Saturday, May 31st, 1913
"No Man With Common Sense Would Even Suspect That I Did It," Prisoner in Fulton Tower Tells Attache. "It's a Negro's Crime Through and Through." Asserts His Innocence to Turnkeys and to Fellow Prisoners.
"IT'S UP TO MR. FRANK TO TELL THE TRUTH," ASSERTS JAMES CONLEY
"I Believe He'd Let ‘Em Hang Me to Get Out of It Himself if He Had the Chance," Says Negro Sweeper—Chief Lanford Is Pleased With Work of Department and Ready for the Case to Come to Trial Immediately.
"No white man killed Mary Phagan. It's a negro's crime, through and through. No man with common sense would even suspect that I did it."
This declaration was made by Leo M. Frank in his cell at the Tower to a jail attaché, the attaché told a reporter for The Constitution last night. He is also stated to have made incessant pleas of innocence to turnkeys and prisoners who are permitted within the sacred confines of his cell.
No newspaper men are allowed to see him. He has instructed Sheriff Mangum to permit no one in his presence except at his request. The sheriff is obeying the order to the letter. Even Chief Lanford, headquarters detectives and Harry Scott, of the Pinkertons, which agency is in the prisoner's employ, are denied admission to his cell.
Coupled with the declaration Frank is said to have made to the jail attaché, comes his statement made Friday to Sheriff Mangum that he knew not who was guilty, but that the murderer should hang. This was made after news reached him of Conley's confession, it is said.
Many Friends Visit Frank.
Frank devours newspaper stories of the Phagan investigation, it is said at the jail. His cell is crowded daily with friends and relatives who bring him papers and delicacies. His wife now visits him once each day. He talks but little of the crime to anyone beside his friends, and but little is gained from him by the jailers and prisoners who visit him.
James Conley sat on a bunk in his cell at the Tower last night and for an hour freely discussed his grim connection with the Mary Phagan tragedy. He was a willing talker, ready answerer of questions, and throughout the interview he seemed to find relief in relating the narrative of his complicity in Atlanta's most hideous crime.
"I made an affidavit down to police headquarters," he said. "It was the third one I made since they had me arrested. It's the truth, though, the whole truth, and I hope to God that He strikes me dead this very instant if it ain't.
"I was intendin' not to tell the whole business. I was fixin' to take care of Mr. Frank like he told me to in the first place. I was going to keep my mouth shut and say nothin', until some of those folks down at the pencil factory opens up and begins tryin' to make out that I killed the little girl, and that I'm trying to save my own neck by fixin' it on Mr. Frank.
Scared Into Confession.
