Wednesday, 27th August 1913: Lawyers Want Rest Before Defending Woman Accused Of Poisoning Rich Husband, The Atlanta Georgian

Postponed four weeks ago until after the close of the trial of Leo Frank, it is probable that the reopening of the famous Crawford will case, in which Mrs. Mary Belle Crawford is charged with poisoning her husband, Joshua B. Crawford, will again be delayed until after the hearing of the arguments for a new Frank trial on October 4. Should Judge Roan decline to grant a new trial, it is probable that the Crawford case will be postponed until after an appeal is taken to the Court of Appeals, at the request of Attorneys Reuben Arnold and Luther Rosser, who are counsel for both Mrs. Crawford and for Frank.

Colonel J. S. James, one of the attorneys for the heirs at law to the Crawford case, stated Wednesday morning he did not expect the case to be reopened until the Frank case was definitely settled one way or the other. He will confer with Attorney Rosser Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning, and it is probable that some agreement will be reached regarding the reopening of the case. When Col. J. L. Anderson, who is serving as auditor in this will case, announced the postponement of the case several weeks ago, he stated that in resuming the hearing of the testimony he would be governed by the wishes of the attorneys.

It is known that Rosser and Mr. Arnold favor delaying the Crawford case for several weeks, if not until the final disposition of the Frank case. Colonel James met Mr. Arnold several days ago, and during a conversation about the reopening of the case. Mr. Arnold remarked that he would dislike to resume within three weeks after the closing of the Frank trial, as he desired to get a much-needed rest. Mr. Arnold left the city Tuesday night for a month's stay and it is probable that Mr. Rosser will leave shortly also for a vacation. Colonel Anderson, the auditor, is also out of the city, but will return Saturday.

While many of the attorneys on either side have been busy with the Frank trial, the search for Fred Lum, the New York barber, who it is charged, was an accomplice of Mrs. Crawford in a plot to poison her husband, has continued without success. Colonel James has given a great deal of time to the apprehension of Lumb, and practically the entire East has bee scoured by detectives acting under his orders. New York detectives and detectives of other Eastern cities, have thrown their drag-nets out, but have found no trace whatever of the barber.