Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-03-22
THOMAS RECEIVED
MYSTERIOUS NOTES
PRECEDING TRAGEDY
Continued From Page ~

p gun at me while one man went to
the car to get a strap. 1t was then
[ struggled, twisting one of the men
who was holding me between MN
aged to get my right hand in my
pocket, to get out my knife and open
it. Then I started to cut and there
was a free-for-all in the darkness;
AS soon as could, I got away ana
ran"
Homer Pitts, who drove the auto
mobile that night, and EdWln onuot'
who was with him in the IronL st IT,
confirm Thomas story up TO me
noint of the actual cutting. That
e thew declare Thompson got them
r. 90 TO the Decatur street store ana
tIeTe THOMAS Joined the party. Ihey
disc1aim any knowledge of the mo-
lives, behind the ride or any evln
intent toward Thomas. They 1 neSea
the car stopped near LakeWooo' 'neS
rnmained in the front seats, aho
Lew nothing of the cutting until a
man Jumped on the running poaLu
and slashed at Pitts. Because =, ne ne
was so badly cut, they assert; my ~
drove to a doctor WITHOUT WaltInS of
learn what became of the rest Vi
their party.
Seek "Fifth Man"
11ovino established that Thompson,
Thomas, Pitts and Shute were ride
r,nmbers of the party on ne IF IF
county police and InFesIlsat ol L., H.
the solicitor general are stlit seq ~
mo for the mysterious tltth man,
But though a letter was f rec 1a.t
Nv fbe solicitor from CartersVllle last
week. declaring this man was paoIy
w0urded and being protected IN an
Atlanta hospital. he had not peeh
located up to Saturday night.
These investigators attach IauC AZ
significance to the fact that an eH,
a3ination shows the rear of Pitts
a1.tOmobile shattered with blood ana
cnt with q knife. Did the fight oc-
cur in the rear of the car. contrary
to the story of all three of the men.
they ask? Or was the blood th ma
and the slashes made later in an eff
fort to make it appear that the flght
did occur in the car? The answer to
these questions they still hope to get
from either Thomas, Pitts or Shute,
neither of whom, they are convinced,
has vet told the whole truth about
been advanced that one or more Of
the men in the party were Thomas
allies, and took part with him in
fight against the others.
In the meantime. Thomas is held
at the tower without bond. He was
NlSllSu odI udy dlIeIHOoI ny Ills
wife. Pitts and Shute are under bond
as material witnesses. H. j. Norton,
lifelong friend of Thompson, who
took doctor in search of him the
night of the cutting. after he had re-
ce1Ved. he says, a mysterious tele-
phone call. is also under bond as a
material witness.
1t is believed the next development
IN the case will come when it goes to
the grand jury, probably Tuesday. If
the grand jury does not act on the
case, states Attorney Leavitt, he will
lnst1gate habeas corpus proceedings
10 get Thomas his liberty.
The possibility was discussed at
the courthouse Saturday that an in
dictment will not only be sought be-
fore the grand jury against Thomas,
but that indictments might also be
sought against Pitts, Shute and the
mysterious fifth man." should he be
found. If the grand jury accepts
Thomas story, it was pointed out, his
companions on the fatal night might
be indicted on a number of counts,
including conspiracy. assault, i'm
personating an officer and pointing
pistol at another.