Wednesday, 2nd June 1915: Conley Denies Writing Carter Woman Notes, The Atlanta Journal

Negro Talks of Frank Case to Solicitor Dorsey and Reporters

Jim Conley, Negro Accuser of Leo M. Frank, was released from the Bellwood Convict Camp Tuesday night, and Wednesday he appeared at Solicitor General Dorsey's Office, where he told Reporters he is unafraid of people, who may believe him guilty of the murder for which Frank was convicted, and that he intends to remain in Atlanta.

Conley would not talk of the Case except in the presence of the Solicitor, but he states that he did not write the famous Annie Maud Carter notes, which were accepted as his by both the State and the Frank Defense at the Hearing of the Extraordinary Motion for a new trial for Frank. It was stated that W. M. Smith, the Attorney who represented Conley, took the Negro's Deposition about the Carter notes.

Aside from that, Conley made no new statement bearing directly on the Frank Case. He said he came to the Solicitor's Office to see if he was wanted as a witness in the Civil Case of Mrs. J. W. Coleman against the National Pencil Factory, and expressed his willingness to testify.

He said he would go before the Prison Board or the Governor or any other tribunal that wanted to hear his story of the Crime. Conley appeared calm and collected and in no way remorseful. Asked if he was afraid to remain in the City, he said: "No, I trust in the Lord to protect me."

He was asked if he put some Faith, also, in the ability of Detectives Starnes and Campbell to protect him. "Well, the Lord will work through them," the Negro answered.

Conley said that on his release from the Convict Camp Tuesday night he boarded an incoming Marietta car, and stopped on Marietta Street at a Lodging House. He got on another car, he said, near a Camp Meeting Place, and just as he was pulling his money out of his pocket to pay his fare, some people at the meeting shouted and frightened him, so he dropped all of his money, $4.

CAME IN PENNILESS.

As a result, he said he came into the City on Wednesday, penniless. Reporters and numerous other persons had been searching for Conley during the morning on Wednesday, so when he appeared in the Solicitor's Office, Mr. Dorsey had every one who had inquired for him, notified of his presence.

Conley said that while on the streets on Wednesday, he had seen no one he knew or who knew him. He said that he was under no restraint after he left the Convict Camp, and that at the hour he was interviewed, about 1 o'clock, he had not even seen the City Detectives who worked on the Frank Case.

Conley said that he and all the other Convicts at the Bellwood Camp were well treated. In fact, the Negro had no complaint, except that the shoes, given to him when he left the Camp, were too small and hurt his feet.