Atlanta tri-weekly journal., 1924-02-26
OFF F|CE:RS TO SEEK
DEKALB INDICTMENT
AGAINST NJ 'DOWELL

Let the law take its course. If
he is sane break his neck, if insane
put him away where he can do no
more harm"
Such was the statement made Sat
urday by G. II. Putnam. of As Olympia
Way, in discussing the two double
crimes to which his nephew, Frank
Mcdowell, has confessed-the shoot:
ting to death last Tuesday night of
his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. j. w. Nc
Dowell as they slept in their home
in st. Petersburg, Fla. and the burn
ing to death of his sisters, Marian
aud Williematee, at Decatur a year
ago.
Mr.. Putnam, a brother of Mrs. Nc
Dowell, made the statement in COM
menting on the question of whether
members of the family would push
prosecution of the youth. I'VE
haven't discussed it," he said, "but
if the rest of the family feel as [ do
they are willing to let the law take
it's coure-if he is sane break his
neck; if insane put him away where
he can do no more harm"
A conference between Solicitor
General Claude Smith, Of the De-
Kalb county superior court, and
Robert w. Ramspeck, solicitor of the
Decatur city court, at which they
discussed the confession of Frank
Mcdowell as related to the death of
his sisters, was the principal devel-
opment Saturday in the investiga-
ton of the Mcdowell house fire Of
February 19, 1928, which has been
revived since the youths disclos-
ures.
While neither Mr.. Smith nor Mr.
Ramspeck could be located Saturday
afternoon for statement, it was un-
derstood that they decided to go be-
fore the DeKalb county grand jury
and seek indictments for murder and
arson against Frank Mcdowell.
DeKalb county authorities have
slight hope Of ever bringing Nc
Dowel to trial for his sisters
deaths, but the indictments will be
sought for use in the eventuality
that the youth escapes a murder trial
in Florida on the plea of insanity, it
WAS said.
His Egotism Marked
An interesting sidelight in young
McDowell's collegiate life developed
Saturday in the statement of Emory
professors. They told how Frank,
assigned to a section which was
taught by an instructor, came to
DIR. j. H. Hinton and asked that
he be assigned to another section
in charge of DR.. j. M. Steadman,
because he believed he possessed
exceptional ability to write.
young McDowelPs egotism was
the one characteristic that impressed
me more than anything else," said
DR.. Steadman. The professor inves-
tigated his grades and found that
the Decatur youth was graded c
minus on an essay, "Who I Am?"
which is one of the items required
of freshmen students. His first
marks were BIS and C's until he
was reminded of his declaration that
his speciality was English. After
that, he consistently made AS and
A plus grades.
Rev. j. M. Haymore, pastor of
the First Baptist church of Decatur,
stated Saturday that the youth was
a member of his church and had
school.
Il was not intimate with Frank,
DR.. Haymore said. "He was what
might be described as hard to know.
and / was never able to get close
to him. L understood he was skep-
tical about Christianity, but / never
discussed it with him because it is
my nature to be cautious. And he
never broached the subject to me
apparently he entertained too much
respect and affection for me-
Frank was really in Decatur but
a short period of the time 1 have
been a pastor here. But I did
know him. He was very pleasant,
and one time visited my home His
parents though we're active church
MEMBERS and out of resrect for
them and the other members of the
family L made no mention of the
boys part in the tragedies when l
officiated at the burial of Mr.. and
Mrs. Mcdowell Friday at Acworth."
Never Went to Church
In answer to questions, DR.. Hay
more stated Frank had never at
tended his church, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Mcdowell never asked him to speak
to Frank about religion.
Young Mcdowell, however, was
more active in the Sunday school
than in the church, and at one time
was a regular attendant upon the
exercises of the former, according
to DR.. Haymore. He was a member
Of the class taught by Wheat Will
liams, principal of the Decatur Jun
ior High school.
Frank was peculiar, but he never
impressed me as being crazy" said
Warner Hall, son of j. A. Hall,
with whom Franks father was as
sociated in the conduct of the De
Kalb New Era at Decatur.
He might be crazy on some one
subject. but [ can hardly believe he
is really insane. We used to have
some arguments, but [ did not press
them, because he always seemed to
know SO much more about the sub
ject than | did. He was apparently
deep thinker, and would discuss
deep stuff like the Einstein theory.
One of his chief subjects was that
Of mech anical birth and birth control,
which / believe he mentioned in his
statements in St. Petersburg"
The speaker described young Nc
Dowell as always ready for a casual
argument, explaining: mo matter
what the subject or what was said
he never got angry; just argued cas-
ually, in different like" He added
that McDowelrs arguments were
often on far-fetched subjects, but
| that thew were apDarept1V IaoinaI il,