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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEW S. MON DA Y, APRIL 28. 101.°,.
GflSUSPtCT,
IMDRIG OF
SLAIN GIRL'S AUNT AND SISTER
At the ritrht is Miss K'ttli Phafc’iin. aunt of Mary I’liagan, and in her arms is Miss Ollio Phagran. sis
ter of the victim, whom site is ti \inir to comfort. Below, the old Granite Hotel building? at J7-J9
South Forsvth Street, now the lionn
e of the National Pencil (lornpanv, and scene of the slaying.
3 ITUS SEEN
El
The story of throe men leading a
weeping, unwilling girl on Forsyth
Street Saturday night is being
sounded to Us depths to-day by At
lanta policemen in their efforts to un
ravel the mystery of Mary Phagan’s
death.
The .‘dory is told by E. S. Skipper,
of 224 1 -*- Peters Street. He declared
that on Saturday night about 10
o'clock he saw a girl whose appear
ance Acted the description of the girl-
victim. Three men were with her, all
of them young and flashily dressed.
The girl was reeling slightly, Skip
per declares, as if rendered dizzy by
drug*. She was crying, and time and
hgain lagged behind her companions,
as if she feared to go farther. Each
time they insisted and she seemed
powerless to resist trfem.
Skipper declared that he can iden
tify the three men. He followed in
their wake when first he saw the par
ly on Pryor Street, near Trinity Ave
nue. At Trinity they turned toward
Whitehall, he said, the men urging the
girl to accompany them. Down White
hall to E'orsyth he accompanied them,
and saw" them turn north toward
Mitchell Street. There he left them,
going toward the Terminal Station,
his original destination.
Skipper said that the girl did, not
appear intoxicated, but merely sick
and pitifully weak.
Following closely on the heels of
his story came to the police, to-day
the statement of Adam Woodward,
night watch mam in the Williams Liv
ery Stable. 35 Forsyth Street, three
doors from the factory building. He
told the detectives that about 11
o’clock he heard a woman scream sev
eral times, but, considering it the cry
of a merrymaker, paid no attention
to it.
Soda Clerk Sought
in Phagan Mystery
Weeping Girl Like Mary Phagan
Seen Saturday in Company
of Soda Jerker.
The police late this afternoon began
a search for a soda water clerk who
was seen talking to a girl answering
the description of Mary Phagan Sat
urday night at 12:10 o’clock, in front
of a rooming house at 286 1-2 White
hall Street. The information \va.-
given to the police by L. B. and R. C.
King, brothers, who said they passed
the Whitehall Street address at that
•hour and saw the couple.
Their attention was called to them,
they say, by the fact that the girl
was sobbing. As the King brothers
passed they heard the girl say:
"Don’t do that: be a friend to me.”
In company with the King brother?*
three detectives went to Forsyth and
White 11 Streets, where the clerk is
said to be working. If he can oe
found he will be taken to police
headquarters and examined hv de
tectives.
Who Is This Man?
a straw hat. He carried a package
tinder his arm
Detective Starnes was notified, tint
by the time he had taken up the trait,
(iant had disappeared. Officers were
dispatched to the railway stations
and to the Marietta Street cars to
thwart him if ho had any thoughts of
escaping.
K. K. Holloway, timekeeper at the
FLOWERS and FLORAL DESIGNS;
ATLANTA FLORAL CO.
Both Phone, Number 4. 41 Peachtree !
a T I »UT» | ALL THIS WEEK
H I L n n I n . ElcPS , 4 p,„, s Mights
™* ATER Miss BILLY LONG
Wed and Sat And Company In
A Butterfly
on the Wheel
*ICMs IS* to SOc I Fleet Time In Atlanta
This 1 Mats. Tues.,
Week | Thurs., Sat.
billy the kid
a DRAMA OF THE WEST.
With the Young American Star,
bepkely HASWELL.
factory, said that he was aware of
Gant’s infatuation for the girl, but
did not know that sbe accepted his
attentions at all
Gant had told him, he said, that he
had been greatly attracted by Mary
Phagan and had walked home with
her and had been with her on other
occasions
Mary Pirk, a girl who worked near
Mary Phagan in the pencil factory,
said to-day that she knew the mur
dered glr! well and that she had heard
her girl companions talking a number
of times of Gant’s infatuation for the
Phagan girl.
Sin had heard, she said, that Gant
frequently walked home with her and
paid her other attentions.
Police detectives, after an atl-
forenc
conference with Deo Frank,
permitted the factory superintendent
I to go One result of the conference,
j however, was to get an important ad-
j mission from Newt l>»e. the negro
I night watchman, who is» being held as
I a material witness.
Gant Admitted to Factory Saturday.
