Atlanta Georgian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, August 05, 1913, Image 1

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EXTRA The Atlanta Georgian. Read for Profit—GEORGIAN WANT ADS—Use for Results VOL. XII. NO. 1. ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, AUGUST 5,1913. Copyright. 1906, By The Georgian Co. 2 CENTS. rA Jo£S ALABAMA EXTRA STORY *•+ +•+ +•+ +•+ +•+ +•+ *•+ + •+ +•+ +•+ +•+ +•+ +•+ +•+ e -r +•+ +•+ +•+ Witness Against Frank Gives New Details of Tragedy Lm » MOTHER OF ACCUSED IN THE PHAGAN CASE TENSE WHILE CONLEY TELLS HU TALE During the long wait for Conley to appear, Frank, his loyal wife and his no less loyal mother gave no sign of fear. Accuser and accused were about to face each other, a dramatic situation which the authorities had sought to bring about since the negro made his third affidavit charging Frank with the terrible crime. If Frank at last were on the edge of a breakdown his calm, untroubled features were most deceiving at this time. He seemed no more concerned than when John Black, floundering and help less on the stand, was making as good a witness for the defense as he was expected to make for the State. When Solicitor Dorsey an- Mrs. Rea Frank, mother of Leo M. Frank. nounced that Conley would be the next witness the courtroom was electrified with a shock of interest in which the only three persons who seemed not affected were this trio—Frank, his wife and his mother. Conley took the stand. He lifted his hand to be sworn. Not a sound but the Solicitor's words disturbed the little courtroom. “Do you know Leo Frank?” was the first question shot at the negro. "Yes, sar, I do,” Conley replied. “Where is he?” Negro Points Out Frank. “Right there he is,” said the negro, leveling his finger at the defendant Not a quiver disturbed Frank's fea tures as the negro’s accusing finger pointed him out. If any one in the crowded, breathless courtroom ex pected the cheeks of the young super intendent to blanch; if anyon ex pected him to quail and tremble un der the damning, glib accusation of Conley, that person was disappointed. Frank spoke a few words to his wife. Whether they were words of assurance, no one will know. At any rate, Mrs. Frank replied with Just the ghost of a smile and the long question of the negro was begun. Probably everyone in the courtroom was looking for some sign of collapse from the prisoner as the negro un folded his remarkable tale, more In criminating, more elaborate, more in detail, than ever before. Jury Listens Breathlessly. Dramatic in its very glibness and unconcern, Conley’s story, if it failed to shake or disturb Leo Frank, at least had a wonderful impression upon each member of the Jury, Conley told of seeing Mary Phagan enter the factory. This was the first time he had admitted to this, so far as the public had known. Frank showed only a mild Interest, but the Jurors strained forward In their seats. Conley told of hearing the foot steps from his vantage point on the first floor, of two persons coming oui r A Dwarf on a Giant’s Shoulders Sees Farther of the Two Comparatively speaking, the ‘Want Ad’ is but a dwarf in size; but, car ried upon the shoulders of a giant circulation, it is certain to rgach and see more people than is possible in any other way. When you want what you want when you want it, use Georgian WAND ADS to secure it. of Frank’s office. Frank still exhibited no sign of con cern. Conley then related hearing the footsteps going back to the metal room and of being startled by the shrieks of a young girl. J Mrs. Frank Bows Head. Mrs. Frank bowed her head, but gave no other sign. Frank still was the personification of coolness and composure. His mother looked slightly down ward and toward the judge’s bench. She seldom raised her eyes except at times to look with an expression of pathetic pleading at the negro wit ness. Conley testified with dramatic ra pidity the grewsome story he already told the police, changing it in some places and adding to it in others. He repeated the thrilling incidents of the day with absolute nonchalance. He told of them In such a torrent of rapid words that the Solicitor had to caution him frequently to take his time He repeated the alleged conversa tions, with Frank verbatim. At no time did he display any uncertainty. He made no slip while he was al lowed by the Solicitor to proceed with his grim story. Tell# of Finding Body. After hearing the shriek of the lit tle girl, Conley impressively told that he heard some one tiptoeing back from the metal room and an instant later heard Frank signaling him from the top of the