Atlanta Georgian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, April 29, 1913, Image 2

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

2 THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AM) NEWS, TUESDAY. APRIL 20, 19.13. YOUTH HELD IN PHAGAN CASE John M. Gantt, held in connection with lln- investigation of 1he strangling of little Mary Phagan in the National Pencil Factory. Here Gantt is shown reading the warrant for his arrest on a charge of murder. He stoutly denies any connection with the crime. An alibi story, told by his sister, may clear him of suspicion. lave already quizzed him as to all he knew in connection "with he affair. At the factory of the pencil company reporters were.suddenly xolnded. "We've been harassed enough by the reporters of the news-1 tapers,’’ was the explanation volunteered by Ed Montag, in ■harge. “This plant has had all the notoriety it wants.’’ In the working ranks of the National Pencil Company is be- ieved to he the last hope of solving the great strangling mystery, f these workers are barred to the press and to the public and ad- nission is denied to the factory, those in authority have effectually •loscd one of the most important avenues for the solution of the rrime. Frank Last in Building Frank, to a Georgian reporter, just before his arrest, said: "No one is more anxious to learn of the whereabouts of itary Phagan Saturday afternoon and night Ilian I am. The com jany is exerting every effort to get information and lias em ployed a Pinkerton detective to work on the case. Officials of the •ompany ako thought it best to retain counsel to assist in the in vestigation, while every one of the foremen and head men about die factory is endeavoring to find out if any of the employees tnow anything. "I deeply regret the carelessness shown by the police depart nent in not making a complete investigation as to linger prints ind other evidence before a great throng of people were allowed :o enter the place. "The affair is exceedingly embarrassing to me. To know hat the authorities even felt that they should detain me for a vhile and question me leaves a bad taste, and 1 am doing every thing possible to locate the guilty man." Arthur White and Harry Denham, the last two workmen in lie factory plant the day of the tragedy, declared to The Geor gian that when they left the building shortly after •'{ o’clock in he afternoon Superintendent Frank was the only inaii remaining. White's statement follows: Denham and I went to the factory to work on Saturday, al- ihough it was a hohlav. We left shortly after 3 o’clock in the ifteruooil. "We punched our time at exactly 3:10 o’clock. "On our way out l stopped in Mr. Frank’s office and bor rowed two dollars of him. Denham went in with me. Neither of is saw anyone else in 1 lie* building. When we left Frank was the inly person remaining. Saw Gantt in Pool Room “Denham and 1 stayed together most of the afternoon, and m-the evemng we went to the Globe pool rooms on Broad Street, near Marietta. We had been in thepe a little while when 1 saw John Gantt come in. He did not play, but sat down and watched the game. “In a little while we went out, blit returned in a few min utes and stayed until after 10 o’clock. Finally he said that he guessed he ■would gp home, and that, was the last I saw of him.” Denham’s statement is substantially 1he same. He said that'he saw uo one else in the factory aside from his fellow work man, White, and Superintendent Frank. Mrs. ljeo Frank, wife of tire superintendent of the pencil Faebory, declared to-day before the arrest that her husbnad was anxious to do everything in his power to clear up the Mary Phagan mystery and regarded the feeling against him as totally unwar ranted. “I do not care to go into any of the details of the crime,” said Mrs. Frank. “My husband is at the office and is perfectly competent to give out all information. Auv knowledge I have of the affair l got from him. “All 1hat I know is that lie is doing everything to solve the mystery. He has engaged detectives ami is personally investigat ing many of the clews.” An investigation was conducted at the plant of the pencil factory this afternoon in an effort 1o find some employee who pos itively hail seen the Phagan girl after she drew her pay Saturday noon at the office of Superintendent Frank. The canvass of em ployers was made under the direction of Frank hmself. Mrs. Leo M. Frank, wife of the factory superintendent: his father and brother called at the police station this afternoon to aid the closely guarded Frank. They were not given admittance at once, as Frank was under going an examination in the office of the detectives. They were taken to he on’.ce of Probation Officer Ooogler, where they waited. Restraining her tears with