Sunday, 17th May 1914: Grand Jury To Probe Frank Case This Week, The Atlanta Journal

Charges of Bribery and Perjury Will Be Given Thorough Investigation

E. A. Stephens, first assistant Solicitor General, will have active charge of the bribery and perjury prosecutions, growing out of the Frank case, which will be inaugurated before the grand jury this week. Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey will be engaged in Superior Court, which will be in session for several weeks, and he has largely placed the bribery and perjury prosecutions in the hands of Mr. Stephens. When the new grand jury is empanelled next Monday, it will be charged by Judge Ben H. Hill to make a thorough and rigid investigation of all charges of bribery, perjury, coercion, and intimidation of witnesses, which have been made during the various phases of the case against Leo M. Frank. It is generally expected that Judge Hill in his charge Monday will go thoroughly into the various charges and counter charges and he is expected to instruct the jury specifically on certain phases of the case.

Charge of Forgery

In affidavits read during the hearing of the extraordinary motion for a new trial for Frank, it was alleged that certain affidavits witnessed by C. W. Burke, a defense detective, as a notary, are forgeries. This charge will, in all probability, be probed by the grand jury, as will the charge made by the affidavit of Rev. C. B. Ragsdale, who swore he was paid $200 to swear he heard Jim Conley confess to the murder. Various other charges and counter charges will be probed. No witnesses have been subpoenaed for the grand jury, and it is likely it will be the latter part of the week when the grand jury actually begins taking testimony.

The Frank case is expected to become active again during the week. The hearing of the motion to set aside the verdict of guilty against Leo Frank on the ground that he was not in the court room when it was rendered, is set for Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock. While this hearing has several times been postponed, it is generally believed it will begin next Wednesday. It is probable it will take only a few hours to argue.

Dorsey Gets Affidavits

Solicitor Dorsey has already commenced securing affidavits, which will be used to contest the statements of fact made in the motion by the defense. The affidavits of several persons in the court room when the verdict was rendered have been taken by the Solicitor. Judge Hill has stated he may admit oral testimony on the motion, and if this course is pursued, three of the most prominent figures in the case are likely to take the witness chair. They are Judge L. S. Roan, the trial judge, and Reuben R. Arnold and Luther Z. Rosser, the attorneys. The motion to set aside was filed by Attorneys Tye, Peeples and others, and Attorneys Arnold & Rosser do not figure in it, except as probable witnesses.

Besides inaugurating the bribery probe and hearing the motion set aside, Judge Hill is also expected, during the week, to dispose of the contempt charge pending against William J. Burns, the detective, and Dan S. Lehon, his chief aide in the Frank investigation. No definite date, however, has been set for this matter.

Pythians of Atlanta Invite Grand Lodge

Large Delegation Will Go to Macon Next Week to Bring 1916 Meeting Here

Atlanta Knights of Pythias, at a meeting of the Grand Lodge of Georgia in Macon this week, will invite the 1916 meeting of the Grand Lodge to Atlanta, and they expect their invitation to be accepted. The Grand Lodge will convene in Macon on Wednesday, May 20, while on Tuesday night the Grand Lodge Degrees will be conferred.

There are seven Knights of Pythias Lodges in Atlanta, and the delegates who will officially represent these Lodges at the Grand Lodge are as follows: James W. Austin, Hamilton Douglas, Frank A. Hooper, Jesse M. Wood, James E. Warren, George B. Rush, Frank G. Webb, Russell K. Smith, W. M. Harrison, W. P. Bloodworth, W. F. Griffin, John B. Bradford, H. D. Waugh, J. T. Busbee, V. B. Smith, W. G. Moore, Newman Lasser. In addition to these, a large number of Knights will go to the Grand Lodge as individual members of the order, so that Atlanta will be well represented, and everyone of them will urge the acceptance of this city's invitation.