Mr. Frank told the detectives that
after leaving the factory Saturday
evening he called up Deo and asked
| him if Gant, who had asked permis
sion of Frank a few minutes before
l to get his sthoes in an upstairs room.
had left the building yet. The negro
j answered that Gant had obtained his
shoes and left the building within ten
minutes.
This
noon.
howev«
r. Att
orn«yf»
Du-
Home Again With Vaudeville
ther Rt
uiser
ind Ha
rbert
Haas.
who
U —
n.
were
repres
enting
to Le<
Sup
=»’* cel
rinten
dent
FORSYTH
mat. To-dcy 2:30
To-night at S:30
Prank,
w ent
after
the
I confere
ice in
the de
tertlvo
s' office
had
Angler A Co.—
-Chri* * WT * EEh
conelud
e<i am
1 quest
loned
him sh
irp-
Richards — Ga
Helm Children-
-Barr «•***
*
g»ml t
A Hope—Murk
!l £ Kid t.L-ct
cate*
ing him in
Francis and O'L
« merit, ti
te> in
iuced 1
im to
admit
that
his first testimony in regard to the
time Gant was In the building was
misleading. He thought that Gant
was there 20 minutes or half an hour.
He added the remark, which is re
garded as highly important, that
Gant, while in the building, called up
and talked to some girl.
Recent Movements a Mystery.
The ease against Gant is made
stronger by the mystery surrounding
his movements during the past three
weeks. Mrs F. C. Terrell, of 284 East
Linden Avenue, with whom Gant has
been boarding, told a Georgian re
porter this morning that three weeks
ago to-day Gant packed up all his be
longings and left her house, telling
her he had secured a good position In
California and was going there at
once.
Gant’s object in telling the Cali
fornia trip story to Mrs. Terrell is
unknown, but detectives consider his
movements during the three weeks
that have elapsed since then a strong
link in the chain of evidence that is
being woven about him
Mrs. Terrell said she had not re
ceived any word from Gant, and op
posed he was in California. She con
sidered his silence unusual, because
hitherto whenever Gant had been
away from home, for ever, a day or
two. he had always sent postcards or
a letter.
Mrs. Terrell also declared that Gant
had known the Phagan family in Ma
rietta. where Mary Phagan lived ff-r a
number of years. Gant has been liv
ing with the Terrell family for seven
years. Pp to four or live years* ago
the Terrells were neighbors of the
Phagans in Marietta, and little Mary
often played around the Terrell home.
It was there that Gant became ac
quainted with her. Mrs. Terrell said.
Gant is about 22 years old.
Strange Notes Increase Mystery.
A few inches from the body were
found two remarkably strange notes.
These notes, incoherent and almost il
legible, only serve to increase the
mystery. Detectives declared there
was no doubt that these notes were
written by tjre murderer and were a
feeble and tragically grotesque effort
at a ruse. They purport to have been
written by the girl, and the wording
would seem to indicate that she had
written them after she was in the
throes of death.
“A tali, black negro did this,” is the
substance of the two notes.
The police were notified by the
janitor, and several officers were
quickly on the scene, immediately
starting a thorough investigation.
After finding that all of the doors
and windows to the. building were se;
curely fastened, the police took Newt
Dec Into custody on suspicion, believ
ing that he could throw light on the
tragedy. Dee carried the keys to the
building, hut protested that he had
admitted no one to the building, and
that he had no idea that any one had
been inside until he found the body
Detectives are certain that the ne
gro can explain the mystery of how
the girl found her way into the build
ing, even if he did not actually com
mit the murder.
Negro Pleads Total Ignorance.
The negro’s solo statement to de
tectives since his arrest has been:
”1 didn’t know nothing about It un
til l found the body.”
Dete< fives, however, declare the
locked doors and windows render this
statement unreasonable.
The negro was put through a grill
ing examination time and again Sun
day and last night, but no amount of
questioning could induce him to
change his know nothing” statement.
To every question he replied:
T don't know nothing about it.”
Detectives are sure the negro has
not told all he knows, and will hold
him until the mystery is cleared.
The the y that the crime was the
work of a negro held full sway and
was assiduously followed by detec
tives until Sunday afternoon, when E.
D. Sentell, of 82 Davis Street, a clerk
for the Kamper Grocery Company,
divulged the information that he saw
Mary Phagan at Forsyth and Hunter
Streets Sunday morning, about 12:30
o’clock, in company with Arthur Mul-
lina^x. He said they were walking in
the direction of the pencil factory,
which is but a few doors from this
corner. Sentell knew the Phagan
girl, and said he spoke to her as he
passed. ,
Since then detectives have been
working on both theories—that the
e*-L was committed by a negro and
t it was the job of a white man
and that the negro watchman is an
accomplice in that he knew of it.
