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The Georgian Will Pay $500 Reward for EXCLUSIVE
Information Leading to the Arrest and Conviction
of the Murderer of Mary Phagan
WARD
The Atlanta Georgian
VOL. XT. NO. 228.
Read For Profit—GEORGIAN WANT ADS Use For Results
ATLANTA. GA, MONDAY. APRIL 28. 1912.
HOME
EDITION
PHI C E TWO CENTS. P &A°
ARRESTED AS GIRL’S SLAYER
Montenegrin Army Leaves Scu
tari to Repulse Threatened In
vasion by Austria to Oust Little
Kingdom From Spoils Won.
King Nicholas’ Fight Against the
Domination of Franz Josef
Aligns Powers and Strains Re
lations to the Breaking Point.
How Nations Near
Clash Compare
Montenegro is Europe’s littlest
kingdom, having a maximum
fighting strength of 50.000 and a
population of 225.000.
Austria-Hungary has a popula
tion of 51.340.378 and a standing
army of 1,095,000.
Special Cable to The Atlanta Georgian.
LONDON, April 28.—Advices re
ceived here to-day by way of Vienna
state that Crown Prince Daniio and
most of the Montenegrin troops in
Scutari left that city to-day and are
marching northward. The Montene
grins left only five batteries of guns
in Scutari, it is reported. The dis
patch indicated that the Montenegrin
army is marching toward Antivarf,
the port of Ottinje. where the Aus
trians threatened to land a force.
Threatened with invasion by Aus
tria, supported by the powers, Mon
tenegro still refuses to yield. M. Pop-
vitch. Montenegrin Plenipotentiary to
London, to-day handed in the reply
of his country to representatives of
the English and the Continental pow
ers that Scutari be given up.
This reply, which was formally ten
dered to the Ambassadors at the For
eign Office, protests against coercion
and requests that the powers again
examine the question before present
ing an ultimatum.
••.Montenegro, despite its size, d^-
vires to be placed on an equal footing
with the other members of the Balkan
Leagtie,” says the communication.
"We request the same consideration
and demand the same justice given
to the stronger States."
Europe Watches Austria,
Firebrand of New Crisis.
VIENNA, April 28.—Threatened
with the gravest possibility of war,
or at least by political disruption. Eu
rope's attention to-day was centered
on Austria, the firebrand power in
whose grasp is the torch which might
set the conflagration. Archduke Fran
cis Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian
throne, held a long conference with
Emperor Francis Joseph, following a
special meeting of the cabinet.
Afterward it was announced that
unless the ambassadorial high court
sitting in London acts at once “Aus
tria wi]i take independent steps to
enforce the decision of the powers
that Montenegro must not possess
Scutari.”
Invasion Is Reported.
While this announcement was be
ing made Austria was busily engaged
in war preparations. There was
great activity at the Trieste naval
depot, it being reported from there
that an Austrian naval division with
10,000 troops had left there for Anti-
vari, the port of Cettinje, capital of
Montenegro.
A report was circulated on the
bourse that part of the Austrian army
massed in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Led already invaded Montenegrin soil,
but this report was denied by General
Krobatm, Austrian minister of war.
There was extreme activity at the
-tfrire. General Von Holzendorf
"City AFLUTTER
THEATER OFFER
First Coupons Will Appear in The
Georgian Thursday—Others
Through Week.
FINE BILL AT THE ATLANTA
Boys and Girls Plan to Get Shet-
lands To Be Given Away
Without Cost.
Fobs to Trolley Men
Urge ‘Safety First'
1,000 Street Car Employees Become
Members of Atlanta Public
Safety League.
“Safety First, Safety Always" is
the inscription on 1,000 bronze watch
fobs presented to-day to street car
motormen and conductors by the
Georgia Railway and Power Com
pany.
The fobs were made from a .special
design, in the form of medallions.
They are intended as tokens of mem
bership in the Atlanta Public Safety
League and to remind them that the
first duty of a motorman or conductor!
is to promote public safety.
Both Fire and Graft
Probes Start Tuesday
Woodward Has Old Witnesses Sum
moned in Attempt to Obtain
New Evidence.
Subpoenas for the following wit
nesses, to be heard when the fire
prqbe is reopened to-morrow morn
ing. were served to-day:
R. E. Davidson. \Y. R. Joyner, Jr.,
Thomas Reynolds. .1. J. Rafter, P O.
Hebert, H. S. Courtney. W. B. Cody
and B. G. Carlton. They have ail
been on the stand before, but Mayor
Woodward expects to secure impor
tant new evidence this time.
Charles T. Hopkins, attorney for
Alderman John E. McClelland, the ac
cuser of Aldermen Spratling, Maddox
and Ragsdale, has returned to Atlan
ta. The councllmanlc graft probe will
proceed in earnest: to-morrow after
noon.
