Tuesday, 17th March 1914: Burns On New Leads In Frank Case, The Atlanta Georgian

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### SLEUTH GOES INTO 'PLOT' EVIDENCE

### Famous Detective Holds Conference With Accused Prisoner.

### Formby Affidavit Probed.

A half-hour talk with Leo Frank, at which Don C. Seitz, manager of the New York World, was present, a discussion of certain phases of the Phagan murder case with C. E. Sears, manager of the local Burns Agency, and a conference with Luther Rosser, chief of counsel for Frank, occupied Detective William J. Burns Tuesday forenoon and part of the afternoon. Later in the day he intended to return to the Tower for a private interview with Frank.

Burns already is reported to have uncovered several important leads on which he will put his operatives to work at once. His work so far, however, has been with a view of getting the various angles of the murder case well in his mind so that his investigation may be made to the best advantage.

### Repudiations Investigated.

The detective's investigation is expected to throw light on some of the mysteries of the case which were incidental to the main features, such as the Formby affidavit and the testimony of a number of the witnesses for the State who since the trial have repudiated the most vital part of their evidence.

Operatives are said to be working already on this phase of the case and to be quietly investigating all charges and rumors of perjured testimony and of efforts unduly to influence witnesses who were called to testify both for the prosecution and the defense.

Burns has assurance from Newport Lanford, Chief of Detectives, that all the assistance his department could furnish would be at the famous detective's disposal, and that he, or any member of his department, would be ready to answer any questions Mr. Burns might desire to ask.

### Offers Burns All His Aid.

"I will throw open to Mr. Burns all the information available to my department," said Chief Lanford, "and if there is anything in this case that the Atlanta department has overlooked, we will be glad to have it shown to us. We want to solve the mystery if it has not already been solved, as, of course, we believe it has. But if there is any uncertainty remaining, we are as eager as anyone else can be to clear it up, and we will do all in our power to help Mr. Burns, if he needs our help."

It is probable that Mr. Burns will talk with quite a number of the Atlanta detectives. The idea is that he especially wishes to confer with men of that Campbell and John Starnes, named as prosecutors in the Frank bill of indictment, and J. A. Chenning and W. H. Norris, who are charged by the defense with framing up the affidavit of Nina Formby prior to the first trial.

It was understood Tuesday that the detective department had quietly collected quite a mass of new evidence that would be used to oppose the motion of the defense for a new trial.

### Has Long Talk With Frank.

Burns' plan includes the intention to have a long talk with Solicitor Dorsey and the private investigators attached to his staff. He had a long talk Monday night with Frank in his cell at the "Tower," and most of the afternoon he was closeted with Leonard Haas, of counsel for the defense, when he went over the brief submitted by Frank's counsel in the application to the Supreme Court for a new trial.