This gave a new angle to the mys
tery and set detectives on the trail of
Mullinax, who was found late in the
afternoon and placed under arrest on
suspicion.
Gant was arrested as he alighted
from a street car from Atlanta, car
rying a suitcase. He was taken by
Deputy Sheriff Hicks, to the office of
Sheriff Swanson, where he was ques
tioned and the contents of the suit
case examined.
Chief of Police Goodson, of Mariet
ta. said this afternoon that Gant ex
pressed surprise when arrested, but
didn’t make a statement. Gant, it
was stated, was extremely nervous
when he got off the car, and was
evidently expecting something to hap
pen. When Hicks accosted him and
placed him under arrest, Gant turned
pale and stammered that there must
be some 'mistake.
Gant in Saloon.
Charles W. McGee, of Colonial
Hills, a bartender in the saloon of
J. P. Hunter, at 38 South Forsyth
Street, across the street from the
plant of the National Lead Pencil
Company, this afternoon said that
Gant and another man. whom he did
not know, came in his place Satur
day night about 10 o’clock.
“Gant and the other man.” said
McGee, “walked back to the lunch
counter and got something to eat, and
then Gant came to the bar and said
he wanted to leave a pair of shoes
with us until Monday morning. I
told him he could, and the shoes were
placed behind the cigar counter in the
front part of the saloon.”
While in Hunter’s place Gant and
the other man appeared to be in a
hurry and kept talking earnestly to
gether as though they were planning
something.
This morning at 8 o’clock Gant,
looking like he had not had much
sleep, came into the Hunter saloon
and got his shoes. He talked to Mc
Gee for a moment at the cigar count
er. and they discussed the Phagan
murder. McGee jokingly said the po
lice were looking for Gant, and the
latter was excited. He stepped quick
ly to the door and glanced across at
the National Pencil Company ? build
ing. and then looked hastily up and
down Forsyth Street, lie th* n told
McGee ho was going to Marietta and
walked rapidly up Forsyth Street.
srm sa i
BLACK CUffLY^
HAIR
CCMFLEXOC
DARK
6 FT ml
BLUD
SUIT.
25 YEARS
OLD
m
SHOD?
Edgar L. Sentell, lifelong friend of Mary
saw a man answering this description, walkin
after midnight Sunday, a few hours before flic
Phagan, says lie
g with the girl
body was found.
GANT TELLS fflS OWN
STORY TO THE POLICE
Continued from Page One.
both of them saw me get them and also saw me leave the building.
“Then I went back to town and met Arthur White, who is em
ployed in the pencil factory; O. G. Bagley, an employee of the At
lanta Milling Company, and Bagley’s brother. With them 1 played
pool in the Globe pool parlor on Broad Street until 10:30 o'clock,
and then I caught a car and went home.
“Yes, T knew the girl. 1 knew Mary Phagan quite well, but I
swear to you I had not seen her since I left the plant as an em
ployee three weeks ago. I am innocent and developments will
prove it.”
Gant was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Hicks on the 1 o’clock
car. 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
captured.
A stenographer took a formal statement from Gant as soon
as he was brought to the police station. In it he endeavored to
account for every minute of his time from Saturday afternoon
until the time the body of the girl was found.
Gant comes from a well-known Cobb County family and sev
eral of his relatives were with him at the police station. Among
them were Judge George F. Gober, of the law firm of Gober &
Jackson, who- is acting as legal counsel for the young man
W. A. Bishop, an officer of
Pleads Unwritten Law. and De
dares He Thought Encounter
Was Duel to Death.
Elmer T. Darden, who, pleading H
unwritten law, was put on trial for h
life in criminal division of Superic
Court to-day for the slaying of C. ^
Goddard, a Stone Mountain granil
cutter, in the Union station March 1
took the stand in hie own defense th
afternoon and made a statement «
the shooting and its causes.
With the testimony of a dozen ey«
witnesses to the shooting, the Sta’
closed its case at 12:30 o’clock ar
court recessed until 2 o’clock.
The testimony given for the Stai
followed the reports of the traged
already published. Every attemj
made by Paul Lindsay, attorney fc
the Goddard family, employed to a
Solicitor Dorsey in the prosecution, i
send up any of Darden’s children i
testify against their father failed.
Wife of Slayer Absent.
Mrs. Darden, who had sworn thi
she would be at the trial to clear h*
name of any stigma, did pot appea
The State put on Mrs. J. R. Harwe!
in charge of the work of the Travel
ers’ Aid Society at the Union statior
Addle Mays, a negro attendant: Job
Beaseley, a negro porter, and Polici
man Hardy, all eyewitnesses.
Darden’s statement follows:
Tells of Losing Money.
“I was born in Elizabeth City, Vi
March 22, 1868, and married in .Tun
1894. About ten years ago my fathi
j left me $35,000. I then was in tl
granite business in Vermont.