difficulty, Mrs. Frank declared her belief in the entire innocence of her husband. She preferred not to talk at length of the ease and said that it had not been discussed in their home Slo- broke down several times while talking and burst into tears, hut recovered herself and contnued the conversation. "My husband is absolutely innocent and able to take care of himself in the matter, she said. " I would rather that any state ments should come from him. We discussed the matter hardly at all in our home.” Airs. Frank is a striking appearing woman of about 30 years. With her were her father, E. Selig, 68 East Georgia Avenue, of the West Disinfectant Company, and a brother-in-law, A. E. Marcus, of the Marcus Clothing Company. Frank’s Rise in Company Rapid Frank is 27 years old and has been married three years. His iff was Alms l.ucile Selig. Frank and his wife live with her fa st 68 East Georgia Avenue. .f’l^nk was induced to come to Atlanta about five years ago by his uncle, 1 1. M. 1' rank, of this city. He formerly lived in New York and. was in the employ o f the St unlevant 1 ’an C ompany. lie is an ex >ert nu clianie and his rise uis >een rapit l with th s Na- tionii Pent- 1 Company. Coming here ii a minor ca mcity hi ‘ was not 1 ong in being promoted to i posi ion of a lit ho pity. A short time later li e was made superinte rnlent SUFFRAGE PARADE Startling Plan Is Proposed by Daugliter-in-Law of Presi dent Tyler. SPRINGFIELD, ILL., April 29. Rumors of a plot to assassinate Lieutenant Governor O’Hara at the hearing of the white slave in vestigation commission to-night were circulated throughout the Statehouse this afternoon. NEW YORK, April 29.—“In the pa rade of May S let there be a banner marked ‘Vice.’ If only one woman marches behind that banner, thus de claring her desire to free herself from the dominion or man, the sight of that brave woman would stir every heart and the cause would take an onward sweep toward success. Will that banner wave In that procession, and who will be that brave woman?” This is the proposition put up to the Woman Suffrage Parade Commit tee by Mrs. G. Vere Tyler, widow of Dr. Lachlan Tyler, who was a son of President Tyler. Furthermore, Mrs. Tyler not only makes this appeal, but she lias found a woman who has promised to march carrying the banner. “I have read this call sent out by the Women Suffragist Committee asking ill women to join the march.” she remarked, ‘and 1 trust the> arc sincere ir. their declaration 1 am going to test their sincerity. If they are sincere no woman in that great aggregation of New York women could possibly object to the woman who will bear the banner ‘Vice’ and behind whom will march, 1 hope hundreds of her sisters in the same profession.” CLOSED^ BANK REOPENS. MERIDIAN. MISS. April The Hank of Cuba, closed by order of the State Hank Examiner, was reopened to-day. T. S. Ward, of Meridian, is in charge. CLASH OP SEXES Militants’ Violence Arouses Bitter Feeling—Mrs. Pankhurst Still Outside Bars. Special Cable to The Atlanta Georgian. LONDON. April 29.—England is becoming thoroughly aroused against the violence of the militant suffra gettes, and the early prophecy of Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst that there would be a war of the sexes seems nearer of fulfillment than ever before. Anti-suffragists at a meeting to day made angry speeches, condemn ing the suffragettes for burning the grandstand on the Neville athlet’.c field. A number of suffragettes pres ent tried to speak. They were seized by the antis and severely assaulted. Because of her physical condition, Mrs. Pankhrust, who was temporarily released from Holloway jail April 12 because of illness brought on by a hunger strike, was granted an exten sion of leave to-day by the home of fice. Doctors representing the Govern ment examined Mrs. Pankhurst and reported she was not in condition to resume serving her three-year sen tence. Throughout most of the day militant suffragettes in great numbers gathered outside the nurses’ home, where Mrs. Pankhurst is confined, and made hostile demonstrations against the Government, the police and every other institution symbolical of order. They boasted that the nurses* home was filled with gunwomen and any attempt by the police to remove Mrs. Pankhurst would be the signal for an outbreak. Followers of the famous militant leader declared that if Mrs. Pankhurst were removed they would make re prisals in the form of violence which would not only shock Europe, but.ihe entire world. PASTOR PHIS FBI JUSTICE IT URGED 811108 Brown Offers $200 for Capture of Slayer—C. C. Jones Also Gives $100. Governor Joseph M. Brown to-day offered a reward of $200 for the ap prehension and conviction of the mur derer of little Mary Phagan and May or Janies G. Woodward issued a call for