
Lehon sent him to the homes Of Rags
lale and Barber on the evening of the
day they had signed the affidarits 10
tell them not to talk to anybody un-
less it was a Burns agent, and to
make the agent show blue card be-
fore talking.
Replying to questions of defense
attorneys, Ragsdale held to has d.
rect testimony that he had negotiat-
ed with Thurman, Tedder and Leh-
on for the signing Of the affidavits;
that he had received $500 from Thur
man in Tedder's preesnce for signing
the document and that a man "wIth
voice like Lehon's" had telephoned
him after he had received the mon
ey, to sit steady in the boat, there's
$4,000 for you if this thing goes
through" Ragsdale declared he was
unconscious part Of the time ne was
in the Office of Franks lawer to sigr
the affidavit.
Solicitor Dorsey introduced in evi
dence an affidavit by Tedder, signeC
after Ragsdale had repudiated hi;
/ affidavit. Tedder stated he knew moth
ing of the affair until few mirrute!
J before Ragsdale and Barrier signed
the af7dayits, when he said he saw
the men in Thurman's Office. Tedde
affidavit continued:
Later the same day saw Lehol
and said: 'Well. | understand tn
preacher made an affidavit to whicl
Lehon replied: 'Yes, Thurman go
him to come through -
:. Judge Hill overruled vigorous oh
iections by the defense and admitte