You Are There: Atlanta Journal, May 16th, 1913 – Little Mary Phagan

Books and Papers in Phagan Case in Grand Jury's Hands

Atlanta Journal
Friday, May 16th, 1913

Two Employes of Pencil Company Appeared Before Grand Jury Friday in Answer to Subpenas [sic]

FELDER RAISING FUND TO PAY W. J. BURNS

The Journal Subscribes $100, Mr. Felder Declares a Burns Investigator Will Be Put On the Case at Once

By means of a subpoena duces tecum Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey Friday obtained possession of a number of books and papers of the National Pencil company.

The subpoena was served on Herbert G. Schiff and M. B. Darley, two officials of the pencil company, by Deputy Sheriff Plennie Minor, and the two men were ordered to have the papers before the grand jury at 11 o'clock Friday morning for use as evidence in the "case of the state versus Leo M. Frank."

At that hour Friday morning the grand jury was holding a routine session, and the service of the subpoena occasioned the rumors that the grand jury was ready to go into the case.

No phase of the Phagan mystery actually went before the grand jury, however, and Solicitor Dorsey stated that no circumstances had as yet arisen which will change his determination to present the Mary Phagan murder case to the grand jury on either Thursday or Friday of next week.

Many witnesses in the case were before Solicitor Dorsey during the day Friday and he is working many hours each day to get the case in proper shape for presentation to the grand jury at that time.

THE JOURNAL GIVES $100.

The appeal of Attorney Thomas B. Felder to the public to raise a fund to employ William J. Burns on the Phagan case has met with an instant response. Friday morning the Atlanta Constitution contributed $100 to the fund. Friday afternoon the Atlanta Georgian subscribed $100 and The Atlanta Journal swells the fund with another $100.

Mr. Felder states that he has been in telephonic communication with a number of gentlemen who will make contributions to the "Burns fund."

Several ladies, well known in society, are said to have originated the idea of raising a fund to bring the great detective here, and they are giving their time and money to this end, according to Mr. Felder, who does not wish to announce the names of the contributors.

Mr. Felder declares that an investigator from Burns' New York office will be in Atlanta within a few hours and he will immediately commence the probe. Burns himself, according to Mr. Felder, will hasten his return from Europe to come to Atlanta to work on the Mary Phagan mystery.

When asked about the probably [probable] entry of the great detective into the case, Mr. Dorsey Friday authorized the following statement:

MUST WORK INDEPENDENTLY.

"Mr. Burns will be welcome. We are delighted to have aid in arriving at the truth, no matter from what source.

"Mr. Burns would have, so far as this office is concerned, however, to obtain his information first hand.

"We accept the statement without question that Mr. Burns' employment is in entire good faith, but our attitude toward his, so far as this office is concerned, is exactly the same as towards the Pinkertons. They will be expected to give, but not to receive.

"The work being done by the local detectives is entirely satisfactory."