album-art
Reading Time: 15 minutes [2767 words]

The Atlanta Constitution,

Tuesday, 17th March 1914,

PAGE 1, COLUMN 1.

"Members of My Force Perfectly Willing to Submit to Quiz on Phagan Case," He Tells Constitution.

BURNS HAS LONG TALK WITH FRANK IN TOWER

The Well-Known Detective Hopes to Have Interview in a Few Days With Solicitor General Hugh Dorsey.

Within a few hours after it had been learned that Detective William J. Burns would seek to quiz every detective at police headquarters who worked on the Mary Phagan murder, Chief of Detectives Newport A. Lanford declared to a reporter for The Constitution that he would co-operate with Burns, if necessary.

Lanford stated that there would be no objection to Burns' proposed bureau who worked on the Phagan mystery.

Instead, he averred, every resource of the police headquarters department will be tendered the noted sleuth.

"I will throw open to my department," stated the chief, "if there is anything the Atlanta detective department has overlooked, we will gladly assist. We want to find it out. If there is any mystery remaining, it is our ambition to fathom it. If Burns needs us to help him, do it, we are at his service."

Will Interview Detectives.

Burns will likely quiz a number of Chief Lanford's men, either today or tomorrow.

He has made no definite plans, it is said, along this idea.

He is busy at present mapping out his plan of campaign.

Albert Mc Knight, the state witness, whose sensational repudiation was recently contained in an affidavit now possessed by the defense, made his first statement Monday afternoon, when he talked for the first time since his injuries, with Dr. Thomas Hancock, his attending physician.

Mc Knight declares he was not trying to swing from a train when injured, but that he had been struck while walking along the tracks.

Furthermore, Dr. Hancock states, the negro declared he was not hurt at Roseland, near which place his body was found, but was struck near the Mc Daniel Street, viaduct crossing, which is in the city.

Dr. Hancock says the negro told him that he had not been away from Atlanta, as was suspected, but had remained in the city in the employ of a patent medicine salesman.

Dr. Hancock says that it is probable that the negro does not recollect the exact cause of the accident, as many persons who have been rendered unconscious by a blow, frequently forget events preceding the injury.

Will Interview Lanford.

Burns will likely seek a conference with Chief Newport A. Lanford some time today or, perhaps, tomorrow.

Among those he intends to interview will be John Black, headquarters' principal figure in the investigation, and Detectives Pat Campbell and John Starnes.

Campbell and Starnes were named as prosecutors in the bill of indictment returned by the grand jury against Frank.

Among others whom Burns expects to talk with at police headquarters are Detectives J. A. Chewning and W. H. Norris, the two sleuths accused by Nina Formby of having coerced her into swearing in an affidavit to an untrue story against the convicted superintendent.

Will Interview Dorsey.

He is likewise going to interview Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey and private investigators attached to the solicitor's staff.

He is planning to confer with every man in Atlanta who was connected in any manner with the Phagan investigation.

He held a lengthy talk with the prisoner in the Tower last night.

During Monday afternoon he was closeted with Leonard Haas, counsel for the defense, in the Haas offices, where he went thoroughly over the brief of evidence submitted by Frank's counsel at the application for a new trial before the supreme court.

Bruns' plan to quiz the police headquarters' detectives creates interesting speculation.

Police officials have stated in the past, however, that the great detective, in event he convinced them that he was seeking nothing but the truth, would receive their full co-operation.

It has been said by a member of the detective bureau that Chief Lanford has recently unearthed an amount of evidence that will be valuable to the prosecution in event of possible future complications.

Some of this evidence, it is said, is in refutation of an amount of newly discovered evidence possessed by Frank's defense.

It is stated that evidence bearing on the story of Mrs. J. B. Simmons, of Birmingham, whose sensational affidavit was disclosed some few days ago, is in the hands of the headquarters' detectives.

Chief Lanford will neither deny nor affirm the statement that he has additional evidence of such nature.

Confident of Success.

"I have no doubt but that my associates and I will be able to name the murderer of Mary Phagan," Burns told newspaper reporters Monday.

"I am bringing my most expert assistants to work on the case, and I have no hesitation in saying that they are the most capable in America."

"There is no mystery so mysterious that it cannot be solved. I am confident that we can clear up the case.

Continued on Page Fourteen.

WILLING TO HELP DETECTIVE BURNS

PAGE 14, COLUMN 3

Continued From Page One.

Within a short time, I am assured we can name Mary Phagan's murderer.

I am working to assist no one who does not deserve justice.

My operations will mean fair play, and there will be no 'framing-up.'"

"I am going to work quietly and sanely, and there will be no sensationalism attached to my efforts. I will be in Atlanta for ten days, or more perhaps two weeks. Within that time, I believe my assistants and I will have achieved satisfactory results."

Burns' assistants had not arrived in Atlanta Monday.

They are said to be en route from New York.

Burns expects them some time today.

During Monday morning he went with members of the defense and with Detective Burke to the pencil factory, where he followed the trial of Jim Conley in the negro's enaction of his story of his participation in the tragedy.

Looking Over Evidence.

