Newspaper Page Text
2
PLAN BIG FIGHT ON PAYING
HELD BY PAINTED
Continued From Page 1.
ber of his immediate family—his wi/c or daughter—or his firm. The
total amount was divided about equally between them.
Some two or three months ago, it has been reported to the life
insurance companies concerned, Painter began taking chloral, per
haps for nervousness. It is charged that shortly before his death,
he became a very heavy us. r of the drug.
When his body was recovered from the St. .Johns River, and the
suspicion that all was not right became fixed in the minds of the
insurance companies, it was determined to set on foot a rigid probe
of his death, and its cause, also all the circumstances bearing upon
it.
Paid No Heed to Reacuera.
Although Painter was an expert
frv. immer, when he fell from the ferry
boat. he Is said to have sunk like a
log. A rope was thrown to him, but
he paid no attention to It
He had been coughing violently Ju*t
before he fell Into the water, and It
was to relieve this cough that he la
supposed to have taken chloral. Ap
parently, so those on the boat say,
the man was dead before he struck
the water.
It Is theorized that his system had
been overwhelmed with chloral, and
that his death was directly due to
that drug, rather than to drowning.
These initial circumstances were
suspicious enough in the eyes of the
insurance companies, and they pro
ceeded to a calm and deliberate In
vestigation, before authorizing the
payment of the policies.
Their decision to have the dead
man’s vital organs analyzed for the
purpose of determining Just how
much chloral there likely was In his
system at the time of his death was
in line with the advice of their medi
cal and legal advisers. Now that the
dead man’s organs seem to have dsl-
appeared, however, it appears more
than ever to the companies that there
was something queer about Painter’s,
end.
Insurance Inspectors Active.
The medical report is not expected
here for another tw'o days and the
Coroner nor others interested will
take any further action until it is re
ceived.
A certified copy of this report will
be placed in a safety deposit box at
the Itarnett National Rank, so that
those who have valid reasons to ex
amine it may do so when proper au
thority is secured from the Coroner.
No sooner had the sudden .and
mysterious death of Painter become
known than inspectors and special
agents of the insurance companies
carrying policies on his life began to
arrive in Jacksonville. There were a
dozen or more here and they made in
dividual and collective Investigations.
But they, like the Coroner, are await
ing the Baltimore report before tak
ing any action to contest or pay the
policies.
The general impression in insur
ance circles is that the Mutual Life
will make the first move, Painter hav
ing secured $502,000 insurance in that
company. Those with smaller poli
cies will look to the Mutual to deter
mine their course of action.
Indications are, however, that the
insurance companies will contest un
der the first-year suicide clause in
corporated in mo.ri policies. If this is
done it promises to be the biggest
piece of insurance litigation ever
fought out in the South and one of
the biggest in the whole country.
Dead Man Was 52 Years of Age.
Painter was 52 years and 6 months
of age when he died. He was a na
tive of New York State, but had been
in business In Jacksonville about fif
teen years. As editor of a farm jour
nal he became interested in the ferti
lizer business and established the E.
INSURANCE POLICIES
TOTAL $1,134,000
Of Painter’s total insurance, *1,-
134.000 of it was distributed as
follows:
LIFE POLICIES.
Mutual Life $ 502,000
Equitable 190,000
Penn Mutual 100,000
New York Life 100,000
Fidelity Mutual 70,000
Union Central 50,000
Prudential . .. . .. 12,000
Fraternal and miscellane
ous 50,000
Total life $1,074,000
ACCIDENT POLICIES.
Travelers $ 20,000
Employers’ Liability .... 15,000
U. S. Fidelity and Guar
anty - 10,000
Preferred Accident 5,000
Illinois Commercial Men’*
Association 5,000
Travelers’ Protective As
sociation 5,000
Total accident $ 60,000
Total insurance $1,134,000
O. Painter Fertilizer Company, be
coming its president. This company
is capitalized at about $300,000, though
its actual value is said to be about
$100,000.
With Painter’s stock in the com
pany, his handsome Riverside Drive
home and other interests, his estate is
valued at about $150,000 and his in-*
come at $25,000 a year. In striking
contrast to this income is the fact
that the combined annual premiums on
the insurance he carried at the time
of death amount to about $60,000.
The first year’s premiums on the
million dollars new insurance were
paid almost altogether in notes not
yet matured and in stock in his fer
tilizer company. The policies were
made payable to his wife, daughter,
estate and the fertilizer cbm pan y.
Much of the stock has been resold
by the insurance agents and the notes
discounted by Jacksonville hanks,
practically every financial institution
here holding some of the paper. The
effect of his death in business circles
can therefore be readily seen.