Giving
Away Doiiars
The ‘Want AH” man
will continue to give
away dollars to the
lucky ones whose names
appear in the "Want
Ad” columns of The
(Georgian, and who have
if marked when he calls
in the speedy Carterear.
max he
Atlantans are "all interest" over the
free ponies and free theater seats to
be given readers of The Georgian and
The Sunday American.
Of course, when the plan was an
nounced we expected there would be a
flutter. But there has been more than
flutter—there is a regular gale of ex
citement. Everyone on the street cars
is talking about the generous offer—
you’ve heard them.
If you want to see a splendid play
free of all cost, don’t fail to secure the
necessary four coupons. The first
will appear in The Georgian Thurs
day. The coupons will follow Friday,
Saturday and Sunday. Send theise
four coupons by mail with a self-ad
dressed and stamped envelope, and we
will mall you a theater ticket, one of
the best in Atlanta's best theater.
There’s no trick to it, no contest, no
expense. It’s absolutely free.
Something Worth While Offered.
The Georgian feels that in giving
seats to the Atlanta Theater it Is of
fering something worth while to every
theatergoer
The Atlanta Theater never presents
any but first-class attractions, and the
Billy l»ng stock company is no ex
ception to its invariable rule
Miss Billy Long, say those who al
ready have seen her play "Wildfire,"
which Lillian Russell made famous.
ay she is more than a good actress:
that she is one of ihe best. Lillian
Russell herself could give no more
satisfactory portrayal of the leading
role, and Miss lx>ng is ably supported.
Good Company Playing.
The Atlanta Theater Is anxious that
the Atlanta public «hall not confound
this stock company with the ordinary
summer repertoire aggregation. This
is an infinitely superior organization
The Atlanta Theater feels that when
the readers of The Georgian and
Sunday American have passed their
discriminating verdict on the per
formances. and the merits of Miss
Billy Long and her supporting players
thus* are advertised, all Atlanta will
flock to the theater through the sum
mer. Insuring the success of the un
dertaking. That is why the Atlanta
Theater is co-operating so heartily
with The Georgian in the distribution
of free seats.
But the boys and girls are more in
terested in the free ponies and carts,
Following the announcement in The
Sunday American that such pretty
and valuable prizes were to be award
ed to dozens of children in Atlanta, a
perfect flood of nominations poured
into our offices. Already enough chil
dren have indicated their willingness
to compete for the ponies and carls
that it is plain the contests will be
spirited.
Particulars on Another Page.
But this doesn’t mean that you
haven’t an even chance. The contest
is not yet started. Full particulars
appear on another page of this issue
And watch for the intelligent little
Shetland ponies, which are on the
way to their new homes. We will
take pains to show them. Look them
over and pick out the one you want
for your very own. Then set to work
to win it. You'll find it pleasant, ex
citing and profitable.
FORMER PUPIL GIVES
A HAT TO MRS. CLARK
WASHINGTON. April 2#.—Mr*.
Champ Clark, wife of the Speakf.
has received a gorgeous black hay
trimmed with a wonderful white os
trich plume, from Miss Jeanette
Dcppe. of St. Louis, as a token of
love and affection for her teacher of
! the little Missouri school house.
"Yes, I used to be a school iea.it-
JOHN M. GANT ACCUSED OF THE CRIME;
FORMER BOOKKEEPER TAKEN BY POLICE
J M. GANT, arrested in Marietta for the murder of Alary Phagan, gave to a reporter for The
Georgian his story of his actions that led to his arrest. He protested his innocence, and de
clared lie was home in bed at the time the crime is supposed to have been committed.
In striking contradiction to this statement is 1 he assertion of Mrs F. C. Terrell, of 284 East
Linden Street, where Gant said he slept Saturday night, that she had not seen (taut in three weeks.
' [ watched the Memorial Day parade in Atlanta,” said Gant, as he sat in the Marietta police
station, "and after the parade was mostly over I wonl out to the ball game. After the game I re
membered that I had left some old shoes at the pencil factory, and decided to go over and get
them. I went over there at <i o'clock and Superintendent Frank let me in.
"He told the negro watchman to help me find my shoes, and both of them saw rue get tiiern
and also saw me leave the building.
"Then I went back to town and met Arthur White, who is employed in the pencil factory,
O. G. Bagiev, an employee of the Atlanta Milling Company, and Bagiev’s brother. With them T
played pool in the (.lobe pool parlor on Broad Street until 10 :30 o'clock, and then ] caught a ear
and went home. <
"Yes. I knew the girl, f knew Mary Phagan quite well, but I swear to you T had not seen hpr
since I left thp plant as an employee three weeks ago. I am iimo-
cent and developments will prove it.”