Burns is familiarizing himself with the evidence, and has digested all of the huge documents containing the contentions of both the defense and prosecution.

Monday, he interviewed at the pencil factory, including C. V. Darely, Frank's assistant, and E. L. Holloway, an attach , to the plant who was important witness during the trial.

Frank extended an invitation Monday afternoon to the members of the Southern Newspaper association who might care to visit him in his Tower cell.

Burns was invited by the association to speak last night at its session in the Ansley hotel, and accepted.

PUBLISHERS' MEET WILL CLOSE TODAY

PAGE 1, COLUMN 2

Delegates Entertained at a Brilliant Banquet Last Night

Jason Rogers Urges Honest in Advertising.

Delegates Entertained at a Brilliant Banquet Last Night--Jason Rogers Urges Honesty in Advertising.

One of the most distinguished organizations that has ever visited Atlanta will close its sessions in Atlanta today when the Southern Publishers' association adjourns its two-day gathering at the Hotel Ansley this afternoon, after electing officers and selecting a city for the meeting of the publishers next year.

Two meetings, climaxed by a brilliant banquet last night at the Piedmont Driving club, brought to a close the first day's business.

Today two sessions will be held, one at 10 o'clock this morning in the parlors adjacent to the mezzanine floor of the Hotel Ansley, and the other this afternoon at 2 o'clock at the same place.

The publishers of Dixie gathered last night at 7 o'clock at the Piedmont Driving club for their annual banquet.

Major John Cohen, of The Atlanta Journal, presided at toastmaster.

Addresses of Evening.

The following made speeches:

Clark Howell, Jason Rogers, of New York; Victor Hanson, of Birmingham; John Temple Graves, F. W. R. Hinman, of Jacksonville;

William J. Burns, the detective of New York city;

Joseph Mitchell Chappelle, of Boston, the well-known magazine editor; W. T. Anderson, of Macon; Marshall Ballard, of New Orleans, and L. N. Foster, of Nashville.

The keynote of the dinner at the Driving club was informality.

The speeches of the evening were for the most part bantering in tone, and, saving one or two moments, savored of jollification and a throwing aside of business worries and publication problems.

Today's sessions will embrace the election of officers for the new year and the selection of the city where the next-gathering of the publishers will be held.

A close canvass last night disclosed the fact that Jacksonville led the race for securing the next convention of the newspaper men of the south by several votes.

One of the interesting events of the dinner at the Driving club was the interpolated remarks of Detective William J. Burns, here to probe the Frank mystery.

Detective Burns for the most part reviewed his recent lecture here in his speech, but deviated from his set speech when he declared that his work had called him here to investigate "a mystery in which the community was vitally interested."

"And," said the well-known sleuth, "these mysteries, I find, usually prove to be no mysteries at all simply untrailed clews which lead to the real solution of the problem."

Clever Repartee.

The set speeches of last evening, soon after the dinner had been served, soon resolved themselves into clever resorts following shafts of wit hurled at the speakers by the toastmaster.

The program was carried out, however, with the exception of the speech of Frank P. Glass, who was unable to attend the dinner.

Mr. Glass was ably represented by Victor Hanson, of The Birmingham News.

Major E. D. Stahlman was also absent, but Joseph Chappelle, of Boston, more than acceptably filled the niche left vacant.

One of the surprise events of the evening was the souvenir program presented to the diners by the committee in charge of the dinner.

The program, a four-page affair, was bound in a matrix form and gave a list of the evening's speakers, as well as the menu.

Those present at the dinner were:

R. S. Carver, Robert W. Swift, B. C. Broyles, Dudley Glass, John B. Gallagher, J. T. Milligan, W. R. Schwartz, Robert S. Jones, W. J. Pattison, W. C. Dowd, F. C.

Withers, Walter C. Johnson, Elmer E. Clarke, Victor H. Hanson, Hon C. Seitz, H. E. Murray, Edgar M. Foster, George A. Mc Clellan, Robert T.

Small, Keats Speed, W. T.

Anderson, James R.

Holliday, P. A. Anderson, C. W. Wessell, Marshall Ballard, Charles D. Atkinson, Earnest Birmingham, G. J.

Auer, John A. Park, R. L. Bouis, G. P. Brown, A. E.

Clarkson, James J.

Smith, William E.

Mansfield, J. A. Davis, Evelyn Harris, W. W.

Hollender, Joe Mitchelle Chappelle, St. Elmo Massengale, J. E. Mc Michael, J. W. Brown, P. T. Barbour, G. M. Kohn, J. R. Gray, J. T. Graves, H. H. Cabiniss, F. W. R.

Hinman, T. W. Loyless, Clark Howell, William J. Burns, W. L. Halstead and John S. Cohen.

Monday's speeches embraced addresses from the following:

Don C. Seitz, manager, of The New York World; Jason Rogers, publisher of The New York Globe; J. M. Thompson, of The New Orleans Item; W. L. Halstead, of The Atlanta Constitution, and several others.

The sessions of the convention today will be held morning and afternoon in the parlors adjacent to mezzanine floor, Hotel Ansley.

