Tuesday, 31st March 1914: Burns Enroute To Atlanta To Finish Probe, The Atlanta Georgian

### Report on Phagan Case Expected From Famous Detective Later Part of Week

William J. Burns is expected to return to Atlanta from New York late Tuesday afternoon or early Wednesday morning, to put the finishing touches to his investigation in the death of Mary Phagan. Definite announcement was made Tuesday that the famous detective has concluded his work, and that his final report, covering every detail of the case upon which he and his operatives have worked for the past month, will be forthcoming within the next few days. Burns' report is awaited with interest by those who have been identified with the case and by the people generally.

### Promise to Clear All

The detective has promised to clear up all of the mysterious features that have characterized the case since the body of the little girl was found in the basement of the pencil factory nearly a year ago. He promises to explain the disappearance of Mary Phagan's purse and pay envelope and the ribbons she wore on her hat and in her hair when she went to the factory, and he promises also to give a satisfactory explanation to the broken hasp on the rear door of the factory basement. It is understood that as soon as Burns arrives in Atlanta he will hold a conference with Dan Lehon, of New Orleans, chief of the Southern division of his agency, who has been in charge of the case during Burns' absence in New York, when the latter will acquaint his chief with what he has done during the past week or ten days.

### Report Expected This Week

They are expected to begin working on the report at once, and have it ready for their employers not later than Friday or Saturday. Burns' repeated assertions that he has unearthed evidence that points unerringly toward the man guilty of the murder, and his past record as a master detector of crime, have aroused much hope in the breasts of those who believe that there is a reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Leo Frank. Burns, however, has steadfastly refused to tell whether his evidence points toward Frank or toward Conley, although he contends that he will prove one or the other guilty, and all he has said is against Conley.

William J. Harris, of Georgia, Director of the United States Census, will preside at the meeting of the State Democratic Executive Committee when it convenes in the Senate chamber Saturday, April 4. Friends of the Georgian are gratified that he is to return to his home State for a few days, when he may be honored for the remarkable work he has accomplished since being appointed to the responsible place in Washington by President Wilson. It was a foregone conclusion that he would fill the position of Director of the Census with ability. That he should have brought order and almost instant results out of a condition of semi-chaos, however, was something more astonishing. When Colonel Harris entered his office, he found that not half the volumes of the 1910 census had been completed, as demanded by law. He set to work at once to finish them up in record time.

### Made Record in Office

He called to his assistance men of national reputation whom he could trust. The mass was untangled. The unimportant was set aside. By the following January the entire task was complete. Now that the rush is over, the Director has only about 650 clerks under his immediate supervision. In the busy census times the office force will reach or exceed 4,000. In addition to the clerical force, Colonel Harris has under his control hundreds of men who collect statistics. There are about 150 of these in Georgia alone. The Census Bureau has gained the reputation of being the only Democratic department in Washington. All of the other departments are so filled with Republicans that stray Democrats feel like strangers. The first thing that Colonel Harris did was to clean out his own office. He transferred or removed incompetent Republicans and put able Democrats in their stead. Those who went to meet with John Barleycorn nightly also received short shrift, regardless of their politics. Director Harris was surprised in the first few weeks of his incumbency to learn that not a few of the clerks were in the habit of taking a day off after a too-strenuous night, or even came to work under the influence of their libations to Bacchus. He issued one warning. That was all. After the word had gone out, the first man who came to work with what technically was designated as a "hang-over" was separated from Uncle Sam's service. When the next man met the same fate, and a few thus had disappeared from the Census Office, there was a noticeable let-up of bright-light conviviality.

Director Harris was born in Cedartown, Ga. His wife is a daughter of General Joe Wheeler. General Wheeler was born in Augusta, and it was his command that kept Sherman's incendiary soldiers from putting the firebrand to that city.

### Veterans Treated Well

The old soldiers for this reason, as well as for many others, have received unusual consideration from Colonel Harris. Those who wore the blue fare equally with those who wore the gray, perhaps from the fact that General Wheeler wore both uniforms, the gray during the Civil War and the blue in the Spanish-American War. Senator Hoke Smith was joined by Senator Bacon in recommending Colonel Harris for the Directorship. When the suggestion was made, it was thought in many quarters that the appointment would not be made because the Republican Director was strongly intrenched in his position and was posing as an indispensable official.

### PAGE 3, COLUMN 2 Emil Selig Buried in Oakland Cemetery

The funeral of Emil Selig, 65, Leo M. Frank's father-in-law, who died Monday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C. F. Ursenbach, No. 52 Washington terrace, was held Tuesday morning at the chapel of Greenberg & Bond, Rabbi David Marx officiating. The interment was in Oakland cemetery. The pallbearers were Joe Gershon, Julius Simon, Charlie May, Ike Haas, Joe Fuld, Herman Fox, Herman Somers and Meyer Marcus. Mr. Selig's death was entirely unexpected, although he had been in ill health for some time. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, Mrs. Leo Frank, Mrs. Alex Marcus and Mrs. Ursenbach; two brothers, S. S. Selig, of Atlanta, and Joseph Selig, of New York; and a sister, Mrs. Alice Jacobus.