Real Conditions Kept Secret.
The Jacksonville papers have given
but want publicity to the case, for
fear of creating a panic and injuring,
business conditions.
Painter was considered a perfect or
nearly perfect physical specimen. He
was a pillar In the most fashionable
Baptist Church, a leader in the Y. M.
C. A., and active in Board of Trade
circles. He was considered a most ex
emplary citizen and was looked upoit
with the utmost confidence in busi
ness circ’es. When Painter met his
death he was aboard a ferryboat
crossing the river to his fertilizer
plant. He stepped to the edge of the
boat and went over In midstream. A
lifeline was thrown to him, but he
apparently made no effort to grasp it,
sinking, with the rope grazing his
arms. The first theory was accidents
Suicide suspicions w r ere aroused when
the insurance men became active.
Painter Policies All
Taken Out Recently
At a meetin* of insurance men in
Jacksonville to consider the policies
held by Painter in the sum of 11,178,-
000. the following schedule of risks
was submitted, showing that nearly
ail the policies were taken out within
the past live months:
$50,000. T’nion Central; ordinary
lif . dated April 8. 1913, payable to es
tate. Policy delivered May 14, 1913.
Some delay in issue. Mr. Painter ap
plied for $92,000. which is the com
pany’s limit -it his age. 53. Only $50,-
000 was issued. He gave a note due
April. 1914. In paymen. of the pre
mium
$3,000. Penn Mutual; ordinary life,
issued November 17, 1911; payable to
Martha S. Painter, wife.
$50,000, Penn Mutual; fifteen-year
term, issued February 24, 1913, pay
able to Martha S. Painter wife. A
note was given for part of premium,
and an amount supposedly equal to
the agent's commission in stock of the
E. O Painter Fertilizer Company for
the balance.
$47,000. Penn Mutual; ordinary life,
issued April 18, 1913; payable to es-
White City Park Now Open
LOW ROUND-TRIP
RATE TO BALTI
MORE VIA SEA
BOARD.
$*0.55 from Atlanta, correspond
ingly low rates from other points,
on sale June 6, 6. 7. Through ;
trains, electric-Ugh ted steel sleep- -
1ng and dining cars, observation ;
car*. City Ticket Office. 88 Peach- <
tree.
fate. Note due August 23, 1913, given
for the premium.
$12,000, Prudential; continuous In
stallment, date May 3. 1910; payable
to Okie Painter, daughter. 560 per
month. The third premium was due
on this policy May 3, 1913 ? Premium
was not paid and was on grace period
at the time of insured's deuth, May
22, 1913.
$50,000, New York Life; issued
March. 1912, payable to Martha P
Painter, wife, and Okie Painter,
daughter.
$40,000, New York Life; March. 1913.
payable to Martha S. Painter, wife,
and Okie Painter, daughter.
$10,000, New York Life; an old pol
icy, in force for some years.
Note for Premium.
$(0,000, Fidelity Mutual; ordlnarv
life, issued April 21, 1912; payable to
Martha S. Painter, wife, and Okie
Painter, daughter. Note given broker
in payment of the premium. Note due
June 15. 1913.
$2,000. Mutual Life; date. January 25,
1S91; payable to Martha S. Painter,
wife Policy bears a loan of $933.
$12,000, Mutual Life; date. February
3, 1913; payable to Martha S. Painter,
wife. A note due in twelve months
from date given in payment of this
premium
$12,000, Mutual Life; date, February
3. 1912; payable to Okie Painter,
daughter. A note due in one year from
date given in payment of this pre
mium.
$50,000, Mutual Life; date, March
15 1913: payable to E. O. Painter Fer
tilizer < ’ompany. Note due one year
from date given in payment of this
premium.
$100,000, Mutual Life; date, March
£7, 1913; payable to Martha S. Painter,
wife, and Okie Painter, daughter. A
note due January 1, 1914. given in pay
ment of the premium on this policy.
Stock for Premium.
$50,000, Mutual Life; date, April 4.
1913; payable to Martha S. Painter,
wife. Premium on this policy paid
with stock in the E. O. Painter Fer
tilizer Company.
$25,000, Mutual Life, date, April 4,
The Georgian-American Pony Contest
VOTE COUPON
Hearst’s Sunday American and Atlanta Georgian
PONY CONTEST VOTE COUPON, TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 1913
5 VOTES
NOT GOOD AFTER „UNE 18, 1913.
Vote for
Address
CARRIERS’ AND AGENTS’BALLOT.
