The Washington times., 1915-01-31
Detective Burns's Comment

Where Conley Jagged in his story
or left out what should have been
In to fill out the theory OF the
prosecution, Solicitor Dorsey sup
piled the omission. For example:
II heard somebody running on their
tip-toes," said Conley.
Solicitor Dorsey added In his next
question. when you heard some
one running on their tip-toes
toward the ofice---" Conley had
not said running toward the ONCE.
This is only one Of many instances.
Frank did not stamp when the
Phagan girl came UP, according to
Conley, nor even at the time she
screamed, nor when he was Tip
toeing'' back and forth from the
metal room to the ONCE. No, all
this time he was killing the girl 1t
was all right for persons to come
and 30 as they chose, Conley
would have US believe. 1t was not
until Conley had had the chance for
a nice sleep that Frank finally gave
the signal to lock the door, Almost
Immediately thereafter he whisued.
which Conleys fertile Imagination
said was signal to unlock the doors.
After this what took place?
Nothing, except that with the doors
unlocked 80 that any one who
wished might enter and interrupt
the gruesome task Of the white man
and the negro, the twain proceeded
to carry the girl from the metal
room to the elevator, thence down
to the basement and to the rear. q
few feet from the boiler.
Can any one conceive Of such a
ridiculous course Of action on the
part Of a brilliant young fellow like
this man Frank Is acknowledged to
be? Was not that critical period
when he himself was engaged in
carrying the body OF a dead girl
and when an intruder would have
caught him with the evidence Of his
guilt upon him Just the time when
he would have seen TO It that every
door was barred and locked?
Lacking real evidence on which
to convict Frank. In numberless
places you will find Conley and the
detectives making Frank convict
himself by quoting him in all man.
ner Of absurd ways. In q previous
article I have called attention to
Detective Scott deliberately chang
llB lhc tCollIuOuy AL lC6di W lhoS
which Frank said in conversations
with him. Here we have Frank
asking Conley IL he had seen the
little girl that came upstairs. Con-
ley replying that he had seen two
go up and that one never came
back.
Then Frank tells OF going back
to the metal room with Mary to see
II the metal had come and on strik-
ing her when she resisted his ad-
vances.
Conley. in his nrst statements.
said that ne carried the girl in
burlap or "crocus sacking.", and
some crocus sacking actually was
produced in court to show the kind
he used. but by this time ne had
decided that cloth Of closer weave.
which would explain why there was
no blood where he picked up the
body. would be better and 1t was
this he testified ne used when he
was put on the stand.
And did you notice. even though
Conley was terrified with a negro'i
natural dread Of dead bodies. when
he was sent back to the metal room
by Frank. when ne came forward
to find out what Frank had said
to him. ne was most painstakine
and accurate In his examination OF
the clock? 1t was precisely fou
minutes to l, the negro said.
There are scores OF other signifi'
cant utterances In the negro's testi'
mony to which I hope to be able
to call attention next Sunday
They are so numerous that it woul'
be hardly possible to list then
briefly in three columns.