The Washington times., 1915-01-17
Comment By Burns
BY WILLIAM J. BURNS


That portion of the Frank trial
testimony published in today's issue
Of The Washington Times is the
presentation Of the early part OF the
States case to the court and the
jury, establishing the fact that the
crime OF murder was committed at
Atlanta, Ca, and that the victim
was Mary Phagan, little Sirl en-
ployed In the National Pencil Com
pany's factory.
1t is my intention, as the pubiica-
ton Of the evidence in this case
progresses, to comment upon the
details of this trial. as In the rec
ords.
There is one particular witness
introduced the fret day OF the trial
to whom / would direct special at
tention. namely. George Epps.
Although ne testified to riding to
town with Mary Phasan on the
street car tho day she was mur-
dered, 1t was shown that he was
not on the car ana that the con-
versatlon he testified TO did not
take place. Particularly significant
knew It was precisely seven minutes
past IL by looking at the sun.
Epps Not Her Friend.
As matter Of fact, Mary Phagan
was not even friendly with young
Dpps at this time. Notwithstanding
THE, perusal of the testimony of
Mrs. Coleman, mother OF Mary ma
gan, and the first witness called in
the case. will show that she. too,
evidently had become convinced
that Frank was responsible for the
death Of her little daughter. and it
will be noted that the attorneys for
Frank found 1t impossible to get her
to admit the substance OF an inter-
view she had with L. r. Whitfield.
n detective. in which Whitfield said
she told him Mary detested Epps.
It was Whitields belief in
Franks absolute innocence that
caused him to leave a detective
organization. His belief entirely dis
agreed with the theory OF the police
and with that Of an assistant SUPER
intendent OF the organization, and
Whitfield severed his connections
with that agency.
want also to say that the prose-
cution, right at the outset Of the
trial, inhamed public opinion against
Frank, and prejudiced the jury
against him by alleging acts of
gross immortality on the part of tho
young man. The Burns agency in
vestigated his record from babyhood
and there was not blemish upon It.
Then we offered a reward of $1,000
to any one who would furnish us
~ No
one claimed the reward. Then we
raised it to 5000, and that offer is
still standing.
Franks "Nervousness."
Much was made by Solicitor Dor
sey of Franks appearance OF ner-
vousness" on the afternoon Of tho
crime, and, later, when he was talk
Ing with the police. On the first
day of the trial Newt Leo said that
Frank appeared nervous. yet at the
coroner's inquest. several months
before. when tho events OF the day
must have been much fresher In the
negro's mind. II never occurred to
him that there was anything out OF
the ordinary In Franks appearance.
Starnes. a city detective, on the
second day Of the trial, said that
Frank seemed nervous. but Starnes
never had seen Frank before in his
1ife. lie could not tell whether
Frank was unusually nervous and
excited. or whether these were ordi-
nary nervous habits. Tho same IS
true of the testimony OF Boots
Rogers. who was on the stand the
third day. John Black, another de-
tcctive, had seen Frank only cncc
before.