Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-02-23
DEKA[B OFFICIALS
TAKE STEPS To TRY
YOUTH IN DECATUR
of Mr., and Mrs, Nc
DoweII Planned for 10
O'Clock Friday at ACWorth,
Former Home

Sheriff J. A. McCurdy, of Dekalb
| county, Thursday wired the authorl-
ties at st. Petersburg, Fla, to bold
Frank Mcdowell for DeKalb county
authorities in the event Mcdowell is
not tried or should be acquitted OF
the charge that he slew his father
and mother, Mr.. and Mrs. John M.
Mcdowell, at their st. Petersburg
| home early Wednesday morning.
DeKalb county wants to try McDow
| ell on the charge that he burned his
| two sisters to death in Decatur last
February, the sheriff said.
| 1t was announced Thursday that
Mr.. and Mrs. John M. Mcdowell will
be buried in the Acworth cemetery
Friday, following funeral services to
be conducted in Acworth at IL
o'clock Friday morning. The Rev.
j. M. Haymore, pastor OF the First
Baptist church, of Decatur to
which the Mcdowell family belonged
will conduct the services.
The remains were to reach Ac.
worth on the Dixie Flyer Friday
morning, according to a telegram
from Glover B. Mcdowell. of Jack
sonville, brother of Mr. Mcdowell,
who went to st. Petersburg.
Mayor G.. w. Mcmillan, Of Ac
worth, is a brother-in-law of Mrs.
| Mcdowell, having married her sis
ter y
Sheriff McCurdy, in telephoning to
st. Petersburg, acted on reports
that the Florida authorities might
commit young Mcdowell to an asy.
lum without trial on the murder
charge, and on developments that in
Dictated to the authorities that Nc
DOwell might not be as insane as he
pretends to be. The chief develop
ment to arouse suspicion of the au-
thorities was the discovery that
Frank Mcdowell wrote a $4,000 in
surance policy on his fathers life
on January % of this year, the poll
ey containing a double indemnity
clause in case of accidental death or
murder. The policy was payable to
Mr.. McDoWells estate, but Frank is
the only survivor in the family, 1t
was pointed out.
Although the insurance develop
ment impressed the Dekalb county
officials, it did not impress relatives
of the Mcdowell family, who are con-
WINGED that Frank Mcdowell is in
sane. P. c. Carnes, a brother in law
of Mr.. Mcdowell residing at CAS-
Ponce de Leon avenue, in Atlanta,
stated Thursday that Frank mellow.
ell recently started his career in the
insurance business, and it was natur-
al for his father to take out a policy
With him to help him get started.
"Mr Mcdowell was a strong be-
lever in insurance, but / don't be-
leve Frank had any realization of
its value" Mr.. Carnes said.
Objected to Work
With the discovery of possible
motive in the st. Petersburg double
Staying, DeKalb authorities resumed
their investigation of the Decatur
tragedy in search of a reason for
the Staying of the two Mcdowell
girls. Their only revelation thus
far is the statement of neighbors
that the girls chided Frank McDoW-
ell frequently because he would not
do any work around the house, caus-
ing him to display fits of violent
temper. 1t was said that he created
a scene" on the street at one time
when his mother asked him to
carry a coal scuttle home.
Frank Mcdowell was great
favorite of his mother, and had a
lot of false pride as far as work
was concerned" neighbors told the
authorities.
Robert c. w. Ramspeck, solicitor
of the Decatur city court, who con-
Quoted the investigation into the
death of the Mcdowell girls, during
the illness of the late Solicitor A.
NJ. Brand. of the DeKalb superior
court, had reopened the investiga-
ton of the tragedy Thursday, with
a view to working up a case against
Frank Mcdowell if he is returned to
the custody of the state of Georgia.
Solicitor Ramspeck and Sheriff Nc
Curdy both stated Thursday that
they gathered sufficient evidence in
their previous investigation to make
them suspect Frank Mcdowell of
Staying his sisters, but met such
strong opposition from members Of
the family, especially Mrs. Nc
Dowell, that they were unable to
secure positive proof and decided not
to make a case. This decision was
affected to some extent by the ex-
element prevailing in DeKalb coun-
ty at the time, it was said.
Mr.. Mcdowell is survived by his
mother. Mrs. S. A. Mcdowell, who
spends most of her time with rela-
tives in Atlanta; two brothers, Cliff
Mcdowell, of Knoxville, Tenn, and
Glover 5. Mcdowell, of Jacksonville,
and four sisters, Mrs. P. c. Barnes.
of Gas Ponce de Leon avenue, Allan
ia; Mrs. J. +. Carnes and Mrs. F.. NJ.
Bailey, of Acworth, and Mrs. J. H.
Gentry. of Nashville.
Mrs. Mcdowell was before her
| marriage Miss Rosa Putnam. of Ac-
worth, the daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
| Henry Putnam. She married Mr..
Mcdowell when he was engaged III
the newspaper business in Acworth.
She is survived by her mother. who
was a visitor in the Mcdowell home
at St. Petersburg when Mr.. and Mrs.
! Mcdowell were slain, and by other
relatives at Acworth.
Mrs. \. T. Wise, principal Of
Commercial High school, stated
Thursday that the school records do
not show that Frank Mcdowell was
ever pupil there, as had been re-
ported.
Mrs. S. A. Mcdowell, q ged mother
| of Mr.. Mcdowell, is confined to her
bed at the home of her daughter.
| Mrs. P. c. Carnes. as the result of
the shock of the tragedy and a
previous illness. Mrs. Carnes is also
confined 10 her bed with a nervous
breakdown.