Sunday, 28th September 1913 Grief Of Mrs. Coleman Is A Pitiful Sight

PAGE 69, COLUMN 3

Fears Are Entertained by Her

Family and Friends New

Evidence Discovered.

Grieving over the death of her daughter, Mary Phagan, who was found murdered in the National Pencil factory, and for whose death Leo M. Frank has been sentenced to hang, the condition of Mrs. J. W. Coleman is causing grave fear among her friends.

Physicians say that unless the load of sorrow is lifted early from her mind, she is likely to become subject to hysteria that would be fatal. Friends and relatives visit her constantly seeking, without avail, to console her and enliven her spirits.

Except the few days which she attended the trial of Frank, Mrs. Coleman has rarely left her home on Lindsay street. For the most part she has been confined to bed from nervous and physical breakdowns. Her husband is always by her side, and a number of kinfolk have become residents of the home so that they might attend the grieving mother.

To add to her sorrow, Mrs. Coleman lost her mother during the progress of the trial. The parent, who had reached a ripe age, died during the famous speech of Solicitor Dorsey. It was the following day when Mrs. Coleman broke into the pathetic outburst that brought tears to half the courtroom.

Mrs. Coleman is nearly fifty years of age. She is a mother of five children. She was unusually fond of the child, and news of the crime prostrated her for seven days or more. Her condition now necessitates daily attention of her physician, who is prevailing upon her to take an out-of-town trip.

Police headquarters was deeply concerned last night over a mysterious visit of Mr. Coleman to Chief Lanford. The step-father was closeted with the chief for considerable while in secret conference, following which Mr. Coleman left headquarters in company with two detectives.

Neither he nor Lanford would discuss the conference with reporters. It was intimated, however, that new evidence has been obtained in the famous murder case. This belief was made stronger by a recent conference by Mr. Coleman with Solicitor General Dorsey.

PAGE 69, COLUMN 5

Insane Man's Raving

About Phagan Murder

Cause of Investigation

W. H. Wiggins, an inmate of the Tower, was taken before Solicitor General Dorsey Saturday after he had declared that "there was a man in the county jail ho was mixed up in the Mary Phagan murder."

Solicitor Dorsey, upon investigating the man's statements, found that Wiggins had overheard the raving of a prisoner awaiting transfer to the insane asylum who made the night a thing of horror by declaring that he was a party to the Phagan murder, and was responsible for hiding the girl's body.

When Wiggins was informed that his information came from an insane man, he was more than crestfallen.