Hearst’s Sunday American and Atlanta Georgian
Pony Contest Vote Coupon, Tuesday, June 3, 1913. i
5 VOTES NOT G00D AFTER
JUNE 18, 1913.
Vote for
Address .
SCHOOL BOYS’ AND GIRLS' BALLOT.
1913; payable to Okie Painter, daugh
ter. Premiums paid on this policy
with stock In the E. O. Painter Fer
tilizer Company.
$75,000, Mutual Life; (life, April 23,
1913; payable to Okie Painter, daugh
ter. Premium on thi* policy paid
with stock in the E. O. Painter Fer
tilizer Company.
$50,000, Mutual Life; date, April 23,
1913; payable to Martha S. Painter,
wife. Premium on this policy paid
with stock in the E. O. Painter Fer
tilizer Company.
$126,000. Mutual Life; date, May 2,
1913; payable to Martha S. Painter,
wife, and Okie Painter, daughter.
Premium on this policy paid with
stock in the E. O. Painter Fertilizer
Company.
$50,000, Equitable; date, April 23,
1912; payable to the E. O. Painter
Fertilizer Company. Second premium
on this policy wap due April 23, 1913,
and was on the 31 day5*’ grace period,
which had only two days more to run
on the day of Mr. Painter's death.
Another $50,000.
$60,000, Equitable; date, April 23,
1913; payable to Martha S. Pathter,
wife, and Okie Painter. daughter,
each, $1,250 per year for twenty years.
Premium on this policy was paid with
stock in the E. 6. Painter Fertilizer
Company.
$10,000, Equitable; date, April 23,
1913; payable to Martha S. Painter,
wife, and Okie Painter, daughter. Pre
mium on this policy paid with stock
in the E. O. Painter Fertilizer Com
pany.
$50,000, Equitable; date, April 7,
1913; payable to executors, adminis
trators or assigns. Premium on this
policy was paid with stock in the E.
O. Painter Fertilizer Company.
$15,000, Equitable; date, April 7,
1913; payable to executors, adminis
trators or assigns. Premium on this
No Analysis Made Yet, as
Vital Organs Are Missing
BALTIMORE, MD., June 3.—-A
heart, a stomach and two kidneys,
once the vital organs of E. O. Painter,
the fertilizer man of Jacksonville,
Fla., are missing somewhere between
Jacksonville and Baltimore.
They were suppowd to have ar
rived aUthe Johns Hopkins Hospital
Saturday for the purpose of analysis.
That day the physicians of the hos
pital received word that they had ar
rived In the city, but when they were
not delivered at the .hospital some
hours later a search for them was in
stituted which, to date, has proved
vain.
Arrangements for the analyzing of
the organ?' were made at the Hopkins
early last week by a Redmond C.
Stewart, who said, according to the
hospital authorities, that he repre
sented the Prudential Life Insurance
Company.
Stewart said at the hospital that
Painter had died suddenly and under
rather unusual conditions and held
the theory that he might have com
mitted suicide. The insurance com
pany had demanded an analysis of
the organs, he said, before entering
negotiations* for the payment of the
policy which the deceased held in
that company.
Johns Hopkins authorities agreed
to make the analysis, and Saturday
being the date set for examination,
everything was placed in readiness
for the analysis. They are still wait
ing.
At the offices of the Prudential
company in this city absolute igno
rance of the shipment to this city of
the organs is professed. They say.
however, that the arrangements for
the analysis might have been made
by a representative from the home
office of the company at Newark, N. J.
ENTRIES
AT LOUISVILLE.
FIRST —Selling, two-year old fillies. 5
furlongs: xltose Ring 90, Woof 96, Ada
Kennedy 98. Ovation 99, Caution 100.
Edith \V. 100, Frances M. 103, Ave 103.
Rosa Mundi 103. Miss Charcot 105. Ada
106, Lady Innocence 106.
SECOND Selling. throe-year-olds
and up, 6 furlongs; Kiva 93. Theresa
(Jill 96. Coy 101, The Grader 103. Mack
H. Eubanks 104, Duquesne 105, Chapul-
tepec 107.
THIRD Allowances, two-year-olds. 5
furlongs; Brigs Brothers 100. Bandit
100 Roamer 100, Old Rosebud 115, Little
Nephew 118.
FOURTH Selling, speculation stakes,
mile and one-sixteenth: xBenanet 88.
Star Jesamine 99. Gay Bird 103, Capitan
Binvo 104. Milton B. 105, White Wool
108. xxEdda 109, Princess Callaway 112,
xxH&mllton 113, Melton Street 114.
