Wednesday, 1st April 1914: Phagan Case Is Cleared, Says Biddinger, The Atlanta Georgian

Burns' Detective Certain Every Phase of Mystery Will Be Fully Explained.

Guy B. Biddinger, assistant general manager of the W. J. Burns Detective Agency, said Wednesday, after spending four days in Atlanta working in secret on the Phagan murder case, that there was no doubt in his mind as to the slayer of the factory girl. He repeated the declaration of his chief that the case presented no mystery that could not be cleared up satisfactorily and finally.

Referring to the original affidavit of Nina Formby, the woman who charged Frank with calling her up the night of the murder for the purpose of obtaining permission to bring a girl to her house, he said: "It is possible for an irresponsible liar to do an innocent person almost irreparable harm. Although this woman may not be worthy of belief in anything she says, she has nevertheless accomplished nearly as much in damaging the character of Frank as though she were the most truthful person in the world."

Doesn't Admit Seeing Woman.

Mr. Biddinger would not admit that he had interviewed the Formby woman in New York, where she has been staying for several months, but his comments on her affidavits indicated that he was thoroughly acquainted with the sinister part she played in originating the stories of immorality that were repeated against the defendant, although she was not called to testify at the trial.

Burns' aide said that he did not know how long he would be in Atlanta on the case, but that he intends to stay until every phase is cleared up.

"It was Mr. Burns' intention to submit his report this week," he said, "but he may have encountered new angles on his trip North that will require additional time for his investigation. It is certain that he has already acquired valuable information during his absence. Not all of his time has been spent in New York. He has been out of the city to run down entirely new evidence that came to his knowledge. When he returns and makes his report the public can expect to hear of several things that never have been mentioned before in connection with the case."

Each to Make Report.

"While Mr. Burns, Mr. Lehon and myself have been working systematically on the case we have been going at it more or less independently, and when we conclude our work each of us will make a separate report. Mr. Burns will make a complete report of his investigation. Mr. Lehon will do the same. I will be prepared to make one after a few days more.

"We then will get together and compare notes. If there is any variance in any of our conclusions, we will take up these conflicting phases and get the straight of them before we submit a final report. There will not be a single feature of the whole case that will continue a mystery."