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1 3 THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS STORY OF PHAGAN CASE BY CHAPTERS Slaying of Factory Girl, South’s Most Baffling Crime Mystery, Re- : LITTLE MARY PHAGAN AND HER CHUM J Honk-Honk Drowns Kansas Church Bells viewed ifi Detail. CHOICE OF ROUTES ANO GOOD SERVICE CHAPTER I. Will the veil of mystery be lifted when the curtain rtees next Monday on another scene in Atlanta’s darkest tragedy? A vast audience, shocked by the horror of Mary Phagan’s fate on a Saturday of last April and held through the succeeding weeks in the thrall of the baffling crime drama, in keen suspense awaits this ques tion's answer. Will Pulton County’s Solicitor Gen eral be able to point his* finger at Leo M. Frank and exclaim, “That Is the man who strangled Mary Phagan!” backing his damning accusation with such an abundance of evidence that there can remain no shadow of doubt? Or will Luther Rosser, certain to be a towering and masterful factor in the titanic struggle that is to be staged, unmask his strength, bring to bear the secret evidence that has been in his possession for weeks, beat down every bulwark of suspicion that the State has erected about its prisoner and, as a dramatic finale, assail the negro, Jim Conley, cowering in the witness stand, with a raking volley of questions that will leave the negro man shaken and terrified, a confes sion of the crime upon his lips? Whole State Stirred, All of Atlanta—most of the State— 1s hanging with the most intense in terest on the outcome. No other crime ever stirred Geor gia to its depths as has the slaying of the little factory girl. No murder ever has so gripped the hearts and aroused the sympathies* of the people throughput the State. Georgia’s criminal history reveals no other case In which the public’s interest has remained at fever heat through three months filled with other exciting events. From the time the extras first flamed the details of the brutal killing in the National Pen cil Factory until the present there has appeared to be no diminution in the desire to learn each day’s de velopments. There was in the early days of the tragedy a cry for summary vengeance upon the murderer, but time has tem pered this into a universal demand for justice, which is none the less de termined in .that it is not so demon strative as the first hot wave of in dignation. The Phagan case has remained in the public mind partly, of course, be cause it has remained as battling a mystery as the local detectives ever have encountered. With the mystery solved its appealing interest gradual ly would have died out, but a review of the tragic features of the drama so far as it has progressed and a consideration of those who have parts in it supplies an explanation of why the fate of Mary Phagan Is still up permost in the people’s hearts. The revolting circumstances of the crime—the attack, the pitiful struggle of the helpless child in the hands of her assailant, the blow and, finally, the garrote—all refuse to be erased from the memory. Two Principal Figures. But standing out in stronger prom inence than the remembrance of these abhorrent details are two of the principal figures in the tragedy. They are Mary Phagan, victim, and Leo M. Frank, charged by the St^te with her death. These two have made the appeal to the public imagination. The contrast in their positions in life intensified it. Mary Phagan was only a little fac tory girl whose happy and Innocent laughter was stilled t>y one of the blackest crimes m Atlanta’s history. Leo Frank, a brilliant young man of position and family, was accused of this deed of a beast inhuman guise. Mary Phagan was not rich. Sh9 was glad to get the $3 or $4 a week that her work at the pencil factory won for her. Leo Frank’s family had wealth. An uncle was a reputed millionaire. Mary Phagan had hardly the edu cation to which her years entitled her. Times were not always easy tn her family and she was driven to neg- PRESERVE BABYS SKIN -^ i 1 \v tj- 5 l l. FT i\ l IfiSsi With CUTICURA SOAP Assisted when necessary by Cuticura Ointment. They keep the skin and scalpclean yid clear, sweet and healthy, Asides soothing irritations which often prevent sleep and if neglected become chronic disfigurements. Cuticura Soap and Ointment sold throughout the world Sample of each mailed free, with 32-p hook. Address post-card "Cuticura." Dept. 14G. Boston. tHTMen who shave and shampoo with Cuticura Soap will Qud it beat lor