FIFTH Selling, three-year-olds and
up. 6 furlongs; Chinook 93, Wave Ring
9(, Automatic 102, Henry Ritte 103, Cash
On Delivery 104, Winning Witch 108,
Amoret 108. Merrick 115.
SIXTH Selling, three-year-olds, mile
and 70 yards: Billy Holder 103. Bally-
she 105. Jacob Bunn 105, Oarpatha 105,
Harry Lauder 107, A1 Bloch 11(1.
xApprentice allowance claimed.
xxJ. W. Schorr entry.
Weather cloudy; track slow
AT MONTREAL.
Blue Bonnet Entries
FIRST—Two-year-old maidens. 4H
furlongs: Scarlet letter 106. Peacock
108, Petty Began 111. Laura 111. Dolly
Walters ill, Fuzzy Wuzzy 114. Diamond
("luster 106. Trancinin 108. Tempest 111,
John Marshall 111, Kettledrum 114.
SECOND Two year-old maidens, 4*4
furlongs: Irish Harmony 105, xSinsin
109. xCornbrooni 109, Coburg Belle 109,
Old Reliable 112, Boozer 112. (xCou-
pled.)
THIRD — Handicap, three-year-olds
and up. 6 furlongs: Chuckles 98. Carl
ton G. 103. Hoffman 105. Upright 106.
Flabbergast 108, Sherwood 116.
FOURTH -Handicap, three-year-olds
and up, mile: Magpie 92. Lindesta 98.
Amberite 102. Calumny 103. Caper
Sauce 112, Havrock 117.
FIFTH—Steeplechase, about 2 miles:
Bally Hack 130. Young Morpheus 113,
Dr. Heard 143. Luckola 14:*, l^ampblaVk
134. Bronte 140. Guncotton 149.
SIXTH—Three-year-olds anil up, sell
ing. 6 furlongs: xArdelon 95. Coeur
D’Alene 101. xLord Wells 108. Nimbus
107, Frog 112, Magazine 119, Brynary
101. Fred Levy 106. Thrifty 108, Cos
grove 112, Chuckles 115.
SEVENTH--Three-year-olds and up,
selling, mile and one-eighth: Big Dip
per 9.3. xBarn Dance 101. Lad of Lang-
don 10G S Cutty Hunk 109. L. M. Eckert
109. Naughty Lad 112. Mimesis 95. xlack
l axton 103. xEddie Oranev 107, xStairs
109. Apiaster 109, Effendi 114.
xApprentice allowance of five pounds
claimed.
Weather clear; track fast. /
AT BELMONT.
FIRST Three-year-- 14s and up. sell
ing. 7 furlongs: Ambrose 109. Montres-
Sor 102. Scall\ Wag 110. xLost Ball 110,
xWorking Lad 113, Ella Bryson 112.
SECOND Three-year-olds, handicap,
mile: Meridian 126. Yankee Notions
101. Guy Fisher 108. Light O’ My Life
116. Beaucbup 100, Bard of Hope 95.
Lohengrin 89, Sam Jackson 100, Breaker
Boy 90. Also eligible: G. M Miller 110,
Star Bottle 100. The Turk 117, Ualan-
quln 98. Col. Holloway 97. Bob R. 104.
THIRD Three year-olds and up, sell
ing. mile and one eighth: Daingerfield
103. Star Gaze 105. Reaucoup 108, xPliant
96. El Oro 110. War Horn 106.
FOURTH Two-year-olds, five fur
longs: carl 112, Gainer 112. El Bold
105. King McDowell 108. Master Joe 108.
Punch Bowl 112. Fathom 108 Uncle Mun
108, Black Broom 105, Golden Chimes
112. .
FIFTH -Four - year - olds and up.
Steeplechase, about 2 miles: xCountrv
Guy, 152 Delirium 152. Adventuress 130,
Nosegay 132, Brosseau 132. Rapid Flight
130.
SIXTH Two-year-olds, selling 5*^
furlongs: xOld Cross 100. Private Cheer
100. brentier 108. Nordecai 105. Stone
Hedge 105. Lady Grant 105. Water I.adv
105, Transformation 108. Edna Leska
105.
x
Apprentice allowance claimed.
Memphis Grand Jury
Probes Martin Case
MEMPHIS, TENX.. June 3.—Attorney
General Estes to-day admitted that the
Grand Jury was examining witnesses
with a view to finding an indictment
against Joseph W. Martin, former pres
ident of the Mart in-Phillips Cotton
Company of Memphis, which went into
(he hands of a receiver after Martin's
disappearance in London.