a special meeting of Council for tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock, urg ing a $1,000 reward. Governor Brown's decision was reached on receipt of the following letter from Solicitor Hugh M. Dor sey : "From the best information obtain able, it is my belief that the circum stances surrounding the death of lit tle Miss Mary Phagan indicate a most brutal murder, probably attended with another horrible and detestable crime. "The officers of the local police and detective departments seem to be using their best efforts toward the solution of the mystery, but I believ it advisable to ask that you offer a reward for the apprehension, with evi dence to convict, of the guilty par ty.” The Mayor’s message follows: “To the General Council, City of At lanta: "Gentlemen'—The General Council of the city of Atlanta is hereby called to convene in special session to-morrjw morning at 10 o’clock, April 30, 1913, to take cognizance, in an official way, of that most brutal crime that was committed in thi9 city on last Sat urday night. "I think it is proper that the city government should take some befi • ting action as regards this most de plorable matter, which, as it is, is liable to cast unenviable criticism upon the name of our fair city, and I would suggest that your honorable body offer a suitable reward of not less than $1,000 for the capture of the brute or brutes that committed such an outrageous rime. I feel satisfied that every taxpayer of this city will heartily co-operate in indorsing the action of the Mayor and General Council in offering this reward. Re spectfully submitted. "J. G. WOODWARD, Mayor.” Mother and Aunt of Mary Phagan Swoon at Burial in Marietta This Morning. A thousand persons saw a minister of God raise his hands to heaven to day and heard him call for divine jus tice. Before his closed eyes was a little casket, its pure whiteness hid by the banks and banks of beautiful flow ers. Within the casket lay the bruised and mutilated body of Mary Phagan. the innocent young victim of one of Atlanta's blackest and most bestial crimes. The spirit ©f the terrible tragedy filled the air. An aunt of the stran gled girl suddenly screamed, fell over In her seat and was carried from the church in a swoon from which she did not fully recover for hours. The stricken mother collapsed and it was feared that her condition might become critical. The scene was in the Second Bap tist Church at Marietta, where Mary Phagan had lived when she was a child of only three or four years. An immense crowd was at the station when the funeral train arrived at 10 o'clock. Many of them were young people who had played about with the strangled victim when she had lived there years before. Mother Collapses at Station- Just as Mrs. W. J. Coleman, mother of Mary, was being helped into a cab, the pure white coffin was lifted from the car. Mrs. Coleman saw it and the single glance was sufficient to awake afresh the torrent of fearful memories. She screamed and fell Into the arms of her husband. It was some time before she could be taken to the church to witness the rites over her daughter whose life had been sacri ficed to the brutality of some man. "Nearer, My God, to Thee, 1 ’ sang the choir when the little casket was borne into the church and carried forward, where it was covered with flowers. Rev. T. T. Linkus. of the Christian Church at East Point, whose Sunday school Mary had attended in the earlier years of her laughing, happy childhood, was the minister. "May God bring the man guilty of this terrible crime to justice,” was the supplication of the minister as he raised his hands above him. ‘‘May God aid the officers of the law in detecting and bringing be hind the bars such a man/’ he con tinued. Aunt Screams and Faints. His words were interrupted first by the sobs of one member of the fam ily and then by another. Miss Lizzie Phagan, an aunt of the strangled girl, uttered a piercing scream. She was unconscious when those by her picked her up. She was taken home in a carriage and Dr. W. M. Kemp was called. He had great difficulty in reviving the grief-stricken woman W. J. Phagan, the girl’s aged grandfather, sat with his white head bowed in sorrow. The tears ran down his furrowed cheeks unheeded. He was utterly broken and crushed by the calamity which had visited him and his family in his last years. All the way from New York, where he was on board one of the United States battleships, came Benjamin Phagan to witness the tragic funeral of his innocent young sister. With him were his brothers, Joshua and Charles, and his sister, Ollie Phagan. A sad procession moved to the lit tle cemtery where the coffin was low ered into the grave that had been prepared. Mrs. Coleman collapsed again at the grave and it is greatly feared that