skin and scalp. lect her schoolbooks and work In the factory. Frank was a Cornell graduate. He had a high technical education. He had been sent abroad to select the machinery for the Atlanta plant. His business associates placed every con fidence in him. His friends knew him for an upright and moral young man, with a most promising career ahead of him. That he would descend to the level of a criminal of the worst type was inconceivable to them. The possibili ty furnished to thousands of others a subject for daily conjecture. Life of Slain Girl. Mary Phagan’s life began 14 years ago in Marietta. She was the petted “baby” of the family. She had three older brothers and a sister, now 18. Even In the early years of childhood she Is remembered as having the pret ty features and attractive ways that made her greatly liked by her girl friends later when she came to work in Atlanta. For a playmate in the days at Ma rietta she had one who was to play a brief but sensational part in April’s tragedy. It was J. M. Gantt. Within a few hours after her cold body was found in the gloomy basement of the National Pencil Factory her child hood playmate was arrested as he left a car in Marietta, to which place there seemed at the time every indi cation that he was fleeing. Her childish prattle had changed to the happy conversation of young girl hood when the family moved to East Point. There bereavement visited the family in the death of Mary’s father. Hardship followed sorrow and it be came necessary for little Mary to follow’ the example of her brothers and sisters and assist in providing a livelihood for the family. She could not do much, but she did her mite willingly and cheerfully. A year ago Mrs. Phagan married W. J. Coleman and the family moved to No. 146 Lindsay street, Atlanta. Mary obtained work in the National Pencil Factory and soon made friends with all the children about her home and with the girls she met at the factory. Although she never had many of the luxuries of life. Mary w’as reared carefully by her mother and enjoyed the wise counsel that is sometimes denied the children of families in more pretentious circum stances. All Loved Little Mary. To the loving and painstaking home training, the attractive half shy little maiden brought a natural ly sweet disposition. In the few lei sure hours she had she often played about her home with the children of the neighbors. The little people of Bellwood, on the outskirts of Atlanta, all grew’ to love the sweet-tempered, _ pretty little girl. When they return- i ed to their homes after a frolic their ‘ conversation was of what Mary had said and what Mary had done. The fathers and mothers began to take notice of her as she laughed and chattered among the other children. They came to watch for the time each morning W’hen she boarded a car to go to work at the pencil fac tory. They took a sort of parental interest in the bright-eyed, light hearted little girl. The small community is a bit of a city in itself. Everyone knows every one else and the neighborly spirit is exemplified In the manner in which the residents, most of them working people, struggle for each other and sympathize in each other’s afflictions. They joined in 'their near-worship of the little factory girl. She embodied in their minds pure and attractive young girlhood. They guarded her reputation almost as jealously as did her own mother. If anything should happen to her it would be a shock to every family in the little community. On a Thursday, the last in April, Mary was playing with 'two of her dearest girl chums, Vera Epps and Lillian Waignel. The back yards of the Phagan and Epps homes adjoined. The Waignel girl lived just across the street from Vera Epps at No. 249 Fox street. An expected shipment of met al at the pencil factory had not ar rived and a section of the plant was shut down temporarily, throwing Mary out of work until the metal should arrive. A Strange Foreboding. The three little girls ran and played about the whole afternoon, laughing and talking in their childish happi ness. Toward evening, tired from the frolic, they rested on the embank ment near their homes. In the hard red clay they dug out their initials as they rested. “M. P.” were the letters scratched out of the dirt by Mary. “Let’s keep them here always,” cried Vera, clapping her hands. “But if one of us should die?” sug gested Mary. "Then the other two of us tvould come back here and dig the initials out again when it rained," Vera re plied. but