Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-29
YOUTH, WOUNDED
As BURGLAR. DRIVEN.
BY HUNGER, He SAYS
Son of Minister Shot in
ConkIin Home, Denies Be-
ing Robber = Bore Good
Reputation

Reputation
While detectives are working to
unravel the mystery surrounding
the case, Raleigh w. Wright, %
years old, lies at the Grady hos
pital with a bullet through his right
lung, stoutly maintaining that he
is not a gentleman burglar" al
though he was shot at 3 o'clock Sat
urday morning after he had Jim
mied" a window in the home OF
Charles A. Conklin, at 964 Peachtree
street.
Young Wright insists that he en-
tered the Conlllin home to get some
thing to eat, and that he was sur
prised by Dan Conklin, returning
home from fraternity dance. Conk-
lin opened fire and his first bullet
found its mark in Wright's body. He
emptied his gun at the intruder,
who fired one shot and then turned
to run, making his escape, tempo
rarily, only to collapse from loss or
blood after fleeing a few hundred
yards toward Piedmont park. Inc
Conklin home is at the corner or
Peachtree and Fourteenth streets,
a block or two from the park en-
trance.
The officers cannot reconcile his
story with the circumstances sur
rounding the case. They say they
found in Wrisht's pockets a 40 cal
iber automatic pistol dirk and 4
hammer with Jimmy" on the butt
of the handle.
Wright Has Good Home
Wright's friends in Atlanta-he
came here last September-say that
he did not appear to be in strained
circumstances, that he was appar-
entIy q model young man OF eX-
emplary habits, not addicted to PAD
habits, and ecopomical with MS
money. At his place of employment
a local branch of betting manu-
facturer, it was said Saturday that
he was Industrious and steady IN
his work, sometimes making trips
to sell the company's product, and
always scrupulously honest In MS
business dealings. :,
He made no request for flnanclai
assistance from his employers, II
was said, neither did he seek ana
from friends Of his father in Atlanta,
although the latter, Rev. RalelGh
Wright. of GreenvilIe, Texas, Is
well-known evangelist in the EN-
ploy of the Southern Baptist con
vention.
When young Wright came to At
fanta some months ago, he brought
letters from his father to prominent
Baptist ministers here, and they, be-
cause of their friendship for his ia
Their. recommended him at the place
where he later secured board at d
priyate home on Virginia avenue.
These friends of his father were
astounded Saturday when they
learned that the young man had be-
come involved in so serious a pre-
dicament
''.Just Hungry" He Says
At the home where he lived, 1t
was said that he brought no pack
ages or bundles to his quarters, did
not keep unreasonable hours, aud
was considered n quiet, steady
young man of good habits. A search
of his rooms by detectives disclosed
nothing that would lead to suspicion
that he had been involved in burSIa
ries.
ut was the first time I had ever
said young Wright at the Grady
hospital Saturday. II am not a
burglar. | was just hard up, flat
broke, and hungry. | went into
that house to get something to eat
Asked why he picked out the
Conkln home, he declared that he
&had walked about the streets trying
sto make up his mind to break into
g some place, and the Conklin home,
r. which he did not know as such,
looked like d good chance to carry
out his purpose.
az had had the gun for more than
two years." he said, land the knife
was one had made from a piece OF
sheet metal, intending to send 1T &c
my little brother in Texas. don
know why 1 happened to have 1t II
my pocket.
1.-THE young man who discovered
me in the room, just after | hao
opened the window, began to shoot
first. His first bullet struck me II
the right shoulder, but he kept or
shooting until he had emptied his
gun. Then he threw it at me.
II shot one time ane my sur
damned l shot to make him duck
ard take cover so l could get away
/ didn't shoot to hurt him. He
crouched behind a door and all
could see was the brim of his hat
"As l went out across the porcf
I tripped over a chair and fell; az
! went down my gun, still IN my
hand, hit against the floor and tlre(
again, but l wasn't shooting at any
body. Then L ran as fast as l coul(
away from there, and the next
remember I was in the hospital"
Wright denies Vehemently tina
he had ever tried to. burglarize an!
building before his attempt Satur
day morning.
i Il had two street car tickets anC
penny in my pocket when L wen
into that house. l was broke an(
down and out That's the reason.
Detectives Cowan aud Gillespie
who are working on the case, hay
been unable to shake the youn
mans STORY of the affair. Their in
ability 20 find anything at his room
that would arouse suspicion, and tn
high opinion in which Wright
friends held him, combine to throw
an air - mystery around the enttr
case.
Officials of the company that en-
Moved younS Wright say that h
had abe.:t $50 due him. and coul
have secured an advance had he II
Dictated such a desire. They Canno
understand why he considered hin
self destitute and attempted to bun
glarize n home because he wa
huncrv." They advance the belle
that he is either mentally derange
or Is hiding something that woul
throw light on the case.
Auto Train Crash Fatal