she will be seriously af fected by the ordeal through which she has passed. STEPFATHER OF DEAD GIRL OUTSPOKEN AGAINST LEE That Mary Phagan never left the factory after she entered it at 12:15 o’clock Saturday, the day of her mur der, and that she was killed and her body dragged Into the basement by the negro night watchman, Newt Lee, now in jail, is the firm belief of the child’s stepfather, W. J. Cole man, and other members of her fam ily. As for Arthur Mulligax, former street car conductor, held on suspi cion. Mr. Coleman told a Georgian reporter he thought him innocent of the crime. He was also \’ery doubt ful If J. M. Gant, ex-bookkeeper for the pencil factory, where the girl worked, had anything to do with her murder or knew anything about it. “If the negro watchman did not kill the child, how would It have been impossible for him to hear her screams going on In the building?” he asked. “A livery stable mar. next door heard them, and it would have been much easier for the watchman to. If the black did not do it him self, then he must have known something about it, and who the per son was who. did it.” Outlines Theory of Murdor. Then, In broken tones, for he had just returned from making all ar rangements for taking the girl’s body to Marietta, Ga., to be buried, he out lined his idea of how she met her death. “When Mary turned from the win dow after receiving her money,” he said, “I think that, instead of going directly out, she went to the dress ing room, perhaps for a drink of wa ter, as one of the notes found said. Superintendent Frank, missing her when he came out and supposing she had left the building, locked her in. The negro watchman must have «een her go into the dressing room, and a little lator seized her a|d gagged her.” I^ater developments in the story go to show' that the spot where the child’s hair was found caught on a steel lathe was not the scene of her struggle with her assailant. In the dressing room, It was said J>y a mem ber of her family, there were plain evidences that the attack was made. She was also gagged in the room, for a strip of her new lavender dress was cut off from the front and bound around her mouth to keep her from screaming. Ribbon Found Near Boiler. Another bit of evidence, it was said, that went to throw added sus picion on the black was a bow of the child's blue ribbon and a hand kerchief found down near the boiler, w’here he constantly stayed. “The negro evidently kept the child in the factory all day,” Mr. Coleman said, “and was afraid to attack her until midnight for fear she would scream or somebody would come. He may or may not have knocked her senseless from the first, or he may have tied her. I do not know, but when Gant, entered the shop it is more than likely that he knew’ noth ing of the girl’s presence there and simply went up and got his shoes, as he said, and went out again. “All this about Mary having been seen on the street at midnight or at any other time after 12 o’clock in the day I do not think can be true. I believe she remained all day In the building. After the negro did the work, he was afraid to leave or not to notify the police, which would make appearances worse for him. Therefore he called the officers.” Now Clears Mullinax. Mr. Coleman said he had at first given credence to a report that Mary had come home at 6 o’clock Saturday afternoon, and tjiat Mullinax, meeting ; her as she got off of the car, had ; taken her back to town with him. This report, Mr. Coleman said, turned ! out to be untrue. The conductor had ' made a mistake, and the girl Mulli- nax was with was Miss Pearl Rob inson, of Bellwood, as he sw T ore in jail. This was corroborated by the con ductor himself, J. C. Horne, 11 Coral Place, on whose car the reporter rode out to the Coleman home on Lind say Street. The conductor said that Mullinax and Miss Robinson had taken-nis car out and, knowing Mul linax, he had talked with him and the girl, who at that time he thought was Mary Phagan. When Mullinax and Miss Robinson reached their cor ner Mullinax remarked that it was a bit chilly and he was going home to build a fire. It was later that they returned to the theater, the conductor said, but on w hose car ho did not krow. — Anarchy Reported In Mexican Capital 300 Refugees Arriving in New Or leans Say Battle in City Is Imminent. NEW ORLEANS, April 29.—Mex ico City is in a state of anarchy, ac cording to 300 Mexican and Ameri can refugees w’ho arrived here by boat from Vera Cruz to-day. They left the city, fearing a battle was imminent. More than 100 of those who fled from the Mexican cap ital were compelled to sleep in the hold of the vessel. They said an ex odus from Mexico City had been go ing on for several days. SCRANTON, PA., DYNAMITE PLOTTER’S BOND APPROVED CHICAGO, April 29— Michael J. Hanon, of Scranton. Pa., will he re leased from the Pederal prison at Leavenworth. Kans., to-morrow. Supersedeas bonds to the amount of $30,000 were approved in United States Circuit Court here to-day. Hanon was convicted in Indianapolis of being a party to the dynamite conspiracy. Start Tifton Postoffice. TIFTON.