Estes would not say for what of
fense the indictments might be found
D R. HERBERT S. BIGE
LOW, of Cincinnati (at
top), Dr. Thomas E. Green,
Chicago, and Dr. P. P. Clax-
ton, U. S Commissioner of Ed
ucation, who will speak dur
ing Tech’s commencement
celebration.
policy was paid with stocks in the E.
O. Painter Fertilizer Company.
$15,000, Equitabdle; date, April 7,
1913; payable to executors, adminis
trators or assigns. Premium oh this
policy was paid with stock in the E.
O. Painter Fertilizer Company.
$50,000, Fraternal organizations and
in small policies generally distributed.
Accident Insurance.
$5,000, Travelers; date, June 2, 1905;
payable to Martha* S. Painter, wife.
This policy has fully accumulated,
bringing it up to $7,600, the doubling
clause rendering the maximum bene
fits thereunder of $15,000.
$15,000, Travelers; date, April 28,
1913; payable to Martha S. Painter,
wife. Note for premium was given
broker. Note due June 15, 1913. The
doubling clause renders the maximum
benefits under this policy $30,000.
$10,000, U. S. Fidelity and Guar-
antee Company; date, April 21, 1913;
payable to Okie Painter, daughter.
Premium not paid to company. Pre
sume that insured gave the broker a
note. The doubling clause on this
policy places the maximum benefits
thereunder at $20,000.
$5,000. Preferred Accident; date,
October 26, 1905. The doubling clause
on this policy renders the maximum
benefits thereunder $10,000, or more.
$15,000, Employees' Liability; date,
April 23, 1913; payable to Martha S.
Painter, wife. The doubling clause on
this policy raises the maximum ben-
flts to $30,000. The insured applied
for $30,000, doubling to $60,000. The
company declined half of the amount
applied for. The premium has not
been paid, the broker requesting
credit until early In June. (General
agent granted). Broker stating that
the insured asked him for credit until
then.
$5,000, Illinois Commercial Men’s
Association.
$5,000, Travelers’ Protective Asso
ciation.
But She Is Believed to Have
Stuck to Her Story That He
Was Home at 1:30.
Minola McKnight, the negro cook at
Frank’s home, made a w-ritten state
ment Tuesday afternoon to the police
following a cross-examination last
ing ntore than an hour at the police
station.
The woman was questioned by E.
H. Pickett and Roy L. Craven, both
bf whom are employed at the hard
ware store of Beck & Gregg. While
the bearing of her statement on the
Phagan case was not revealed, It is
generally thought to relate to the ac
tions of Frank and other inmates of
his household on the morning fol
lowing the murder.
She is believed to have stuck to
her story that Frank w'as home at
1:30, which is one link in the alibi
chain the defense is forging.
That Louis* H. Beck, foreman of the
Grand Jury which indicted Frank, is
co-partner in the establishment
with which Piokett and Craven, the
questioners of the negro woman, are
employed Is believed to lend much
significance to the cross-examination
by the t\j*o men. This connection,
however, was not made public.
The cook was later released after
her statement had been taken, and
with her husband left for her Pulliam
Street home. It was s*ald that she
might be called as »a witness in the
trial of Frank. Much as the detec
tives attempted to shroud her evi
dence in mystery, all the indications
were that she had not materially
changed her statement in favor of
Frank. She was released on an agree
ment with her counsel, George Gor
don.
“Developments of a startling nature
may be expected from day to day in
the Phagan case.” said Chief of De
tectives Lanford Tuesday morning.
"They may be expected right up to
the date that the trial of Leo Frank
begins.
“That we feel we practically have a
conclusive case against the factory
superintendent does not mean that we
are resting in our labors to the slight
est extent. We are a little more al,
rest in our minds, that Is all.
“The detectives are working con
stantly on new' clews that present
themselves and are investigating every
story that is heard, whether It is told
by a witness favorable to Frank or
against him. We wish to go into
court prepared to establish our case
against Frank so that not a doubt of
his guilt will be possible. That is, of
course, if It still appears at that time
as certain to us that he is the guilty
man as it does now.
•With the continued activity of the
detectives, it has become noticeable in
the last few days that the defense is
at work on its case. Both sides are
preparing for a ti.tanic battle when
Frank is put on trial for hi9 life the
third week in this month. Frank’s
cook is still held at police headquar
ters.
To Cite Time Differences.
Differences in the tirpe given by Jim
Conley in his affidavit and the testi
mony of Coroner’s Jury witnesses will
be pointed out in the defense of Leo
M. Frank against the’charge of killing
little Mary Phagan. it was revealed
Tuesday. They will be used as indi
cations of the superintendent's inno
cence because of their many seeming
deviations from fact.