Gant answers the description of the man Edgar L. Sentell
says he saw with the Phagan girl shortly after midnight to a re
markable degree. He is about six feet tall, of slender build and
dark complexion. His hair is dark and inclined to curl, and he
wore a blue suit and a straw hat. He said that he is tvventv-four
years old and that his name was damps, and not John, as Super
intendent Frank had stated.
Gant was a;,esled by Deputy Sheriff Hicks on 1 lie 1 o’clock
ear. He did not appear particularly nervous and was confident
that he would be able to demonstrate his innocence, but the de
tectives with him were equally certain that the slayer had been
raptured.
Here is told in chronological order the story of the mystery:
—Mary Phagan, 14 years old. was strangled to death in the Xa-
tiorial Pencil Co.’s factory, 37 South Forsyth Street.
(—Newt Bee. negro uiglit watchman, found her body in the
i basement a little after 3 o’clock Sunday morning and no
tifies the police. He was arrested.
Arthur Mullinax. identified by E. S. Sentrll, 82 Davis Street,
as the man who was with Mary Phagan at. 12:30 o'clock
Simdaj morning, was arrested Sunday afternoon and is held in
solitarj confinement, at police headquarters.
4 Leo M. Frank, superintendent of the National Pencil Co.’s
faetor.v . was summoned to police headquarters this morn
ing and detained there to tell what lie knows of the girl and of her
terrible fate.
5 - Hair, tangled and matted, tint identified positively as the dead
gii-l s. was found clinging to a lathe on the third floor of
1 the factory, which leads the police to believe that someone who
bail access to the factory is responsible for Hie crime.
6 Geron Bailey, the negro elevator boy employed in the fao-
torv. was also arrested.
E. S. Skipper, 224 1 4 Peters Street, says he saw a girl answer
ing the description of Alary Phagan being forced to ar
company three flashily dressed youths, who took lier’to Whitehall, Vs
near Mitchell Street, at about 10 o'clock Saturday night. The girl
was weeping and septned weak and dazed.
When the girls employed at the National Pencil Co.'s factory
assembled for work this morning they were so upset ant
excited from reading of the murder of Mary Phagan that the fa
torv had to lie closed.
indfj
A
J. M. Cant, former bookkeeper in the pencil factory, arrested
in Marietta and accused of the murder.
Photograph of Mary Phagan showing her in street dress.
in riuriptaiv
Sine regulars
northern fronti
er." Mr*. Clafk. "j*nd they *hou>* land, for their work is the most im-
ue the highest paid officials in th?|portant if all."
Slain Girl Modest
And Quiet, He Says
Timekeeper at Pencil Factory De
clares Mary Phagan Attended
Strictly to Her Work.
"She was a quiet and modest lit
tle girl.” was the tribute paid Mary
Phagan to-day by E. F. Holloway, a
timekeeper at the National Pencil
Company's plant
"I never noticed her talking with
any of tfie employees. She was inva
riably polite, as though she had been
carefully reared in her homo. She
paid attention stric*t!> to her own
work and never was scon conversing
with any of the men. so far as I know.
"In Tact, 1 don’t know that she
even had any acquaintances w ith any
of the men except in cases where it
was nee ssary a a part of her wack.
The only man she ever v.as friendly
with is r.o' here now. He was. dis
charged three weeks ago.’’
Gaul tells The Georgian he was home and in bed at 2b
I \J East Linden Avenue when the crime occurred. His land
lady savs he has not been there in three weeks.
Gant Was Infatuated With 1
Girl; at Factory Saturday
Gant was arrested on a warrant
sworn out In Judge Powers' court,
charging him with murder.
Gant was last seen before his ar
rest at 8:45 this morning by Herbert
Uchiff. assistant superintendent of the
factory. A few- minutes later he was
on a car bound for Marietta.
The officers in Marietta were noti
fied by telephone and were on the
watch for a man answering Gant’s
description.
The detectives began to spread
their nets for Gant on significant sto
nes coming from half a dozen differ
ent sources.
All were lo effect that Gant had
tried on msn\“oeeasiors to pay atten
tions to the little girl, and that his
infatuation for her was evident even
in the failory.
Gant was employed us shipping
clerk for some time with the pencil
company, but left three weeks (
Saturday. He was seen Fria
Saturday, the latter time by H
tendent Geo M. Frank, from r
asked permission to go into ,
tory to get a pair of shoes he had
Then he was seen again this mo._
ing near the factory, while the de
tectives were looking in another pari
of the city for him.
The fact that he had been seen'
about the factory Friday and Satur
day was recalled by employees ben
his name was mentioned in the case.
Herbert Schlff, assistant superin
tendent of the factory, was sitting
his desk in a front office on the
ond flour to-day when he *„w
come out of a near-beer saloon
r
i