—James Devault, of Can ton. Ohio, who has the contract for building the Tifton postoffice, is here to begin work. Devault got the con tract last week im* $47,500. IN STREET AS ft SPY Five Gunmen Caught After Kill- Underwood Permits Free Discus NO CHECK YET ON TARIFF BILL TALK ing Near Spot Where Herman Rosenthal Met Death. NEW YORK, April 29.—Jerry Mai- da, known as "Jerry the Lunchman,” was shot dow n on Forty-first Street near Broadway early to-day by gang sters, who suspected he had squealed to the District Attorney. The shooting occurred only a couple of blocks away from the scene of the murder of Herman Rosenthal last July, but the gunmen had less luck than the Rosenthal murder crew. Five policemen heard the shots and pounc ed upon five men whom they accused of the killing. The police allege that the men they caught are members of the Paul Kelly band, of which Jerry was an adher ent. They gay that Jerry was thought to be revealing the gang’s secrets to the District Attorney. None of the men caught were armed, but witnesses said they had seen them throw' revolvers away and three of the guns were found in a •garbage can near by. The police say "Guinea Sam,” one of the prisoners, was under arrest two years' ago in connection with the mur der of another member of the gang. Police Herd Throng at Trial of Four Inspectors. NEW YORK, April 29.—Police trials rivaling In public interest and Importance the case of Charles Beck er began to-day when former In spectors Dennis Sweeney, James E. Hussey, James F. Thompson and John J. Murtha were arraigned on a charge of obstruction of justice. These cases grew out of the graft upheaval which began with Becker's trial for the murder of Herman Ros enthal. Then men are accused in con nection with the attempt to keep George A. Sipp, a former Raines law- hotel keeper, out of this State so he could not testify at the trial of ac cused policemen and police officials. Police reserves were called out to handle the crowds. sion—Republicans to Offer Flood of Amendments. WASHINGTON, April 29.—With Democratic Leader Underwood deter mined to paBs his tariff bill at the earliest possible moment, the House to-day plunged into actual considera tion of the measure under the flve- rnlnute rule. Underwood still was determined to allow full and free discussion and ample opportunity to offer amend ments. He is not disposed to resort to gag rule. It was known, though, that the Democratic leader will re sort to a gag as soon as he becomes convinced that an attempt is being made to delay the bill. The best opinion was that if no re sort to a rule is had it will take at least two weeks to complete the read ing of the bill. On the other hand, Underwood can force immediate ac tion by making a rule. Some idea of the number of amendments that will be offered can be obtained by the statement of a prominent Republican who declared lie had fifty amendments to offer to the chemical schedule alone. LEGISLATORS PLAY BALL. COLUMBUS, OHIO, April 29- Democrat ami Republican baseball "bugs'’ In the lower house of the Ohio Legislature crossed bats at the Amer ican Association Park here to-day. FLOWERS and FLORAL DESIGNS] ATLANTA FLORAL CO. ! Both Phones Number 4. 41 Peachtree] MACON MERCHANT FATALLY HURT IN AUTO ACCIDENT MACON, GA.. April 29.—Laurence H. Riley, a merchant, is at the hos pital, expected to die from injuries received when his automobile turned turtle near Dunbar. 12 miles from Ma con. Dr. George Cline, of Byrom, witnessed the accident and rendered surgical attention. Sam Riley, also in the machine, was rendered unconscious. CARRY ANTI-FRAT FIGHT AT MERCER TO FACULTY MACON, GA,. April 29.—The fight of the "frats" of Mercer University against the Greek letter fraternities will be carried to the faculty and pos sibly to the trustees. A petition, signed by every non-fraternity stu dent, asking for the inhibition of the societies at Mercer, this week will be presented to the officials. ATLANTA THEATER Mat>nees Wed. and Sat. Nights 15c to 50c ALL THIS WEEK Except Wed. & Thurs. Nighls Miss BILLY LCMG And Company In A Butterfly on the Wheel First Time In Atlanta LYRIC This Week Mats. T ies., Thurs., Sat. BILLY THE KID A DRAMA OF THE WEST. With the Young American Star, BERKELY HASWELL. Home Again With Vaudeville rnQCVTU Mat. To-day 2:30 * Vliai H n To-night at 8:30 Sophye Barnard--Leu Angler & Co.—Chris Richards — Gaby — Helm Children—Barr & Hope—Muriel & Francis and Others.... NEXT WEEK Gut Edwards