The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • Page 7

CttHt vv t-stV 35 l. ET HARRY SCOTT'S OF HOW IT SECURED JAMES CONLEYS if' iir CJ Kfc' WJ7i Wr i jS By Britt Cralo. Have you ever had a hunch that there wasn't anybody around the table that held a higher hand than your Jacks over tens and consequent ly you shoved a blue to the mahogany with the result that every hostile hand went to the discard Have you ever had a hunch that It was going to rain and you pulled in the rugs and took the clothes off the line and let down the windows Just In time to see the elements express themselves In a downpour' Have you ever had a hunch or any kind one of those real undeniable Inner promptlng8- that chases round and round In your bonnet and worries the life out of you and Invariably forces you to do something that you really Intended doing but about which you were sorely undecided It you re human you have. Detective Harry Scott had one about Jim Conley the negro sweeper In the Phagan mystery. It was one of those Irresistible hunches that buzzes about like a Tune bug.

He took It for Its word with the result that he found the key that la predict. ed to unlock the secret of Atlanta's most hideous murder. Detectives are very normal beings. The have hunches like the weakest of us They're superstitious too. You cant find a single one that will walk under a ladder or fall to knock wood when ho brags about him' self.

hunch is one or the most com- mon of human afflictions It is the very essence of a frailty that affects every normal somebody. The very fac that it is a weakness requires a nerve of steel and backbone of slml. lar fortitude to play one to the limit like Detective Scott played his. Good detectives like genius are utterly human. Genius frequently stalks about In Its shirt sleeves with- out a shave and wearing suspenders.

It has been known to hew tobacco and cuss volubly Sometimes it has a red nose and a thirst. It can sleep as contentedly on Decatur street as on Ppachtree Detectives Very Human. A good detective Is so absolutely- human that he generally chews to- bacco doesn't care where he spits it possesses a vocabulary of profanity that is surpassed only by its elo. quence and brightens up sartorially only whpn he falls In love or his wife makes him. Detective Scott although he doesn't chew tobacco not since he was 16 at least or allow his profanity to Inter.

fere with his knowledge of perfectly good English is so keenly human that he had a premonition that Jim Conley knew something or other about the death of Mary Phagan. While the Investigation was at Its zenith the negro lay in police headquarters neglected and sorely In need of a hath Scott casting about for someone on whom to cast suspicion in order to convince himself that he wasn't prejudiced against the white prisoner was guided by the hunch to Conlry. lie. had no reason to suspect the sweeper other than the fact that Jim had been caught washing his shirt In order to appear presentable at the Inquest Nothing but the hunch point- ed Conleywarda He tried to figure that the negro was guilty and there was nothing to figure on. He tried to figure he was Innocent and the hunch figured for him.

It pointed to Conley like that uncanny feollnu which Irresistibly draws YOII over on the right hand side of the reet on the way home of a dark night when the left side is really the nearest. It welshed as heavily as remembered wrong It tortured him of nights and made his days miserable. Conlpy knows something it whispered Pick it out of him or go back to selling flsh Finally the Pinkerton man Sit out with Detective John Black of police headquarters to prove that either the bunch was a liar or he wasn't a detective as good as he had always con. sidered Conley had maintained that he was illiterate couldn't even write his name and as this seemed the only vulnerable spot in his story Scott told him he probably was a liM- At least it was the only thing. about the nelro that could plausibly be discredited.

On the theory that pry ntgro who owns a wire and home as- onley owned possesses fur. niture bought on the Installment plan the two sleuths cast about for some contract to which the black man could possibly have attached his signature. They visited third-rate furniture stores business houses and Jewelry tihors The search was fruitless. The signature of Tonley was as missing as the secret of the sphinx Scott was prepared to abandon his hunch on the doorsteps of failure when Fate not a thirst took them to the vicinity of a saloon near Five Points. Providence-an I not the bouncer- urged a gentleman In Panama and white shoes and with the oily air of I collector gently through the door- way He stepPfd to the sidewalk and recognized I He greeted and book a disconsolate hand.

Wanted to See Conley. "You've got a nigger down at police station Id certainly like to see. he announced. What nigger" said Black promot ing conversation That fonlev niirger Something bright and dazzling flashed through Scott's hunch. ridden brain as he notlcfL the batch of bills carefully folded in the persons coat pocket.

