Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.
Atlanta Georgian
Sunday, May 25th, 1913
Athens Judge Tells Colonel Felder That Dictograph ‘Trapper’ Is Under Suspended Sentence in Georgia. Knoxville Complaint To Be Pressed.
A. S. Colyar, soldier of fortune, who plotted the destruction, by means of the dictograph, of Colonel T. B. Felder and Mayor Woodward, last night was released under bond from the city prison.
The charge of forgery on which he was arrested, he declared, was trumped up in order to take him from Atlanta, and was brought, he says, by Felder or his friends.
Colyar was arrested at Marietta and Forsyth Streets Saturday afternoon by Detectives Chewning and Norris when a telegram came from Ed Conners, of Knoxville, Tenn., to hold him. The charge mentioned in the telegram was that Colyar obtained $90 from Rosa Johnson, of Knoxville, on a forged draft.
Several hours later two friends came to Colyar’s rescue. Detective R. S. Ozburn signed the required bond of $1,000 and an unknown friend delivered $200 as a cash bond for the prisoner. Colyar was released.
Chief Beavers said last night that he arrested Colyar as a matter of courtesy to Chief Conners, possessing no warrant authorizing him to take Colyar into custody. It probably will be Thursday, according to the telegram from Chief Conners, before requisition papers can be had.
“The alleged incident occurred four years ago,” Colyar said last night. “During that period I have been to Knoxville a number of times, and have not been molested. The charge, coming as it does now, is the result of a plot to “get me away from Atlanta.”
Colonel Thomas B. Felder was advised yesterday afternoon by an Athens circuit Superior Court judge that Colyar is under suspended sentence to serve a term in the Georgia Penitentiary for forgery, and there is every probability he will be held for the Georgia courts before requisition papers will be honored.
The judge stated to Colonel Felder that Colyar issued forgeries on the Georgia National Bank, was convicted and sentenced, but the sentence was suspended when Colyar stated he was suffering with tuberculosis and the prison sentence would kill him.
The exact wording of the suspended sentence was not recalled. The judge and Colonel Felder communicated with Athens and if it is possible within the law, they say, will order Colyar to serve the term.
The judge asked that his name be withheld from publication until he took some action.
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Atlanta Georgian, May 25th 1913, “Colyar, Held as Forger, is Freed on Bond; Long Crime Record Charged,” Leo Frank case newspaper article series (Original PDF)