a shadow had fallen over the gayety of the little group. Two days later several of the house wives of Bellwood, looking from their windows, saw* Mary Phagan get aboard a car for Atlanta, and they never saw her return. Vera Epps waved her a good-bye as Mary hur ried down the street without a thought that it was a last farewell. When Vera looked upon her play mate the next time, there was no answering smile. The pink cheeks that flushed with happiness arid health were ghastly white except wnere they were begrimed and piti fully bruised and swollen. The beau tiful young body, once full of life, was cold and inanimate and mutilated. Goes to the Factory. The Confederate veterans were pre paring to honor their dead when .Mary came into town that day. It was a holiday and she had planned to go to the pencil factory to get the $1.20 due her for the ehort time she had worked that week and then to witness the parade of the boys in gray. She got a word of greeting from Conductor W. T. Hollis when she boarded the car on its run into town. Motorman W. M. Matthews, who many times before had brought the little girl from her home in Bellwood to work in Atlanta, also noticed her as he slow ed down to take her at the crossing. Conductor Hollis says that the car arrived at Broad and Marietta streets at 12:07 o’clock. He wap relieved there by another conductor and knows only that Mary stayed on the car. Motorman Matthews says that she left at Broad and Hunter and started tow’ard the factory. Some timt between 12:10 and 12:15 Mary Pha gan entered the doors of the National Pencil Factory and went to the office of Leo Frank, where she diew her pay. She never was seen alive after that moment except by the brute that attacked .her, beat her cruelly and completed his demoniac crime by looping a cord about the tender flesh of her neck and strangling her tc death. No One Saw Her Alive Again. From the moment that the little factory girl entered the office of Frank the mystery dated. Whether she never left the presence of the young superintendent alive, the public does not know’. Whether she started down the stairs and there was attacked by’ a negro fiend lurking in the darkness, later paying out the toll of her young life to the fun,' of his bestiality*, also is shrouded In a mystery as yet un- dispelled by the searching investiga tion of three months. Many pieces of evidence point to the latter surmise, but no one, so far as is known, is able to say with cer tainty that this Is so, save possibly' Jim Conley himself. Conley and Frank, by their own ad missions. were in the factory when Mary Phagan entered. Frank told freely of his presence there. Conley's confession was wrung from him after three weeks in a cell at the police sta tion. Upstairs on the fourth floor were Harry Denham and Arthur White. Mrs. White visited the factory' to see her husband. She left shortly before 1 o’clock, when Frank came to the fourth floor to tell the men that if they wished to remain they would have to stay' until about 3 o’clock, as he was going home for lunch and would lock them in. Frank Alone in Factory. They stayed in the factory and Frank departed within a few minutes. Shortly before 3 o’clock he returned and the men came downstairs and left, after White had gone into Frank's office to borrow $2. Frank was alone in the factory from this time until 4 o’clock. No one has anv Information as to when Conley left or how he left, except by his own statements. He says that he left shortly after 1 o’clock bv the front door. If Frank’s story of the time be quit the building is true, it is fairer to presume that the negro left some time after 1 o’clock and through the basement's rear door, which he forced open by pulling the staple. Newt Lee, the negro night watch man. came to the factory at 4 o'clock. He unlocked the outside door and the door leading up to the second floor. “All right, Mr. Frank.” he shout ed as he approached the superintend ent's office. Sent Negro Lee Away. Frank appeared rubbing his hands and remarking that it was too bad Le e had come down at this time as he might as well have stayed at home and got more sleep. He told Lee he might go and return at 6 o'clock, the regular hour for report ing. A few minutes after Lee came back to the factory. J. M. Gantt., a dis charged employee, walked across the street and said he would like to-go into the factory and get a pair of shoes he had left there three weeks before. Frank gave him permission, but seemed a little