The hunch told' him to collar the oily Individual and search his batch of bills. He did at the oily ones consent. A single glance revealed a contract Issued to Jim Conley. A second glance revealed the negros name. scrawled in a characteristic hand all over the signees line.

Scott's bunch had teen fulfilled It had guided him to a specimen of the black sweepers handwriting two fwords in barely legible script that proved the uegro a liar three ways rlrom breakfast. It has since proved Ithe means of lifting the Phagan secret from the mire or mystery. Photo. by ralll E. Prl Stiff Pkftoiraph Detective Harry Scott in Panama hat of the Pinkertons who played the hunch that Jim Conley the negro knew something of the girls murder.

The accompanjing figure is Detective John Black of police headquarters whose work in operation with the Pinkerton man did much to the crime. Great dependence will be put in their testimony at the coming trial of Leo Frank charged with the murder ot Mary Phagan. The contract was signed by Conley' more than months ago for a watch he had bought from a jewelry- firm. It is now in possession of the solicitor general and likeh will be produced as evidence in the coming trial of Leo Frank. The Third Degree.

What followed its disco was the most successful third degree CUT operated at police headquJl1rrR. Scott' and Black showed the sienaturp to the solicitor general detective chief and Chief Beavers i Then they showed it to Conley It as on a Sunday afternoon Police station was dull and drowsy and a sleepy atmosphere pervaded the building Even the inevitable news paper reporter was absent Scott uid Black took the prisoner into the little 6x8 sweat box" and sat him where the light could play full on his face. Scott locked the door and threw the key over the transom. Black pulled ort his coat let down his sueinnders and put cigarettes conveniently near. Conley blinked at the light and wondered what was coming off.

Scott pulled a mysterious some thing from his pocket and laid it on the table. It was a folded bit of paper and he smiled significantly as it left his hand. Conley grimaced and shifted a leg. Well Jim we've got the deadwood on you. Better cough up and tell us something.

Honest white folks I swear fore God and High heaven I don't know a thing. His plea was pathetic in Its apparent sincerity. But we know better. The quick er you tell the better off you'll be. Kick in Jim kick in.

Its the best for you. I cant kick protested the nrgro. I aint got nothln' to kick for. Scott stepped to the table and pointed at the folded slip. You see that' Its enough to hang you.

You don't know what it is. and you couldn't guess in a year Its deadwood nigger. Its dead wood You better kick through or well pull it on you. The negro studied the slip mtpntlv He was sorely puzzled. Great drops of sweat rolled down his face and his fingers twitched nervously.

His very air betrayed" guilt. Listen said Scott. Can you write Naw sir I cant I never could Will you swear It1 I shore will. Do you know the penalty for perjury Naw sir what Is It Twenty years In the gang maybe more. "What's perjury Swearing a lie.

But I aint goln' to swear no lie. You will If you swear you cant write. Here Look at this The Pinkerton man unfolded the mysterious slip. It was the contract. The negro noted the signature with a betraying flash of recognition.

How could you sign this It you couldn't write Conley was wordless tor minutes. He stared dumbly out the window and twisted his fingers. Suddenly he JclaImM WWte t01ks Vm a Mai Good We thought so all the time. Now we want you to write a bit" The sleuths produced pen and paper. Conley was put at the table to write his name.

Now write the alphabet. He wrote the A Cs In huge scrawling figures Write this. That long tall black neero did this by hlssel Conley winced slightly as he evidently recalled the words or the tragic note found beside the body. lie wrote slowly and deliberately with apparently no effort to disguise his script. That long- tall black negro did this boy hlsslef.

The detectives peering eagerly over the npgros shoulder. noted with satisfaction the misspelling or DAILY LIFE OF' AN ATLANTA FIREMAN Continued From Page Three. just off Peters street when the porch of a burning house caved In upon him. R. M.

Fisher of Engine House No. 4. died In discharge of his duty July 20 1908 at Courtland and Gilmer streets when he was hurled from a ladder before the eyes of hundreds of I terror-stricken spectators. I The memory of the remaining two victims Is fresh In the minds or every- I one. It was in the early morning of last February 26 that the fire department jwas called to the corner of Whitehall I street and Trinity avenue.

