Monday, 26th May 1913 Accuses Tobie of Kidnaping Attempt

Atlanta Georgian

Monday, May 26th, 1913

Topeka, Kans., Chief Wires Beavers That Burns Detective Was Not Convicted.

That the local police authorities are tracing the past record of C. W. Tobie, the Burns operative investigating the Phagan case, came definitely into light Monday morning when Police Chief Beavers received a telegram from the Chief of Police of Topeka, Kans., regarding the detective.

The telegram was in answer to one sent by Beavers some days ago to Topeka asking for Tobie's police record there. The answer stated that while Tobie had been involved in a kidnaping case in Topeka, that he had never been convicted on this score. The telegram read:

Topeka, Kans., May 26, 1913.

Chief of Police, Atlanta, Georgia:

Tobie tried to kidnap incubator baby at Sedan, Kansas, but failed, being employed by Detective Tillotson. Subesquently, Tillotson kidnaped the child at Topeka and was convicted, but Tobie was not convicted of the Topeka kidnaping.

J. W. F. HUGHES.

Chief of Police.

Burns Men Going Ahead.

Tobie said Monday that recent sensational developments in the Mary Phagan murder case, involving charges of frame-ups by and against the Burns agency, would have no effect whatever on the agency's investigations or the coming of W. J. Burns himself to Atlanta.

"We are going right ahead, just as if these things had not happened," said Tobie.

Tobie said W. J. Burns was not due to arrive in America until June 1. Recent developments, he repeated, would not influence one way or the other his proposed coming to Atlanta.

Telegraphic information was received from New York that Raymond Burns, son of the great detective, was on his way to Atlanta. Tobie said this afternoon that Raymond was in New York, and that he knew nothing of his contemplated or intended coming to Atlanta.

Following the publication of newspaper articles in which Tobie said Pinkerton detectives were involved in a frame-up against the Burns agency, the Atlanta branch of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency has sent The Georgian a written denial. The denial applies also to similar charges voiced by Colonel Thomas B. Felder.

Pinkerton Makes Denial.

Allan Pinkerton, who signs the denial says, in part:

"These statements, in so far as they refer to Pinkerton's National Detective Agency, are absolutely without an iota of truth, as Pinkerton's National Detective Agency had absolutely no previous knowledge or information concerning or pertaining to the issue between certain Atlanta city officials and Attorney-at-Law Thomas B. Felder."

Dan S. Lehon, general superintendent of all Southern agencies of the Burns detective service, stationed in New Orleans, spent Sunday and Monday in Atlanta. His arrival gave currency to reports that the Burns force in Atlanta had been strengthened for completion of their work on the Mary Phagan murder case, but Tobie said Lehon merely stopped over to visit him. He was on his way to another city, Tobie said, and his stay in Atlanta had no connection with the Phagan investigation.

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