The Washington times., 1915-01-31
BY WILLIAM J. BURNS.

he want the negro for company?
All that he did. the negro says.
was to walk back to the factory
with Frank.
This Is simply another outland-
ish phase OF Canley's sto'y intro
duced in order to furnish peg
on which to hang other details,
such as the mythical incident OF
Frank walking into a baby on the
way back to the factory. 1t Is not
improbable that Conley had seen
some one run into a baby. or had
himself bumped into one, and he
simply shifted the identities SO 1t
would At In with his story.
Conley testified that he accom-
panied Frank back to the factory.
Holloway. day watchman. saw
Frank return and swore that Frank
was alone.
On their arrival at the factory.
according to the negro, Frank in
structed him about the door which
he was to lock when the young
lady" came up stairs. You see
you turn the knob just like this
and then can't nobody come in from
the outside" the negro says Frank
told him. But Conley forgot right
there that he had related Of many
other times he had watched for
Fgank, beginning with the Thanks
giving previous, when he was given
full instructions.
Why was 1t necessary for Frank
to be so explicit with his instruc-
tions about the knob? II Conley
had watched for him so many times
before, one week and then the next,
did not Conley know how to lock
the door? The truth shows through
here again in the negro's fimslly
constructed story. Conley never
had watched for Frank. and did not
watch for him that day.
Conley explains how he happened
to be seen lurking back in the shad-
ows on the first floor by saying that
Frank told him, Don't let Mr.. OAR
ley see you." another OF his inven-
tions, half shrewd and half clumsy.
1 would like to direct especial at
tention to his testimony in regard
e to the persons he saw enter the fac
tory. Lemmie Quinn came into the
factory at 1920, Just after Mary
Phagan entered and after Mcnteen
Stover had gone. but Conley puts
Quinn among those who came into
the factory before the two little
girls. This is the crux Of the whole
murder:
JIM CONLEY ATTACKED MARY
PHAGAN WHEN SHE CAME
DOWN THE STEPS, AND. HEAR
ING FOOTSTEPS, HURLED THE
GIRI. DOWN THE SCUTTLE
HOLE INTO THE BASEMENT.
FOLLOWING AFTER.
The footsteps were those Of Lem
nne Quinn. and Conley, in all proba-
bility, never saw him. Conley. in
fact, In his earlier statements. said
that he had not see Quinn enter the
factory. After Conley had read the
papers and had learned that Quinn
was there he changed his afiidavits
to the police. but he put him at the
factory earlier than he actually
came.
This explains the bruises on the
girls body--two on her knees. which
were caused by striking the rungs OF
the ladder, and that on the back Of
her head. which was caused by
striking on the log at the bottom OF
the ladder. as we'll as those on her
elbows. The girl never WAS dragged
an inch. The condition Of her
clothes showed that.
How Conley attacked the girl was
told in his confession to Annie
Maude Carter. which the Atlanta
authorities have tried to discr edit
II told her somebody was calling.
the Carter woman quotes Conley
she looked back upstairs and
struck her" 1t was at this juno
ture that Quinn approached the fac
tory,