There was I no fire but a building undergoing repairs was crumbling in upon the I sleeping occupants. i The ladders were hastily run up to the windows and the first man to 1 mount one of these ladders was J. J. Gillesple Several men followed him. Shriek of Terror.

Suddenly there was a wailing shriek of terror from the people below The firemen leaped all but Gillesple. who was too high upon the ladder to escape. My God he's gone moaned his comrades as they covered their eyes to avoid the horrible sight. The avalanche of brick crumbled and wavered and crashed down upon brave Gillespie before he had the remotest chance of escape. i It was only two weeks later that the department responded to a call at Washington and Glenn streets.

A home was burning. Shortly after the. firemen entered the house there were cries for help In the darkness of the second floor. Men dashed to the res cue but the cries continued and Chit' lmmlngs himself was first to guess the real cause of the trouble. He found the switch which cut off the electric current but too late to save the life of Charles Dougherty who I was electrocuted by volts which pass ed through his body for several min- iutes.

I The people of Atlanta are highly appreciative of the heroism of the men who have died for them. They know hat no man A greater love than to lay down his me for another and nave never failed to respond lib erally to help the relatives of the firemen who have died in discharge of duty. The Humorous Side. The Incidents In the life of 11. fire- words by and self They ordered him to write the words.

Boy and slef he wrote The original murder missive had been written boy and slef Satisfied that Conley was their author the detectives flatly accused him of writing the Phagan notes. I didn't do it he answered. Fore God I didn't. Showed He Was Guilty. The very fact that you errored in these words show joure guilty.

The handwriting compares with the orig inals. You accuse yourself of killing the girl. I believe you did it. Everybody else will believe it. You'll bQ hung just as sure as you're foot high and black.

man however are not without their humorous side. With thousands of dollars worth of property literally going up in smoke many a fireman has been pleaded with to risk his life to save some lady's pet canary or poodle dog On Christmas eve last there was a fire in a negro rooming house on Peters street. Chief Cummings was there superintending the fight against the flames. Personally he went through the house and aroused the occupants Just when he thought every. body was out a man rushed to him madly and cried Chief there's a man asleep in a back room on the second floor Quick as a flash the chief was hack in the smoke and flames.

He found the man and hauled him from his bed. Just a minute boss pleaded the negro. "There's something under dls mattress what Is jes' bleeged ter have. The chref had seen people before pleading for a chance to rescue the sav ings of many years' hard work and granted the poor negro his request. The negro drew from under the mattress not his savings but a bottle of beer The fire department Is rendering excellent service with the apparatus It has but Chief Cummings realizes that horse apparatus Is rapidly be.

coming behind the times and Inadequate to protect a city of the size of Atlanta. His department Is outgrowing the methods of yesterday and he urges that the city buy as soon as possible automobile apparatus such as has already been installed in the new stations in Inman Park and West End. It is imperative he says that we have the best possible apparatus to protect the great improvements which are the pride of the city and the wonder of the entire country. The West End station is a step In the right direction. The apparatus is up-to-date and efficient.

The fire house Is the most modern in the country. It is as near like a home as it is possible to make a fire station and after all firemen are human and need the comforts that such a station as No. 14 in West End offers. We should beware lest we fall behind the tmes. And thus has Chief Gumming In- his thirty-six years of service outlived the life' of the organization which te helped.

to create and wlth- al he is IIt111 as young the youngest of them But I alnt guilty. I don't know a thing about them notes or about that killing honest white folks. Cant you believe a word I say Naw Jim we wouldn't blieYe you on the gallows. You tell so many lies. Black broke in.

Listen Jim you don't want to go to the scaffold. Its hell to be slung at the end of a rope to God knows where. You're going though. just as sure's hells hot. and still heatln' There alnt but one way out of it There aint a jury In the world- uncork and tell all you know.

even a nigger jury that'd believe you didn't kill this girl. They'd hang you or lynch you likely lynching. A LITTLE STORY OF A BIG MAN FROM THE COUNTRY This Is a story of how a farm boy born In the foothills of North Caro- lina. came to Atlanta and made good In a big- way In less than five years. His name Is Lindsey Hopkins.