”1 bought a farm and little quart
near Redan, Ga., about eight yea:
| ago. Among my first acquaintance
were the Goddards, and Cossie Go«
card especially. He was closer to n
than my brother, and when I was <
the road, which was frequent, I had j
much confidence in him I asked hi
! to watch over my family.
“Finally I got extremely hard t
for cash. My wife was a woman 1
high ideals and extravagance, and
guess I am largely to blame, for
had been her tutor in this particula
When I was no longer able to besto
ion her luxuries, she became dissatij
fled and quarrelsome. I begged her
i be patient, telling her that I realizi
j that we were almost down and ors
\ but that my health was good, F was
man of education and could overcon
| the obstacles.
"On February 12 my wife came '
Atlanta and spent the day and n
! turned on ’the 6 o’clock accommodi
j tion train. She told me that she h{
been to the picture shows.
Asserts Her Love Waned.
“She made other visits to Atlare
the following week and once visit!
the place where I worked and mai
an engagement to go to lunch wil
me. She did not fill the ongagemen
She told me again she had been >
the picture shows.
DANGEROUS CALOMEL
GOING OUT OF OSI
A Safer, More Reliable Rem
edy Has Taken Its Place in
the Drug Store and in
the Home.
A few years ago men, womei
and children took calomel for *
sluggish liver and for constipa
tion. They took risks when thej
did so, for calomel is a danger
ous drug. Your family doctor will
be the first to tel lyou this if h«
discovers you dosing yourself witt
calomel.
But the drug trade has found s
safer, more pleasant remedy that
calomel in Dodson’s Diver Tone.
Dealers tell us that their drui
store sells Dodson’s Liver Tone ii
practically every case of bilious
ness and liver trouble where calo
mel used to be taken.
Dodson’s Liver Tone is a vege
table liver tonic that is absolutely
harmless for children and grow*
people. It sells for 50 cts. a bottli
and is guaranteed to be entirely
satisfetory by all druggists, \vh«
will refund your money with z
smile if it does not give quick, gen
tle relief without any of calomel’!
unpleasant after-effects.
Marietta and a cousin of the ac
cused man, was one of the party.
W. M. Gant, and J. D. Gant, Jr.,
cousins, also accompanied the pris
oner to the station. G. M. Hicks. Dep
uty Sheriff and the man who arrest
ed Gant in Marietta, came from Mari
etta with Detective Hazlett.
Gant’s father, J. L. Gant, died two
years ago. Ex-Representative Sam
uel R. McClesky is an uncle of Gant.
The young man is single and about
23 years of age.
BANK AT CROSSLAND, GA.,
SUSPENDS OPERATIONS
Thousands Died Last Year From
Colds, Neglected Too Long
MOULTRIE. GA., April 28.—The
Bank of Crossland has suspended, ac
cording to a telephone message re
ceived from there to-day. The news
comes from J. F. RoyaJ, a stockhold
er and director of bank. An offi
cial is said to have confessed a short
age. The bank is in the hands of
state examiner.
Nearly everybody in Atlanta reads
The Sunday American. YOUR ad
vertisement in the next issue will sell j
goods. Try itl 1
Practically every case of pneu
monia was first just a cold. Dur
ing a hard winter in America hun
dreds will neglect the simple cold
and succumb to grfppe. A cold,
permitted to settle and inflame, is
the beginning of the Great White
Plague itself, for which we are
spending Millions of Dollars to find
a cure.
Most colds are traceable directly to
an inactive liver. You get overheat
ed. cool off too suddenly and the
pores close. The blood recedes from
the surface and a congestion is pro
duced. The same condition exists
if you sit in a draft or get wet. The
liver finds its efforts overcome by
pressure of the blood, and. being
unable to perform its functions of
cleansing away the waste, undi
gested food remains in the stom-
COLDS IS ALARMING
ach and intestines and ferments
The head gets hot. the feet cold ant
bowels constipated. Then cold set:
in.
If JACOBS' LIVER SALT is tak.
en immediately, it will ward of!
the cold. It relieves the conges,
tion. rejuvenates the liver and sendi
the blood racing through the veins
with a vigor that will instantly dis
pel the depressing attack of cold. A
simple remedy, but worth it:
weight in gold if you value health
And it will not put vou in bed
Take JACOBS' LIVER SALT be.
fore breakfast, an agreeably bub
bling drink, and in an hour you'!
feel fine. The man who doesn'
catch cold keeps his liver lively
and you will find no other live:
tonic as good as the genuine J A-
COBS' LIVER SALT. All drug-
gists. 25c. If yours can not sup.
ply you. upon receipt of price w-
will mail full size jar. postage free
Made and guaranteed Jay Jacobs
Pharmacy Co., Atlanta.