Wednesday, 11th March 1914: Jim Conley To Be Target For Burns Detective Powers, The Atlanta Journal

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Sleuth Will Try to Force Confession From Negro That He and Not Frank Slew Mary Phagan, It Is Said WILL ASK PERMISSION TO SEE HIM AT TOWER

Question of Whether Interview With Closely Guarded Prisoner Will Be Allowed

Is the Cause of Speculation That the first move of William J. Burns, the detective, on his arrival here the latter part of the week, will be an attempt to see Jim Conley, is regarded as certain by those familiar with the detective's methods.

Burns has forced confessions from criminals where many others had failed, and it is believed he will use his powers to get the negro to admit that he knows more about the murder of Mary Phagan than he told on the witness stand during the trial of Leo M. Frank.

The question of whether the detective will be successful in his effort to see the negro is an interesting one.

Practically since his first admissions that he wrote the murder notes, Conley has been zealously guarded from interviewers.

When by chance a newspaperman or someone else interested in the case does secure admittance to his cell, Conley refuses to talk unless his attorney, William M. Smith, is present and passes on the questions put to him.

The rule applies to all except Solicitor General Dorsey and Detectives Starnes and Campbell, who have been working directly under him almost since the day of the murder.

WILL ASK FREE HAND.

Burns will ask a free hand with the negro, and friends of Frank, who contend Conley is the real murderer, declare that if he is not hampered by the negro's attorney or the state's authorities, he is likely to secure a confession; something they will assert the police have never earnestly attempted to do.

Burns is still said to be in New York, where he is voted as saying that he will have some developments in the case to disclose on his return to Atlanta.

Indicating that his search for new points in the case in New York has been successful.

Burns states to reporters in New York that he is working there on certain ends of the case, which he considers of importance.

Despite the absence from Atlanta of the chief, three Burns agents are said to be actively at work on the case here and they are devoting most of their time to an investigation of the methods of the prosecution in securing the evidence introduced for the state at the Frank trial.

The defense of Frank has repeatedly charged that agents of the prosecution coerced witnesses and that other important testimony like that of Dr. Harris relating to the hair found on the lathe, was never made known by the prosecution.

CHARGES ARE PROBED.

These charges, it is said, are being vigorously probed by the Burns men.

The agents here are in daily telegraphic communication with Burns, who is directing their movements.

Burns is quoted in New York as expressing confidence in his ability to clear up the Phagan murder mystery to the satisfaction of the courts and the public.

"Sufficient time is all that is required," he is quoted as saying.

Attorneys for Frank continue to refuse to divulge the new evidence in the case, which they are known to have secured, and it is said every effort will be made to keep some of the defense's affidavits from the public until the extraordinary motion for a new trial is actually filed, which will not be until a short time before the date set for the execution of Frank, April 17.

There were no developments reported Wednesday in the case either at the offices of the attorneys for the defense of Frank or at the office of Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey.

Mr. Dorsey is constantly engaged in the trial of cases in the criminal division of the superior court, and it is said to be devoting very little time to the Frank case, considering the matter as closed at least until a new motion is made in the courts by the defense.