At the age of 34 years he is voluntarily retiring from the presidency of the largest auto' sales cuncern In the south and will hang out a shingle with the modest inscription Private Banker. In rounding out a big business suc- cess at an age when most ness men are only beginning to cut their wisdom teeth Llndsey Hopkins has followed some rules which are amazingly simple. I got my philosophy of life at the plow handles says Mr. Ho When my old daddy put me to work up In Rocklngham county. N.

Cv he gave me two pieces a Roth were good. But looking hark I am satisfied that neither would have been or any real value without the other. It Is the combination that wins. The first piece of advice was to work hard and the second was to keep my es open. I have been trying to do both ever since.

My advice to any ambitious young man who wants to make Ii substantial succes Is be aplodder but not be a mole. Plod with your head Up. You cant get ahead Yfr fast even by the hardest work. unle look ahead It Is all right to concentrate your whole soul and energy on sweeping a floor or plowing a I If rou know why you are doing It. But noth InK' is more pathetic than to see a fellow who Is A good worker so absorbed In a little o-hv-fow job that he cant see anything bevnnd It" Llndsej Hopkins was probably the first man in the south to recognize the true significance of the coming of the automobile While older and more experienced heads were still regard- Ing the horsele" carriage as a tad.

he knew that It had come to stay and he acted according But the first job hp pr had was as printers' on The Greensboro Patriot. I3efore that time how- ever he had det eloped on the farm II ttvrdy capacity tor AT o.V. HI received' the rdli VT Amount of schooling gong to the public schools In winter and workUx on the farm In the summer hot. becL use ho had to but because ork came mtural to him. Later he took a limited course.

In the University of North Carolina You've got yourself In a pickle. and there alnt but one way out kick In. Tell all about it. I don't know a thing boss I swear I don't. If I did.

Id tell you the truth the whole truth so hep me God Blacks tone had been so convincing that the negro had' been left in a quandary. The detectives comprehended it. Scott said Well give you a day to think It over. With which they transferred the prisoner to a dark and desolate cell In the prison downstairs locked him in and left him alone to his thoughts and a livid outlook of the scaffold. While the detectives jubiteed inwardly and kept reporters from gaining knowledge the marvelous development they quizzed Conley for seven following days trying to exact a confession.

It was locked firm in his bosom. He stoutly maintained' the original story. I It was the following Saturday the day that veteran reporters declare' was the newsiest In Atlanta's history. Beside the famous Felder-Lanford dictagraph row Frank was Sn-j dieted came thick and fast from many quarters and other i things were happening that kept an army of new news the busiest of i their careers. At daybreak Detective Black was' summoned by Conley to the negros I cell.

"I've got something to tell you boss he said. BlacklocKed himself. In with the prisoner and Conley be- gan to unburden himself of his first tale of complicity in the Phagatl crime. I wrote those notes he admit ted. Mr Frank had me write em I didn't know what he wanted with.

them and he gave me some money to do it. Id a told you sooner but thought he'd send me more money for not tellin' I hoped some of his friends get me out. Dorsey Is Notified. The solicitor was notlflei Immediately. The grand jury was being presented with evidence against the suspected Frank.

Conleys confes. sion was submitted in the meanwhile. Thirty minutes later the famous bill of Indictment was drawn. Although he had eked a wonderful jam from the negro Scott's hunch failed to subside. It buzzed about in his head like a circular saw and got frantic at times.

It told him the negro knew even more than he had confessed. The detective by this time considered the hunch productive and trust. worthy. He set out on new lines. He faced the negro with a dally accusation of guilt and a picture of his predicted doom It had a satis factory effect.

Conley grew weak and lost his appetite. He slept little and a nervous and haunted look crept Into his eyes. While the Pinkerton man assumed an attitude of hostility toward the black sweeper Detective Black af. fected sympathy as per plot and bought the prisoner drinks and pies and sandwiches and consolation. Between the two fires Jim inclined toward the headquarters man and gradually the crust of his reticence began to crack.