doubtful of Gantt’s real purpose. After the fac tory superintendent had gone to his home, he called Lee up on the tele phone and asked if Gantt were gone and everything was all right at the factory. Lee replied that Gantt had left as soon as he had obtained the shoes and called up a girl friend from the office. Lee made his regular rounds for several hours that night, shutting down all the windows and making his trip over the different floors, as was his custom. He climbed down the ladder into the basement to see if everything was all right down there. He went no farther, however, than the flickering gas light at the bottom of the lad der. Peering through the darkness, he saw nothing out of the way. Second Trip to Basement. That night was no different than any other night up until shortly be fore 3 o’clock in the morning, if the negro’s story is to be credited. At this time he made another trip into the basement. Did he hear fcome sound that led him to go down the ladder and ven ture beyond the dim circle of light from the gas jet? Was some other living being in the cellar when he clambered down the ladder? He says not. With his dirty, smoky lantern he descended through-^ the scuttle hole. This time he did not stop at the little area of light made by the gas jet. Swinging his lan tern slowly back and forth in front ot him. he made bis way toward the rear of the basement. Near the boiler he stopped. After a few moments he looked about him. What was that lying over there to his left on a pile of sawdust and oth er trash and dirt? Gould it be that some of the rascally fellows in the plant were playing this ghoulish Joke on him? Tremblingly he held the lantern in front of him. The black man’s eyes dilated with horror. There could be no mistake about it. His impulse was to flee, but he pulled himself together. He started toward the dark, inert object lying there on the trash heap (To Be Continued To-morrow.) Motorcyclist Hurt In Auto Collision Dave Rudisall, of College Park, is in Grady Hospital with a broken leg as a result of a collision between his motorcycle and an automobile near Fort McPherson Monday afternoon. The automobile was driven by Harry Manning, of East Point. His machine was uninjuhed and he car ried Rudisall to the hospital. 6,500-Pound Cheese Made in New York IJTICA. N. Y., July 22.—The finish ing touches on a cheese weighing 6,500 pounds, the largest cheese ever made in New York State, if not in the world, were put on to-day at the Gowdy factory in Martinsburg. Two days' milk from two factories was required. The cheese will be exhibited a.t ua» State fair in Syra cuse, DEATH’S SHADOW CAST OVER HOUSE Recess Taken Out of Respect to Speaker Burwell, Whose Sis ter Died Suddenly. A shadow was thrown over the House Tuesday morning by the death of Speaker W. H. Burwell's sister. Miss* Ruth Burwell. Out of respect to the Speaker the House recessed for, two hours after adopting resolutions; expressing sympathy for the bereaved member. Miss Burwell died Monday after noon at 5 o’clock at the residence of Mrs. Brooks, in Griffin, where she was visiting. While nhe had not been well for some time, her death was unex pected. Mr. Burwell spent Sunday with her and she appeared to be much improved. Miss Burwell , was well known throughout the State, being a woman of unusual brilliance. Her home was in Albany, where she was dearly be loved. She w’as 35 years of age. Second Among Members’ Family. Her death is the second to occur among the families of House members during this session, f^ialrman L. R. Akin, of the Ways and Means Com mittee, suffered the loss of a daugh ter two weeks ago. Adjournment for the entire day would have been taken Tuesday but for the fact that a joint meeting of the Senate and House had been ar ranged for the canvassing of the vote for United States Senator July 15, in which Senator Bacon wag the only candidate. In future the House will get down to work early, adopting a resolution Tuesday morning setting the hour of convening at 9 o’clock for the remain ing 23 days of the session. The regu lar hour of adjournment, 1 o’clock, will continue. House Faces Three Busy Weeks. With virtually every committee meeting daily, the. members of th« Houj-'o are facing three strenuous weeks. The local bills havo been dis posed of in wholesale quantities and but a small number remain before the House. The calendar is rapidly get ting down to a general bill basis and scant attention will be paid to local ones in the future. The recess prevented the taking up of the general appropriations bill which Chairman Wheatley, of the Ap propriations Committee, had an nounced he w’ould call for to-day, and it probably will be taken up Wed nesday. The appropriation bill takes precedent over all other bills. PICTURES THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH.