Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-10
SENSATION IS SEEN
IN CHAPMAN PROBE;
ARRESTS PROMISED
Charge New York PIotterS
Aided Escape viii Be Sift-
ed to Bottom - Woman
Questioned by Officers


United States officials at Atlanta
and Athens into the three recent
escapes of Gerald Chapman, twenty
five-year convict indicated late Sat
urday afternoon that sensational de-
velopments,. with the possibility OF
arrests in the case, would follow
shortly
Coincident with the statement of
William J. Burns, head of the bu-
reau of investigation of the depart
ment of justice, that New York
confederates' and a large sum of
money was involved in Chapman
escape, in company with Frank
Grey, from the federal penitentiary,
local federal officials prepared to
sift throughout every phase Of the
affair.
Every Clue Traced
Meanwhile, at Athens, a group of
department of justice agents from
the Atlanta office probed every clue
leading to q solution of Chapmans
recent escape from the st. Marys
hospital, in that city, and dispatches
from Athens indicated an arrest
was momentarily expected.
While none of the federal officials
would be quoted, it was learned
they have questioned a young Wom-
an whose statements are expected
to throw considerable light on Chap
mans first escape from the hospital.
It was stated, unofficially that the
young woman has been identified
as having been seen conversing
with the two k-compleXiOned
strangers who are said to have act
ed in a mysterious manner and to
have spent considerable money in
Athens on the day before Chap
mans first escape from the hos
pital.
Burns Going to New Orleans
Mr.. Burns planned to leave for
New Orleans Saturday night, but
announced he would keep in close
touch with the chapman case.
In a statement Saturday morning,
Mr.. Burns expressed confidence that
several persons involved in the es-
cape of the two conVicts would be
= arrested shortly, declaring that his
men are on the trail of Chapman
and that his only concern is in round
ing up the men he believes furnished
money and tools to the two prison
ers.
Chapman 'is being well taken
care Of by his confederates who fur
nished the money for his escape
from the Atlanta prison." in the
opinion OF Mr.. Burns, who said he
took mo stock in the story from
Athens aboutAa guard having found
Chapman yesterday morning in the
boiler room of the hospital from
which he escaped last Wednesday
night" He declared he had very
definite information" concerning the
men whom he believed assisted in
the escape of Chapman from the
penitentiary
Information had come to him, he
added, which led him to believe
members of q New York gang visit
ed Atlanta and spent money freely
in preparing the way and helping
Chapman in his flight from the
prison walls. He expressed the opin-
ion that arrests would be made in
connection with the affair within
the next day or two.
Catching these men, Mr.. % Burns
asserted, was the primary object"
of his stop here. He announced
that additional agents of the depart
ment of justice had been dispatched
to Athens to join in the hunt for
Chapman.
Reports that P. w. Nichols, the
Yellow TaXicab driver who carried
the convicts to within a few miles
of Athens the day of their escape
from the federal penitentiary, ha6
shown a $1,000 bill to persons living
near Athens, We're revived Saturday
by a story published in Thursday s
issue of the Lawrenceville News
Herald.
Deposited $500 in Bank.
This story stated that Nichols, who
is a former resident of Lawrence
VILE, had endeavored to purchase
four gallons of gasoline by tender
ing a $1,000 bill to a merchant in
that city, and that he had later de-
posted $500 of the $1,000 in a Gwin
nett county bank. 1t further stated
that he had come home a few days
after the escape in new automo
bile.
When questioned the day after
the cOnvicts' escape by federal Off
Gals concerning the report that he
had been seen With $1,000 bill,
Nichols is said to have denied very
emphatically that he had possessed a
bill of such denomination. He
could nT be reached Saturday aft
ernoon for a statement.
Another feature of the news story
in the Lawrenceville paper quoted
the taxicah driver as stating that the
cOnvicts had shown him IA $1,000
bills, telling him they were going to
hide the money near Athens. The
paper quoted him as stating that the
$1,000 bill was given him as a "tip,
and that he thought the bill was of
a $40 denomination until he exam
ined it later.
The reported statement of the taxi
cab driver that the convicts had
shown him fourteen 81 900 bills was
viewed by federal officers as particu-
larly significant in view of their in
formation that the prisoners had
been literally supplied with money.
Just before leaving for New Or
leans and for Los Angeles, where
he plans to question Herbert Wilson,
the former evangelist, who says he
can solve the Wall street bomb mys-
terry, Mr.. Burns said he had no fur
Their statement to make in connec-
ton with the Chapman escape beyond
that the probe would be rigid and
far-reaching.