Mister Black he said one day "you've been mighty good to me and some day I'm going to be the same to you whenever I get the chance. Black carried the news to Scott. Scott went directly to Conleya cell and drew a masterful picture of a and formed a long habit of reading good books. and later became a traveling salesman for the Atlantic Refmlnj company and us such became known throughout the outh He was made special repre t1 of the corn- pan In Europe. This hov ever was In' the nature of a preliminary to Mr Hop.

klns' real business taiter It was when he CLnnelted hiTidf lth the automobile business that he began to be recognized throughout the south as one of the young captains of Industry of thl8 section. In 1903 he demonstrated tire practicality of the automobile for cross cravats vraveUtvs' stnrted from At. ante tv a. one-lung CudllllL And sut rec-ilCulIy reached Greensbaro. X.

after a mosatlonal trfp ovc- roads which ha I never been traversed be- lure by J1JroDejn vehicles. It. was a sort ot xtx 4 Gltddel tour the first In automo. banging at daybreak. He declared that efforts already were being made to indict him' for the actual murder' and told that officials or the- pencil factory had openly accused the negro1 of the crime.

4 Scott's visit and attitude lef tae- negro in a state or fear Black reached his cell shortly after the Plnkerton man had departed. He played upon the suspects emotion. He pretended sympathy and offered to see the black safely through the plot against him. Finally when Black and Scott and headquarters had become convinced that the negro was ripe for confessing he was carried into Chief Lanfords office. He faced a group of detectives shirts off sleeves rolled and a prevailing widespread willingness to wade in.

The sleuths cajoled and coaxed. They warned and threatened. They did everything that detective Ingenuity could suggest. Conley seemed. adamant.

He stuck to his story and never wavered. He was worked Into a heat a boiling bubbling heat and left therein to think things over. His questioners stepped Into the hallway outside and compared notes. A newsboy arrived with an afternoon newspaper. Glaring headlines an.

nounced that pencil factory authori. ties had publicly charged Conley with murdering Mary Phagan and of try- Ing to shift the crime to their superintendent Scott again had an idea. It was born In a dazzling brilliance that' was overwhelming Here boy he called to the new. sle. Take one of those papers to that nigger in the room.

The boy did as directed. Conley was given the paper containing the accusation. What happened to his emotions isn't on police record. No one knows but Conley. The result though Is a gilded page in police history.

When. Scott and his fellow era returned to the room the negro was staring blankly at the headline perspiration streaming and fingers trembling. He glanced at the head quarters men with an air of weak resignation. Listen Mr. Black he said to the detective.

Id like to talk to you privately please. sir. Black was left with the suspect closeted In the chiefs office. Thirty minutes later he emerged A. smile flooding his face success in his soul and his mind filled with Conleys startling confession of complicity In disposing of Mary Phagans tody In assistance to his superintendent.

It was the second conflicting story he had told. The first was of having only written the murder notes. It has been replaced by his latter and more incriminating tale to which he has made a definite and sworn statement The prosecution maintains that thlfl last admission sohes the Phagan case. It pins the crime conclusively to one of two sources Frank or the negro. One or the other will be proved at the coming trial the trial for which an entire state awaits with unprecedented eagerness-a a trial that will be based largely on the amazing result of a hunch a pure simple hunch one of the many frailties that affect us all.

But a frailty few of us can resist A frailty which Harry Scott in' ft night of fancy analyzes thusly The God of Good Lucks Gift A whisper of the conscience To work a wonder with. bile history. The ride ha been celebrated throughout the Carolina by Colonel Al Falrbrothers Ride of Paul Revere. Jr. In 1906 through a special concession cf the Atlantic Refining company he became agent tor the Reo motor cars as a side Issue.

Almoet. over tve became the grutut auto sales agent In southern auto history. In 1908 he turned down a salary of 12000 a year and made his first contract for the sale or fifty cars during the season of 9. Since that time Mr. Hopkins hlUl sold It automobiles In southern terrltorylnvolv Inll a net cash transaction of $5,000.000.

At the same time Mr. Hopkins has taken a leading part In the building up of many other southern industries. He was one of the half-dozen men who brought together the three big North Car Una Insurance companies and merged them into one strong And Successful organization. He is heart- 11' Interested In banking and cotton mills and owns thousands of urea of farm land In south Georgia. In Atlanta where he recently pnrch F.