One of the most glaring was the
negro’s declaration that while he Was
in Frank’s office to write the notes
Miss Corinthia .Hall and Mrs. Emma
Clark entered. Conley said that this
was 1 o’clock or a few minutes after.
But Miss Hall had left the building
more than an hour before, according
•to her own testimony before the Cor
oner’s* jury.
“What time was it when you left
the factory?” Coroner Donehoo asked
Miss Hall when she tv as on the stand
at the inquest.
V quarter to -twelve,” she replied.
“I looked at the clock when I came
down.”
The negro said that he looked at the
clock when he went in the office and
that it was just four minutes of i
o’clock. He had been in there a few r
minutes, he asserted, when the voices
of Miss Hall and Mrs. Clark were
heard.
Another statement which will be re
futed is Conley’s declaration that he
assisted in taking the body from
the second floor down to the basement
on the elevator.
To Testify Elevator Didn’t Run.
Two witnesses will be called to
prove that the elevator did not run
that day at the time the body is
said to have been disposed of.
These two witnesses are Harry
Denham and Arthur White. They
were on the fourth floor from early in
the forenoon until after 3 o’clock In
the afternoon. If the elevator had
been run they say they -would have
known it. Tire experiment of running
the elevator has beer, tried since the
murder. It is said that it can not
be run without the persons on the
fourth floor being aware of it.
The theory that will be presented by
the defense is that Mary Phagan was
the victim of drink-crazed Conley.
From his hiding place near the stairs
he saw her descending from the sec
ond floor. She was alone. He quick
ly stunned her with a blow* over the
head, the defense will suggest, and
toppled her down the elevator shaft,
taking her purse and later disposing
of her body.
The alibis which the defense will
seek to establish are, of course, the
weapons on which reliance will be
placed to complete the riddling of
Donley’s testimony and affidavits.
Frank had arrived home in the after
noon at the time Conley says the su
perintendent was dictating notes in
his office, according to five witnesses
the defense will be able to call.
Conley described at length his al
leged conversation with Frank in the
factory office after 1 o’clock. Frank
says that he arrived home for lunch
eon at 1:20 o’clock and he is support
ed in his statement by five witnesses
Pageant Inaugurating Mid-Week
Holiday Starts at Capitol on
Wednesday at 1 o’Clock.
The home of T. H. Knox. i'3 Kuhns
Street, was robbed late Monday night.
The thief got a gold watch. Clifford
Howell, a negro, is held.
Plans are completed for the mam
moth parade Wednesday of the retail
grocers and fresh meat men, marking
the establishment of the midweek
half-holiday.
The parade will form at 1:30, head
ing at Washington and East Mitchell
Streets. The police force will head
the procession, followed by the grand
marshals, Harry L. Scltlesinger and
D. N. McCullough, in turn followed
by the Fifth Regiment Band in an
auto truck.
Wagons and automobiles of the hol
iday committee of the retail grocers
will be in line, escorted by their aids,
Messrs. Cowan and Mosley, with tneir
assistants’, Milderd Phelps, J. A. Word,
H. A. Bishop and Ed R. Buchanon.
The aides will be on horseback, at
tired in picturesque costumes.
Following the retail grocers will
come the packing house floats, head
ed by the Greater Atlanta Boys’ Club
Band. Next will come the merchants’
and jobbers' wagons, floats and auto
trucks. This division will be headed
by Weidemeyer’s Band.
Another division will include all
manufacturers and their big wagons,
which will be decorated. They will
be in charge of Chief Marshal C. J.
McCoy and R. H. Comer, with their
ten assistants. The .rest of the trades
manufacturers, retail wagons, cloth
ing. haberdashers and laundry wagons
will form in order to be arranged
when the parade starts.
The line of march will be from
Mitchell and Washington Streets,
down Washington Street to East Fair
Street to Brotherton. down Brotherton
to Whitehall. Whitehall to Peachtree.
Peachtree to North Avenue, North
Avenue to West Peachtree and back
up West Peachtree.
On the return march the grand
marshals, with all their assistants and
aides, will stop at West Baker Street,
facing east, to review the parade,
which will continue to Five Points
to disband.
Aides and assistants will meet the
grand marshals at Washington and
Mitchell Streets at 1 9’clock, where
Anal instructions will be given. All
wagons must be in line by 1:30
o’clock to take part in the parade.
Frisco System Seeks
Receiver in Memphis
MEMPHIS. TENN., June 3.—An ex
ecution against the Frisco Railroad
for $4,000 was issued in Federal
Court to-day to satisfy the payment
of damages in a suit ending Decem
ber, 1912.
