Sunday, 17th August 1913: Reporter Tells How Conley Went Through Pantomime, The Atlanta Constitution

Reading Time: 2 minutes, [344 words]

The last witness to be called to the stand on Saturday was Harlee Branch, a reporter for the Atlanta Journal. He was called upon to testify in regard to an interview he had with Jim Conley, as set forth in the Journal in an issue of May 31, 1913, and as to the pantomime which Conley gave in the pencil factory to show just how his part of the disposal of the body was executed. Dorsey sought to establish by Branch that the pantomime by Conley took as much or more time than the actual work of disposing of the body.

Branch was shown the copy of the Journal containing the interview in question and identified it.

He repeated the substance of his interview with Conley, being that of the Journal's story.

Rosser asked him:

"Did he tell you that it took thirty minutes to dispose of the body?"

"Yes."

Stress Time Element.

Dorsey, on cross-examination, asked whether Branch was accurate about the time.

Branch qualified his statement by the word "about."

"Where was Conley when you had the interview with him?" asked Dorsey.

"He was in the jail."

"Were you at the plant with him, and did you see him go through the actions, step by step?"

"Yes."

Rosser objected to the witness testifying to Conley's portrayal in the pencil factory.

Judge Roan overruled Rosser's objection, and Branch was allowed to trace on the diagram the movements of Conley.

It was after Branch had finished this that Dorsey tried to show that the pantomime took more time than the original action.

Conley Often Interrupted.

Branch replied that he had no way of estimating the length of time the actual portrayal occupied, as Conley was continually interrupted by questions and conversation.

Dorsey questioned Branch as to the time he arrived at the pencil factory, the time Conley began the portrayal of his actions, the time he finished and the time Branch left the factory, but was unable to get the time occupied by action separated from the time occupied by conversation.