Wednesday, 25th March 1914: Dan Lehon Takes Charge Of Probe Of Frank Case, The Atlanta Journal

Search for:

Reading Time: 8 minutes [1321 words]

Burns' Lieutenant Acts for His Chief While Latter is Out of City.

Dan S. Lehon, of New Orleans, head of the southern division of the Burns agency, arrived in Atlanta Wednesday morning to direct the probe of the Mary Phagan murder case in the absence of Detective William J. Burns.

"I want to reiterate the statement of Mr. Burns," said Lehon, when located by a Journal reporter at the offices of the Atlanta agency, "that this is a thoroughly impartial investigation, and that we will name the murderer of Mary Phagan, whoever it is."

"The man who killed that little girl should receive the law's full punishment. I tell you I am the father of several girls myself, and I wouldn't work a case like this except to find the guilty man. I wouldn't be on the job for a minute if I were not working to find the truth and nothing else. If the evidence points to Leo Frank as the girl's murderer, then you may be certain we will say so."

Lehon states he has not come to Atlanta to work on any particular phase of the case.

"I am going to take up where Burns left off when he went to New York," he said, "and continue the investigation of the whole case in his absence."

BEGIN STUDY OF WORK.

"Lehon said his first job would be to thoroughly familiarize himself with the work which Burns has already done on the case, and to that end he spent most of Wednesday Morning in conference with C. E. Sears, head of the local agency."

Lehon declares he expects "the governor," as he calls Burns, back in a few days.

It was the famous detective's intention, he said, to return to Atlanta just as soon as he could possibly dispose of the matters which called him to Washington and New York.

Guy W. Biddinger, of New York, another Burns lieutenant who has been called to Atlanta on the case, may be delayed several days, according to Lehon, on an important case in New York, but he, too, will hurry to Atlanta when the other matter has been completed.

Burns has characterized Lehon and Biddinger as two of the ablest detectives in America, and the probe by the Burns men has been given new impetus by the former's arrival in the city.

There are said to be eight trained agents of the Burns agency in Atlanta devoting their entire time to the Phagan case, and Lehon will direct their activities.

ATTORNEYS IN CONFERENCE.

Attorneys for Frank were in conference Wednesday, but there was no announcement as to when the extraordinary motion for a new trial will be filed.

The defense is said to have considered placing the motion before the criminal division of the superior court Friday, but it now appears this course will not be pursued.

Apparently, the reason for delay is that the attorneys have leads which they expect to develop into more evidence favorable to the condemned man and they desire the motion to be complete when it is filed.

The law provides that an extraordinary motion for a new trial, in a case where the defendant has been condemned to death, can be filed at any time up to the very hour of the execution, and, as a result, the defense still has more than twenty days in which to make the motion.

While Burns and his agents have consistently refused to forecast the length of time they consider necessary for the investigation, it is considered likely from the way the probe is progressing that the final report of the detective will be ready within two weeks, and if the defense delays its motion for that period, the findings of Burns, if favorable to the condemned man, can be included in the extraordinary motion.

Smith Defends Conley Without Remuneration

The mystery which has surrounded Attorney William M. Smith's employment as counsel for the Negro Jim Conley, has been dispelled by a statement from the attorney.

According to Mr. Smith, when Conley made the first of his series of remarkable statements, he was approached by representatives of an Atlanta newspaper, who saw great "news possibilities" in the Negro, and employed him to represent the man.

After a few days Mr. Smith saw he could not continue in his capacity of representative of a newspaper and counsel for the Negro, without injustice to the latter, he said, so his contract with the paper was terminated.

Then, he states, the Negro begged him to continue as his counsel, and because he had once entered into the case, he did this, he says, without remuneration, as neither Conley nor his relatives could raise a fee.

Since he was once in the case, he is there to stay, Mr. Smith says, and will again appear before the court asking a new trial for the Negro.

Jane Addams Urges New Trial for Leo M. Frank

A letter from Jane Addams, the noted director of Hull House, Chicago, to Mrs. Emily Mac Dougald, in which she says she hopes Leo M. Frank will secure a new trial, was made public Wednesday.

It follows:

March 20, 1914.

My Dear Mrs. Mac Dougald

I found myself so occupied in Atlanta that I did not write to you concerning the Frank case as I meant to do.

The postponement, however, was not due to any lack of interest, for the subject has been very much in my mind ever since.

An execution is so desperately irrevocable that it can seem justifiable only upon the most unequivocal and downright evidence.

To permit it under any other circumstances outrages one's profoundest human instincts.

Would it not be possible to secure immediately at least a reprieve of ninety days, during which time every effort might be made for further evidence?

I have been in Atlanta several times and have always received the impression of a thriving, open-minded city and one in which men and women were accustomed to discuss together the graver aspects of community responsibilities.

Would it not be possible, therefore, for the women of Atlanta, through their organizations or through petition, to protest against the execution of a man concerning whose guilt there is so much room for doubt?

This protest could be made in the name of protecting the ethical instincts and human sympathies of the young people of the city.

To permit this execution to go on may be committing an outrage against the finer natures of your own citizens which will be irreparable, registering itself in a permanent lack of respect for the dignity of human life and for the law.

With cordial greetings to your daughter and the other ladies I met in Atlanta, I am Very sincerely yours,

JANE ADDAMS.

PAGE 6, COLUMN 2

Handsome Pennant Chosen

For Shriner's Convention

SHRINER'S NEW PENNANT.

The young lady posing with the handsome design for the pennant to be used by the Shriners during their convention is Miss Christine Hooper, daughter of Attorney Frank A. Hooper, of Yaarab Temple.

Design, Which Has Just Been Approved by Potentate For Rest Adair, Is Declared to Be the Most Attractive Ever Used "The handsomest pennant ever designed," is the way Shriners speak of the flag which will adorn the automobiles and the residences of members of Yaarab Temple during the Shrine convention in April.

The design of the pennant, which is changed for each convention, has just been "O. K.'d" by Potentate Forrest Adair, and 5,000 flags have been ordered as a starter.

Besides the usual Shrine emblem, which on these pennants will be embellished with large red jewels, the design includes two bolls of real cotton and the picture of a jolly Shriner riding a comical camel across the hot sands.

In big letters will be the words "Atlanta, 1914," and in almost equally large letters the name "Yaarab" will be seen.

Special pennants in the number of 250 have been ordered to adorn the 250 automobiles which the Shriners expect citizens of Atlanta to place at the command of the visitors during the convention.