Wednesday, 30th July 1913 Claims Mincey, When Needed, Will Testify

Atlanta Journal
July 30th, 1913

Attorney for Defense Says the State Won't Hurt His Character

"Mincey will be Johnny-on-the-spot when the defense needs him to testify."

Those were the words of Joseph Leavitt, one of the lawyers for the defense in speaking Tuesday afternoon on the affidavit sworn to some time ago by W. H. Mincey, by which the defense hopes to prove that Jim Conley confessed to Mincey that he killed a girl on the day Mary Phagan was murdered.

Attorney Leavitt would not say where Mincey was staying, but declared that he was in town; that he had been with him Tuesday afternoon, and that he would stick to his affidavit when called upon to testify.

It is know that Mincey stayed Monday night at the Williams house No. 3, where he registered as coming from Rising Fawn, Georgia Attorney Leavitt says that Mincey has been teaching school there since he left Atlanta.

"It is rumored," said Attorney Leavitt, "That the state will try to break down Mincey's character. I don't care how many affidavits they get against him. I can bring forward hundreds of prominent Atlanta people, teachers, preachers, and merchants, who will swear that Mincey is an honest man. And I'll subpoena 'em, too."