Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-02
OLD CONFESSION
IN PHAGAN MURDER
BROUGHT To LIGHT

famous case ten years ago involving
the Staying of Mary Phagan, four
teen year-old girl employed by the
National Pencil company, and the
conviction of Leo Frank, manager
of the company, who had been con-
victed OF the crime, came to light
Monday through the investigation of
a report that there had been new
developments in the case.
The confession was made during
the term of office of former Cover
nor John NJ. SIaton by a convict in
the federal prison here, and was re-
ported to the state prison commits
sion, but was never thoroughly in
veStigated because Of the numerous
false statements and fake rumors
prevalent at that time, it was said.
negro named Freeman, although the
name is the only part that can not
be verified. 1t was made at the fed
eral penitentiary by a negro who
thought he was dying, and was taken
down in writing by DR.. j. Calvin
WcaTer, prominent Atlanta doctor,
then the prison physician. DR..
Weaver says he reported the case to
both Governor Slaton and the prison
commission, and investigated the
matter to some extent himself, at the
1equest OF the state officials, but did
not run it down thoroughly. Former
Governor Slaton, Chairman r. +. Da-
vison. of the prison commission, and
DR.. Weaver all verified these facts
Monday.
Judge Dawson recalled many of
the details of the alleged confession
when he was asked about it Mon
day. The negro Freeman, fatty
charged Jim Conley, a negro porter
for the National Pencil factory. with
the murder of Mary Phagan, accord
ing to Judge Dawson.
Freeman claimed that he had
played cards with COnley all morn
ing on MemOriay day, in 1913, when
the factory was closed, and that
COnley left TIE basement in disgust
and climbed ladder to the first
floor shortly before noon. The ele-
vator had not run ell morning, Free
man said.
Soon after Conley had gone up the
ladder. Freeman heard muftled
scream, he is said to have declared,
and a struggle. He also said he has;
climbed the ladder and peeped
through the trap door, seeing Con
ley struggling with some one under
some steps. Freeman claimed that
ne became frightened and ran OFT
the back of the Easements breaking
Il rear door in his haste. This broken
door proved 20 be one Of the mys-
teries of the trial.
Offered TO Pawn Bag
That afternoon at about 3 o'clock,
Freeman said, Conley came to Free
mans house and declared that he
had to have three dollars, and needed
$3.50 TO make it. He said Conley
offered to pawn a mesh bag to Free
man. who advanced the $3.50 and
took the bag. The next morning, &C
COrding to Freeman, he heard about
tlAO 4lC san sill DCiIl5 hllISu DIT liIC
pencil factory, and that she had $12O
in her mesh bag, the amount due her
for work at the factory. Both the
$1.20 and the mesh bag had disap-
peared.
Freeman said he Immediately saw
the possibility that Conlev would
frame" him, and his first care was
to get rid of the mesh bag, in which
he had found Mary Phagan's card,
after hearing of the murder. He
said he took the bag to a woman
named Stella Williams, who lived at
an address that was given in the
confession. and warned her to put
it in the bottom of her trunk and
leave it there forever. he declared.
Then he said he caught a train for
New Orleans, where he got in trou-
bic and from which place he had
been sent to the federal prison IN
Atlanta, the last place in the world
he wanted to spend his time in.
Judge Dawson declared that an in
quiry in Atlanta revealed that a
Stella Williams had lived at the adj
dress given by Freeman, but she