It is believed this move was made
so attorneys of the road here may ask
a receiver with jurisdiction in the
United States District Court at Mem
phis.
ILLINOIS RETAINS GALLOWS.
SPRINGFIELD. ILL.. June 3.—The
Butts bill abolishing capital punish
ment in Illinois was defeated in the
House to-day.
IS GALLED AN ACCIDENT
Clews, First Taken as Slaying Evi
dence, Believed to Strengthen New
. Theory—Negroes Have Alibi.
With an alibi practically proved by Walter Wilkes and Ernest
Maynard, negroes held on suspicion in the Stevens ease, detectives
who lare investigating the mystery are inclining to an accident
theory to account for the burning of the Stevens home and the
death of Mrs. Sarah C. Stevens and her daughter, Npllie.
Detective Rosser, Sheriff McCurdy and Deputy Sheriff Livsey,
of DeKalb County, working on the case, have finally learned the
truth of the finding of the ax, hoe, revolver cartridge, the dis
charged shotgun shell and other evidence, which it is claimed sus
tains the theory of accidental death more than it does the theory
of murder.
The investigations of the of
ficers, according to one of them,
has developed the following
facts:
The a.x was found 60 feet from
where the bodies lay, and the
blade was imbedded In the
ground. It was later carried into
the ruins where the bodies lay.
The v door—there was but one—
leading from the hallway into
Mrs. Stevens’ room was locked.
The hoe was found In the hall
way, nearer Mr. Stevens’ room
than the room where the bodies
were found.
The exploded shotgun cartridge
w’as found more than a hundred
yards from the house, at a spot
where it is said Mrs. Stevens had
been shooting at birds.
The exploded revolver cartridge
w r R8 found a hundred yards from
the house, at the edge of the
road. It had not been in the fire
at all.
There was no truth in the re
port that an exploded shell was
found in the shotgun discovered
in the bedroom. There w’as a
shell in the gun, but the brass had
melted and run into the barrel.
It w’as impossible to tell w’hether
it had been fired or discharged
by the heat.
Thinks Fire Cracked Skulls.
F. W. Patterson, of the firm of H.
M. Patterson & Son, the undertak
ers w’ho prepared the bodies for bur
ial, told a Georgian reporter Tuesday
morning that he does not think the
skulls were crushed. He said* it w^as
impossible, owing to the condition of
the bodies, to tell how Mrs. Stevens
and her daughter w r ere killed. He de
clared that the skulls of the women
looked more like they had been crack
ed open by the heat than crushed.
Mr. Patterson said it is not an un
usual thing for the bones of human
beings to be cracked by the heat when
caught in a fire. He said he could
find, in a minute examination of the
bodies, no traces of foul play. Neither
of the bodies were examined by a
physician.
One of the officers declared to-day
thfk* the hoe, supposed to he one of the
weapons with which the murder—if
there were a murder—was committed,
was an old implement that had been
under the house for several years.
Sheriff McCurdy said that the hoe did
not look as though It had recently had
a handle in it. The band of steel
which holds the handle In place was
missing when the hoe was found, and
has not been located.
Theory of the Tragedy.
Detectives declare that Mrs. Ste
vens’ revolver—the one Wade Stevens
took to Chattanooga—was .38 caliber
instead of a .32, and that the cartridge
found near the roa.d had been fired by
Mrs Stevens some time previous to
the burning of their home.
The accident theory, based on the
new developments, is that Mrs. Ste
vens and her daughter, being fright
ened \because they w’ere alone, had
lockea the door of their room when
they retired; that about midnight,
when they were sound asleep, the
house caught fire; that with the door
locked they knew nothing of the blaze
until it had gained considerable head
way; that they arose from their beds,
and. half-suffocated with smoke, stag
gered to the door, forgetting that it
was locked; that they had reached the
door and couldn’t get it open; that
they then started for the windows and
were overcome before they could reach
them.
Sheriff McCurdy declared to-day
that, in the light of recent develop
ments in the case, the only circum
stance that points to murder is the
position in w’hich the shotgun was ly
ing when found. It was as though it
had fallen from Mrs. Stevens’ hand.
It has been learned, however, that the
gun habitually stood in a corner of
the bed room, and the theory is ad
vanced that when the flames exploded
the shell the recoil threw the gun into
the middle of the room.
Police to Sift Evidence.
Though all indications now point to
accidental burning as the solution of
the mystery, Sheriff McCurdy and De
tective Rosser said to-day they will
continue to work on the murder theory
until it is exhausted or evidence ob
tained to determine whether there was
a murder or whether the women were
caught in the burning of their home.