1. SHlys palatial horn on Peachtree road he is inttrested in bank- lng real estate life Insurance cotton and other enterprises. He Is also heavily interested In California oil fields. He took up th aeroplane Just II he took up the automobile formed an aviation exhibition company two years ago purchased the tint. Curtis biplane ever sold to an Individual and directed svcfessful exhibitions In all parts of the country and If aviation attains a practical and commercial basis Llndsey Hopkins win have II.

hand In It. While In appearance and achieve ment a pleal example of the sue. cef ul and intensely modern business man. Mr. Hopkins Is living refutation of the popular belief Indulged in by so many people who have not made' money that a man who achieves material success must do It at the ex pense or blunting his finer senslbtn.

tit'S and his power to enjoy things that are ruly great and beautiful. Judging by Appearances. No the shoe Is on the wrong foot-absolutely on the wrong toot. I The speaker was Senator Oronna. 1 I North Dakota.

He was arguing' i Iff clause relates The St Louli Olbhefi Democrat i Yes he continued onfljl are as mistaken In this matteras tho little lady from the middle wesVwhp on her return from a winter. on th RIviera. was recounting to a. friendth S. delights of Nice.

And did you her friend asked. i No I didn't replied. I called on him though. But fudging jfrom pops IwH jrfcn got to ttie hoteU I guesa Mbn must have been out" 1tr r. i Iof' Ii JU i l' ARny S' TTTH N' 3 11J RillJ QT TG.

i rn1 yt t. 4 WlU n. W.El. JJ Lll I t3 TJ 4 ii" 1 JAMESCONLEYSC6NFESStOMJ td it 1 th ou one you're ou Har as thoselrreslstible hi eous Dettctlvesare They Th re llIpers itlous A sence play' dc a I onl not at' or la Quar ers andsorely I othin lIn I dra ws I wel hert wron nl htll ou or ood malnt lned illiterate-couldn't I I I I I some. p08 lhly i not took ur pd reco nlzerl nlg er Blackpromot- nl er oil second hand writing-two th rov 11e StatPh r.ph@r.

in I si ned Conley posses ion like I ha gcn ral. detcc ivt I al rrft rt1001 rYaje the' ptndrs I some- thn si go be ter. kick 1s rar wood. You'd rops sa III It tb what maybe Urou ou te Xo wrl ne ro tra lc dellbera ely I I I A 4 dlschar du 120 I la der memor I lone. i i was mount I leaped-all ty Comra es I bra ve i I I 1 firem I I I Utss i i I I tet I I I I ha.

I h1 I lib-I i I th I I I I wrote. I I I i ou oure orlg.1 I I hod lA I Pe ers ou I to. 5aYlngs not wl th appara us I en lre I The' thus create-and lth honest wa H- that'd Thc yd you-likely bl Iow myoid C. ave ot haek eyes Isuccel18 I unless I I voh areflolng two nt be nnt It. an I sta I ly I I cfenoped Inl1r nIHil I workil work lJ turld I North You've.

I out-kick thI I truth-the been ou Me th ol I I the declare I tor dirta raph In. I quarters I was 011 Black locked 1 lr. I' vas. Fran I i a' I sw-eeper I he' bec you-whenever I la ter I relJresentatlnof ho re hlm elt reco nlzed a dcmonlitr 1ted Ucallt I he Greensb ro af teo hal vchl 1u. A' oui- hang1 i werebeinl act i' thepen 11:1 tb iro y' left1 tb reacl ec to shlrts eV rythlng bo I I I I I i atel I I I emelg I I sources-Frank trial-the th elY Gift- 1 1 1 1 i ri 4J.

fUt 1cethat' l.J 5O O- 1h l1 eu' rf companiflsi ged aM" aYI. andeottoft In' pureMald hea vny tzhe autom lblle cl nu nt tplca1 I ClItul andlnttnely a i. I I mOfl i I ex- i. pn sen8J I1I. ii ZIit rul 1 i Appearancest lion GronnaJ I ti TheSt.

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jt fsJ 11' 1 i tl Mii- I' I J1f J' fl X-ft 1f 4f. I. i ii i 6 i.