Saturday, 9th May 1914: Conley Confession Witness Is Called By Hugh M. Dorsey, The Atlanta Constitution

Annie Maud Carter is due for a long and severe grilling before Judge Ben Hill today. Solicitor General Dorsey will ask for an explanation of the Conley letters. Dorsey has also requested a delay in the hearing of the petition to set aside the Frank verdict.

Solicitor Dorsey will spring another sensation in the Frank case this morning when he orders Annie Maud Carter before Judge Ben Hill at 11 o'clock for a rigid examination in reference to her testimonies to the effect that Jim Conley confessed to her the murder of Mary Phagan. She will be interrogated in the courtroom on the fourth floor of the Thrower building. Mr. Dorsey will demand a complete explanation of her evidence and will insist upon learning the source of the letters purported to be from Conley.

Annie Maud Carter is one of the star witnesses for the defense in its fight to gain a new trial. The Jim Conley letters in possession of Frank's counsel purport to have been sent to her from Conley, and were given by her to the defense. Shortly after making her affidavits to the defense, she was sent from Atlanta, on the advice of Detective William J. Burns. Burns declared on the witness stand that he had suggested that Frank's lawyers send her away in order to keep her from the detectives, who, he feared, would intimidate her.

Burns stated that she had been sent to New Orleans. During the re-trial hearing, Judge Hill issued an order instructing the defense to return the woman to the jurisdiction of his court, saying that otherwise he would decline to consider any of her evidence or any evidence in which she was involved. She was brought back to Atlanta Thursday and put in the hands of the sheriff. She was already under bond of $300 awaiting new trial proceedings in a case on which she had been sentenced to a term in prison. At the order of Judge Hill, her bond was raised to $3,000.

She stated in her affidavit that Conley was in love with her and that she had talked with him frequently. She says that he confessed the murder of Mary Phagan, and that he went into complete detail of the crime. This, she swore, occurred while she and Conley were in prison, and on occasions when she would visit Conley in his cell.

The "love notes" which were produced by the defense, and which are alleged to be from Conley, have been declared by handwriting experts to be in Conley's hand. They are unprintable messages. Detective Burns said on the stand that the letters had been secured by C. W. Burke, the investigator for Frank's defense.

Mr. Dorsey will demand today that she explain in full how she came into possession of these letters, and all circumstances of the confession she lays at Conley's door. She will also be asked to explain the two conflicting affidavits she made, one to Chief Lanford and the other to the defense. Jim Conley denies the woman's story. Affidavits will likely be presented from him during the woman's examination this morning.

Solicitor Dorsey Friday asked Judge Ben Hill to grant a continuance into next week of the John L. Tye motion to upset the verdict of guilty in the Frank case. The solicitor will not be able to prepare his counter showing by 10 o'clock this morning, which is the time set for the hearing. It is stated by a member of the solicitor's staff that he has gathered a large amount of evidence with which to combat the Tye motion, among which is said to be testimony to the effect that Frank on the day the verdict was rendered was aware that his attorneys had waived his presence.

Mr. Dorsey will not talk, however. He merely stated that he expected to win his fight against the motion. The bill of exceptions for the defense, which will carry Judge Hill's denial of a new trial to the supreme court, has been prepared. Attorneys for Frank will confer with Judge Hill this morning regarding the bill.

It was understood, although the report was not certified, that Detective William J. Burns will return to Atlanta on his own initiative and conduct a fight against those who have accused him and his agency during recent developments. It has also been said that unless Burns did return in time for the grand jury investigation, he would be summoned by the solicitor. Mr. Dorsey would have nothing to say regarding this.