About fifty delegates from sixteen southern states registered for the convention on Monday.

The program of Monday was somewhat interfered with on account of the

Continued on Page Two.

Continued From Page One.

late arrival of some of the delegates and also on account of the fact that the delegates were late in assembling.

The first address of the morning session was delivered by Jason Rogers,

of The New York Globe, whose address.

"Advertising and Newspaper Development," caused a ripple of excitement of pass among the delegates.

The address was a strong appeal to the southern publishers to follow the lead set by some of the northern newspapers in the matter of cleaning up the advertising sections of the newspapers of today.

Truth and Honesty.

"Truth and honesty in advertising is a subject that is now sweeping the newspaper world of this country," said Mr. Rogers.

"Newspaper men everywhere are fast realizing it is bad business to lend the use of their columns to crooks and fakers to humbug and swindle their readers with ads proclaiming 'cure-alls' and fraudulent bargain sales," said Mr. Rogers.

"It is of no use for a newspaper to build up a constituency by fair dealing, public service and reliability regarding news and policy, if it permits offensive and fraudulent advertisers to operate like pirates among its readers."

"In the absence of any definite or fixed code of ethics, publishers are adopting office rules that are perhaps unfair to many concerns marketing a perfectly reputable article on account of some apparent infringement in the copy, and permitting many outrageous things to be published because they are dressed up in party clothes, so to speak."

"Any newspaper publisher can easily keep himself posted upon the merits of the various proprietary articles advertised in the newspapers, and also get an accurate line on the legitimacy of various bargain sales advertised by local dealers, and by applying the same rule of reason that he uses in the consideration of other details of his paper.

He can thus protect his readers, and increase the value of the advertising he does print."

"Let the publisher ask himself whether he would permit the use of the article in his own family, or allow its members to patronize the bargain sale.

Of course, a reasonable flexibility to provide for the differences in the various stations of life must be applied to make the test fair for all concerned."

"On The New York Globe we will not accept any 'cure' ad.

The advertiser may claim to relieve certain common ailments not of too personal or objectionable a nature, but we will not accept nor publish any medical or medicinal ad which we consider would be objectionable to the class of people for whom we make the paper."

"We carry a standing card at the head of the editorial column as follows:"

'The Globe does not knowingly accept false or fraudulent advertising or other advertising of an objectionable nature. Every advertisement in its columns is printed with full confidence in the character and reliability of the advertiser and the truth of the representations made.

Readers of The Globe will confer a favor if they will promptly report any failure on the part of an advertiser to make good representation contained in a Globe advertisement.'

Accept Statement.

"The response we have had from reader shows how seriously they accept The Globe's statement, and in the case of every complaint where the advertiser fails to give satisfaction, or to willingly refund the money as the case may be, we have thrown out the account and stood ready to assist the reader in getting full reparation."

"We will not accept financial advertising from any concern not well known to be reliable and, usually, only after careful investigation, not only for the purpose of protecting our readers, but because by publishing fake financial and promotion matter, we know we would lose much of the large volume of such business that we annually carry from reputable bankers and important financial concerns."

"We do not claim that we, of The Globe, practice a superior grade of honesty in advertising, but plainly say whenever questioned on the subject that we have found it to be good business policy to keep out the crooks. In nearly every case I know of, every time a newspaper has cut off a few hundred or thousand dollars-worth of questionable business it has soon got in its place several times as much of new unobjectionable advertising."

"As I have already stated newspapers are rapidly catching on to the profitable side of the proposition and finding out that as they create a greater confidence on the part of readers in the advertising they publish their publications becomes more profitable to advertisers and the volume of business carried gradually increases."

Don Seitz Speaks.

Don C. Seitz, of The New York World, made a telling address, in which he discussed at length the "Editorial Idea and Good Business; Do They Conflict?"

Mr. Seitz took a stand that without co-operation of the editorial and business end of the newspaper business, no newspaper could possibly hope to succeed.

He particularly stressed cooperation between the editorial and business office in the matter of securing news, on the basis that news items invariably led to business relations.

The important session of today will fall late in the afternoon, when the annual election of officers will take place and the place of meeting of the next convention will be settled.

The officers retiring this year follow; Alfred F. Sanford, president, Knoxville Journal and Tribune; F. W. R. Hinman, vice president, Jacksonville Times-Union; W. M. Clemens, secretary-treasurer, The Birmingham News.

The members of the retiring executive committee follow:

A. R. Holderby, Richmond Journal; R. S. Jones, Asheville Citizen; G. J. Palmer, Houston Post; Elmer Clark, Little Rock Democrat; Walter Johnson, Chattanooga News; James M. Thomson, New Orleans Item; C. B. Johnson, Knoxville Sentinel; E. M. Foster, Nashville Banner; R. W. Brown, Louisville Times; V. H. Hanson, The Birmingham News; George W. Brunson, Greenville News; D. D. Moore, New Orleans Times -Democrat.

Tuesday, 17th March 1914: Willing To Help Detective Burns, Asserts Lanford, The Atlanta Constitution

Related Posts