Sunday, 12th April 1914: Offers Big Reward For Evidence Against Frank, The Atlanta Journal

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Burns to Give $1,000 for Proof of Perversion; Detective Disappears

In a signed statement Saturday afternoon, William J. Burns offered a reward of $1,000 to any person who will furnish him with definite and satisfactory evidence concerning any act of perversion or immorality on the part of Leo M. Frank. The action of the famous detective in offering the reward is construed as meaning that he has found nothing to substantiate the attack of the State on Leo Frank's character at the trial last August.

Burns' statement, signed and made in the form of a letter to the editor of The Journal, follows: "In making my investigation of the Frank case it is of the highest importance that I get at the truth of the reports concerning acts of perversion and of immorality on the part of Leo M. Frank. In the papers yesterday, I requested that persons having information bearing in any way on the matter would communicate with me at once. Having received no response at all from anyone, and having obtained no information in this way, I am compelled, on account of the extreme importance of the matter, to make this statement: That I will pay $1,000 to any person, or persons, who will furnish me any definite and satisfactory information on the above lines."

It is noted that Burns does not qualify his offer of a $1,000 reward except that it will be paid for definite and satisfactory information. He stated Friday that he was anxious to get any definite information derogatory to Frank's character, regardless of the time any specific act may have been committed.

At the trial, nearly a dozen girls appeared for the state to swear that Frank's character is bad. These witnesses were not cross-examined by the defense, and as a result, charges of specific acts were not made. Apparently, Burns' offer does not exclude these witnesses if they can tell him of definite acts. By his questioning of witnesses, Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey at the trial insinuated that Frank had improperly approached a number of women, whom he named; and one woman, according to one of Dorsey's questions, had thrown a monkey wrench at Frank when he is alleged to have made an indecent remark. Burns, who has studied the record of the case, does not exclude from his offer of a reward these people named by Dorsey. In other words, it is practically an assertion by him that the state's charges are false.

Chief of Detectives Newport A. Lanford, when told of the offer of a reward, quickly said: "I don't want his money, but if Mr. Burns comes down here, we can furnish him with all the information along that line he wants. In fact, I expect we can furnish him with more than he wants. I will be glad to see Mr. Burns at any time, and will gladly furnish him with this information, gratis."

Burns mysteriously dropped out of sight Saturday afternoon, and a reporter was unable to locate him to secure a reply to the statement by the chief of detectives. Burns has rooms at two hotels, but was at neither during the afternoon, nor was he at the office of his agency in the Healy Building. Dan S. Lehon, his lieutenant, would not divulge the whereabouts of his chief. Mr. Lehon said that he did not expect Burns to be "visible" Saturday night. He would not say whether he was out of the city or not, nor when he would return to one of his hotels or to his office. The mission on which Burns is engaged is of extreme importance, his lieutenant said. Mr. Lehon added that the investigation is progressing very satisfactorily.

A published rumor that William A. Pinkerton, head of the national agency that bears his name, was in Atlanta Saturday, watching Burns and developments in the Frank case, has been found to be erroneous. Pinkerton is in Hot Springs, Ark., where a Journal representative saw him on Saturday.