00:00Dorsey puts own sleuths onto Fagan's slaying case. Atlanta, Georgian Friday, May 2, 1913,
00:05200 witnesses to be called, when inquest into slaying of Factory Girl is resumed next Monday.
00:11Detectives are busy. Coroner declares inquiry will not be made hastily, every clue to be probed
00:16thoroughly. Lee and Frank are in tower. Grand jury meets but considers only routine matters
00:21was no truth in report that militia had been ordered to mobilize. There were no developments
00:26of importance in the Fagan case today. This does not mean that the detectives and police force are
00:31not hard at work on the mystery. They are. Many so-called clues are being investigated but scores
00:37of them have been followed up by detectives and found valueless. The grand jury met this morning
00:43and considered only routine matters. The Fagan case was not taken up at all. A portion of text
00:49from the same article in the Georgian but from the home edition of the newspaper editor. Solicitor
00:55General Hugh M. Dorsey this afternoon engaged private detectives to run down clues which have
01:01not as yet been fully developed by the men already working on the Fagan case. The detectives are to
01:07investigate certain phases of the mystery which have previously received little attention and which
01:12he thinks may be of importance. Mr. Dorsey had conferences today with the city detectives and
01:17with Miss Hattie Barnett of the Pinkertons. The new grand jury which meets Monday may consider
01:22the Fagan case. The grand jury met this morning and considered only routine matters. The Fagan case
01:28was not taken up at all. The report that the National Guard had been mobilized originated because
01:33Adjutant General Nash requested some of the officers of the 5th Regiment to be within call in case of
01:39trouble. A few members of the 5th Regiment were at the armory last evening but all had returned home by
01:44midnight in quest to be thorough. Coroner Dunhu said to a Georgian reporter that the mystery which
01:50surrounds the killing of Mary Fagan is by no means solved and that the investigation would be carried
01:55on as long as there is a thread of evidence to be unraveled. I would not be holding this jury
02:01said
02:01the coroner if I were satisfied or were reasonably certain as to the facts in our possession. A case
02:06like this so deeply wrapped in mystery cannot be solved in a day and if there is anybody in Atlanta
02:12who is not pleased with the progress being made his public spirit should make him come forward and lend
02:17his assistance. No pride of office certainly will keep me from taking any reasonable suggestion and
02:22following it for all it is worth. It is up to the people to help all they can, following every
02:27clue.
02:28And why should the public demand such great haste? It requires weeks and sometimes months before some
02:33of these mysteries can be cleared. Investigation of the Holland killing out at the Ice House here,
02:38I recall, went on about six weeks before anything definite was found out. It is only in the magazines
02:44that solutions are forthcoming in a day. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the body
02:50of Mary Fagan will be exhumed for a further examination. The coroner was informed today of
02:56another clue which he deems worthy of investigation and in all probability will subpoena an important
03:01witness for the hearing on Monday. The new clue which we have may be a good one, he said. We
03:07are
03:08following every one we can find, of course. This one may solve the mystery, who knows? Newest facts in case.