—The surprising romances that followed three paintings, for which Cupid mixed the colors, will : be rsvsaled in next Sunday’s Ameri- l can. TRUE LOVE JOLTED IN ARSON HEARING Boarder Adores Landlady, but She Has Him Bound Over as a Firebug. GIVEN TRIPLE PENALTY. COLUMBUS.—Moss Gogs, a negro, who tried to enter the home of W. A McCrany, a white man. and when prevented by McCrany’s wife, curged in her presence, was fined $25. sen tenced to 30 days on the rock pile and placed under bond to appear in the City Court. Confessions of love requited were made and repudiated in Judge Broyles’ court Tuesday when the trial of G. A. Vaughn on the charge of arson made by Mrs. A. C. Klapper following the burning of her home at No. 256 East Hunter street last Fri day was heard. Vaughn was bound over to a high er court under bond of $3,000. but not before he had emptied his heart of all its feeling for his accuser and de clared that his love had not been spurned by her. “Why she placed her arms about me and kissed me tenderly the morn ing of the fire,” Vaughn, who was a boarder at Mrs. Klapper’ home, de clared. "And now she charges me with arson. It ran not be true.” By this statement. Mrs. Klapper, who is past middle age, was consid erably ruffled. “I never did kiss him,” she exclaim ed. “One time he gave me $30 when I w’as sick to pay doctors' bills, and when I bought a coat with the money he got mad and said he would burn it up. And he did, and my house, too.” The fire was discovered in a closet in Vaughn's room on the top floor shortly after he had departed for downtown. Miss Bonnie Burns, an other boarder, testified, at the trial that Vaughn, in leaving the house had looked up at the roof. Miss Burns’ testimony proved the strong est against Vaughn. SNAKE BITE FATAL. BAXLEY.—Will Morris, 15 years old, living near the Altamaha River, Appling County, who was bitten by a rattlesnake, died after twelve hours of agony. WHY CRIME DOES NOT PAY.— Sophie Lyons, most famous criminal of modern times, tells of thrilling events which crowded one short week of her life, in next Sunday's American. There is a piece of Real Estate adver tised in the “Want Ad” columns of The Georgian to day which will make the buyer rich. WILL IT BE YOU? SPECIAL NOTICE! Wilton Jellico COAL $4.23 July Delivery Only Plaoe Your Order at Onoe JELLICO COAL CO. 82 PEACHTREE ST. Ivy 1585 Atlanta 3688 MANHATTAN, KANS., July 22.— Pastors and teachers at the State conference here declare that automo biles are responsible for the lack ot Interest tn church work. One thousand churches have been abandoned in Kansas. SEABOARD NAMES LOW BALTIMORE RATE. f $20.85 round trip, on sale Au- ( gust 1-2-3. Through electric llglit- } ed steel trains, excellent Dining s Car service. Ticket Office, 88 ? Peachtree. TO THE MECHANIC BANKER MERCHANT CLERK To you who love music & can not play piano. You need not deprive yourself of music, the greatest of all home enjo; ment, another day. You can entertain your wife, play accompaniment for your children’s singing, with the $25 worth of music rolls which we furnish FREE with our latest new EUPHONA PLAYER-PIANO We know of no better way to tell you of the superior quality of our leader (this new Euphonia Player-Piano) than to say to you it Is A $600 Value for *475 Bargains Pianos exchanged for Player-., Pianos. 15th Midsummer Sale Now in Full Swing There is no excuse for your children being with out a piano. This is your chance. Terms— $10 CASH, $5 PER MONTH. SCHUBERT Burl walnut, large size, nearly new. taken in ex-$' change for Euphona Play er-Piano. Cost new $376; sale price KINGSBURY Mahogany, large size, rood tone and order. Cost new $375; sale price CLOUGH 6l WAJTREN. Mahogany case, large ▼ size, nearly new* Cost new $300; sale price ESTEY Mahogany, upright, in good, fine tone. Cost new $400; sale price KINGSBURY Oak case, large size, like new. Cost new $350; sale price Finest stock. New Victor Records', and latest Victrolas. Call and hear newt records. ■*190 *195 180 *180 225 Cable Piano Company 84 N. Broad St. Atlanta. Please send me your complete bargain list & details of easy pay ment plan. I Name ... Address I