Detective Rosser practically admit
ted on Tuesday that the two negroes
held under suspicion, Walter Wilkes
and Ernest Maynard, had proven
alibis. He is not yet through with
his investigation, however, and the
negroes will not be released until
after their alibi is proven beyond
the shadow of a doubt. Both men
are now locked up in the DeKalb
County jail at Decatur.
Because not all of the crowd of
farmers who gathered at the scene of
the crime Monday afternoon were let
in on the secret, a dramatic “third
degree” to obtain a confession from
Wilkes and Maynard not only failed
of its purpose, but almost developed
into a real lynching. The lives of
the negroes were saved, it is reported,
only when Chief of Detectives Lan
ford appeared on the scene with
drawn revolver, backed up by Sheriff
McCurdy.
According to a statement made on
Tuesday by one of the members of tha
“mob,” the lynching bee was framed
by Chief Lanford, with the knowledge
and consent of Sheriff McCurdy and
a number of farmers.
Ruse to Get Confession Denied.
“The plan,” declared the “mob”
member, “was this: Sheriff McCurdy
and Detective Rosser brought the ne
groes out to the Stevens farm, and
after tying them to a tree, stepped
behind the barn. Then the farmers
who were in on the deal began threat
ening the negroes, and the original
plan was to get a rope and advance
upon them, yelling that we were going
to lynch them. Then Chief Lanford
was to rush up and rescue the ne
groes. It was hoped, to get a confes
sion out of them while they were
frightened.
“But a number of farmers came
out who were not in on the frame-up,
and they were in dead earnest. The
crowd carried the men to the barn
and started to put a rope over a
rafter when Lanford appeared. It is
very probable that the negroes would
have been hanged If he had not shown
up.”
Chief Lanford declared this morn
ing that the lynching was not a
frame-up, but declared a moment
later that he thought the farmers
were only going to frighten the ne
groes. Detective Rosser declined to
comment on the affair at all. He
said he had not seen it and didn't
know anything about it.
BOND ratio
Sentiment of Finance Committee
Favors Half of That Amount
for Public Schools.
At the request of Chairman W. G.
Humphrey, the finance committee will
recommend to the General Council
Thursday a bond issue of approxi
mately $1,500,000, possibly $2,000,000,
for needed city improvements.
Only $500,000 was contemplated for
schools, but this estimate may be
raised. Chairman Humphrey had in
mind schools costing from $40,000 to
$60,000 in different parts of Atlanta,
but another committeeman advanced
the interests of a Girls’ High School.
Alderman James E. Warren said a
Girls’ High School was absolutely
necessary, and that it would cost
$200,000 at least. Other Councilmen
mentioned needed colored schools.
The trend of opinion at the end of
the brief discussion favored $1,000,000
for schools.
Nurses’ Dormitory Included.
The projected nurses’ dormitory at
Grady Hospital would be taken care
of by the contemplated bond issue.
New streets, street improvements,
sewers and water mains would call
for expenditure of large sums, so that
If the ambitious school building proj
ects are favored by the whole Finance
Committee the recommendation to
the General Council will be for $2,-
000,000.
The Finance Committee adjourned
to meet at 2:30 o’clock Thursday aft
ernoon, just 30 minutes before the
GeneraJ Council assembles. In the
half-hour before the Council meeting,
the Finance Committee will endeavor
to decide on the amount of the bond
issue.
Leaders Favor Bond Issue.
Strong members* of the General
Council have expressed themselves
as favorable to a bond issue. Among
them is Judge Candler, who said he
recognized the difficulties of getting
bond issues approved, but still thought
the step advisable.
During discussion of the crematory
proposition Monday afternoon, Coun
cilmen and Aldermen made frequent
reference to the need of a bond issue.
The probable recommendation of the
Finance Committee for an issue of
$1,600,000 or $2,000,000 will, there
fore, be regarded as a crystallization
of the sentiment ir. favor of such a
step.
Hartwell Schools Close.
HARTWELL.—After one of the
most brilliant and successful terms in
the history of the public schools of
Hartwell, the term closed with a
splendid program. # In the grammar
oratorical contest the medals were
won by Miss Alice Linder and Master
Eugene Massey. In the high school
they were won by Mr. Dan Magill and
Miss Addie Harper.
A WHOLESOME SUMMER DRINK
Horsford's Acid Phosphate
Better than lemon* or limes—healthful and
delicious. Refreshes and Invigorates. Adv.
I
Wc have Beautiful Bedding
Plants, 3c each. Atlanta Floral
Co., 555 L. Fair Street.