03:13The exact facts in the Fagan case, as this edition of the Georgian goes to press, can be stated as
03:19follows. First, the coroner's inquest is not yet ended. It has been adjourned until Monday afternoon
03:26next, and until it is ended the state is not likely to take hold of the case except insofar as
03:31Solicitor General Dorsey may deem it necessary to acquaint himself with facts that may aid him when the
03:36coroner's jury renders its verdict. After this is done, the case is turned over to the Solicitor General
03:42as the chief prosecuting officer of Fulton County. Second, it is reported that a large number of
03:48witnesses, 200, are to be subpoenaed by the coroner's jury and that both Lee and Frank will
03:53testify. Third, the functions of a coroner's jury consist of hearing preliminary testimony and
03:59holding persons under suspicion for the grand jury, which is the legal body that finds indictments
04:04against those accused of crime. Investigation before the grand jury is on evidence and is much
04:09more complete than before the coroner's jury. Fourth, Solicitor General Dorsey's conference with
04:14chief of police Beavers and chief of detectives Lanford yesterday was not to express dissatisfaction
04:19with the police, but to acquaint himself more fully with facts not yet made public. Fifth, officials of
04:25the jail declared today that visitors will not be allowed to see either Frank or Lee, but of course
04:30counsel will have free access to them. Sixth, the absurd report that state troops were to be called out,
04:36of course, has no foundation in facts. This rumor was published in some of the state papers and by
04:41an unimportant morning daily of limited circulation. Seventh, the report that William J. Burns is to come
04:47to Atlanta is of doubtful origin. The last heard of Mr. Burns he was in Europe. Eighth friends of
04:52Frank are coming forward in his defense and are making a vigorous defense for him. It is reported
04:57that Monsieur Frank, an uncle who is very wealthy, will employ the ablest legal talent to defend Frank.
05:02In regard to the arrest of Leo Frank, Milton Klein has furnished the following.
05:06Leo Frank, the superintendent and general manager of one of Atlanta's largest and most promising
05:12industries, spends two hours in his office on a holiday after generously relieving the watchman
05:17during these hours. His habits are regular and industrious, and his life while in Atlanta is
05:23perfectly blameless in every respect. The terrible crime committed in his plant calls forth the closest
05:29scrutiny of Mr. Frank's relations with his three hundred workmen and women. Only the highest words
05:34of praise and confidence in his character are heard on all sides. I have worked with Mr. Frank for years
05:40in various charitable organizations, and have ever found him the most polished of gentlemen, with the
05:45kindest of heart and the broadest of sympathy. To such an extent it is recognized among his fellow
05:51lodgemen that we have honored him with the office of President, which is the highest rank in our
05:55organization. Best work in factory. He is a liberal supporter of many worthy enterprises, but his
06:02greatest work has been among his own employees at his factory. The first to report in the morning and
06:07the last to leave at night, every day and holidays, he has labored to build up a factory that in
06:12spirit
06:12and efficiency is second to none south of the Mason and Dixon line. After the magnificent work he has
06:18done in his adopted home, shall we without consideration emphasize every bit of gossip which unjustly and
06:24groundlessly connects him with this awful tragedy. No one seeks more fervently to discover the real
06:29perpetrator of this atrocious crime than Mr. Frank. Minor asks for calmness. Deputy Sheriff Plenty Minor
06:36makes the following plea for calm consideration of the Fagan case. While a crime of a most revolting
06:42nature has been committed in our midst, and our people are naturally excited and incensed over the
06:46deplorable affair, there are things that we need to consider coolly and carefully. Every possible effort is
06:52being put forth by the officers and the public generally to apprehend the guilty party or parties.
06:58Nothing is being left undone. No clue is being overlooked that would lead to a solution of the
07:02mysterious tragedy. But this is not a time for us to become too excited or too hasty in our efforts
07:08to
07:08ferret out the criminal. Above all things, and especially at this time, it is absolutely necessary
07:13for us to keep perfectly cool, to work carefully and quietly, running down every possible clue with
07:19caution. I respectfully ask that the public be patient, refraining from criticism of the unceasing
07:26efforts on the part of the officers or private individuals who are working so generously and
07:31faithfully on the case. And I would as respectfully ask that the daily papers refrain from printing
07:36anything calculated to unduly inflame the public mind, and from using such headlines as are calculated
07:42to arouse undue indignation. And you may rest assured, if faithful and persevering work counts for
07:48anything, justice will be done. I have known during my several years of experience as an officer and in
07:53criminal cases, undue haste in matters of this kind, brought on by excitement and enthusiasm to
07:59produce a miscarriage of justice. But I have never known a cool and systematic investigation of a
08:04tragedy, backed up by an earnest public sentiment demanding the apprehension of the real perpetrator of a crime
08:10like this, to fail of attaining the desired end.
Comments