stairs. Then followed the tragic story of how Frank had him go to the rear of the building where he said he found the dead body of Mary Phagan. One revolting and horrible detail after another came from the negro's lips, and still the man In the prisoner's chair sat unmoved, unperturbed. The negro told of carrying the body from the metal room to the elevator and of Frank picking up the girl’s legs and helping him. Some crocus bagging, heavily stained with the blood of the child victim, was dramatically displayed by the Solicitor. It had no effect on Frank. Conley identified It as the bagging in which he had carried the body of the girl. Rome Man Accused Of Deserting Bride DURHAM, N. C., Aug. 4.—Police Sergeant J. M. Cagle has return^ with H. A. Smith, of Rome, Ga., who was arrested there several days ago at the request of the local authorlti s on warrants charging him with leav- J I ing a hotel bPl of nearly $200 unpaid | here and with wife desertion. oeveral weeks ago Smith came to i Durham and began a courtship with Miss Rpsaline Wright, resulting in a hasty marriage. For a few weeks the couple remained together, but It now alleged by Mrs. Smith, that desetred her. This picture shows Mrs. Frank as she left the courtroom after a long session of the trial. The aged parent of the prisoner does not miss a session of court. •; ' • HEARS NEW TRIAL MOTION. VALDOSTA.—A motion for a new trial for I. B. Hall, found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang in Tift County, was argued here before Judge W. E. Thomas, of Superior court. Judge Thomas reserved his decision until next Saturday. Pony Winners To Be AnnouncedTuesday The winners in The Geor- gian-Ameriean Shetland Pony Contest will be announced in Tuesday’s Georgian. DO YOU KNOW THE DEEPEST WELL IN THE WORLD SEE PAGE 15 sms n D JURORS STRAIN FORWARD TO CATCH CONLEY STORY; FRANK’S INTEREST MILD A., B. & A., Unable To Pay Outstanding Debts, Is Foreclosed Failing to meet its outstanding ob ligations Monday, the Atlanta, Bir mingham and Atlantic Railroad un der a recent order of the United States Court of Appeals, which al lowed one month in which to settle, was declared forecl.sed. The property will low be adver tised in Atlanta, Birmingham and Boston papers once a week for sl< consecutive weeks. A date for actual sale will then be fixed by Victor L. Smith, special master. The outstanding obligations of the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic are $90,947 per mile, while net earn ings for the fiscal year totalled $1,022.55 per mile. As black and revolting a story as ever told to a Georgia jury held a packed courtroom bound with hor ror and irresistible interest Monday. Leo M. Frank, brilliant young superintendent of the National Pencil Factory, was pointed out as the bru tal murderer of little Mary Phagan and a degenerate of the worst type. James Conley, an illiterate negro leveled his fin ger at Frank in the prisoner’s chair and said: “That’s the man!” It was Conley’s story for which an eager public—a morbidly curious public, perhaps—had been waiting. The story came with an unexpected wealth of horrible detail. The negro forgot nothing, omitted nothing that ho had told before. If he was telling a black lie to save his own neck from the gallows, it was still more wonder ful. He had a remarkably retentive memory or an imag ination far beyond the normal even for his notably im aginative race. Frank told him he had killed the girl accidentally. That was the negro’s first and entirely new damning accusation against the young factory superintendent who sat eyeing him coolly and impassively. Conley fol lowed this charge with a thrilling narrative of the grew some events of that day at the factory in which he said he had a part. “He said he had struck her too hard when she fought back at him and that she had fallen back and hit her head against something,’’ was the negro’s statement in effect. As every spectator in the crowded courtroom hung on his words, Conley unfolded his dramatic story. Ho related the details already familiar to the public and added to them a story of revolting actions unprintable in their nature which he ascribed to the youug super intendent. Glibly he recited his tale of horror. So fast the words fell from his lips that the stenographers were hard put to keep up with him and the jurors, straining forward in their seats, found difficulty in following his recital. Gripped Audience With Story. He sat there, an uncouth, thick-lipped ignorant negro, but he told a story that gripped his auditors with a compelling inteerst that an eolquent-tongued orator could not have aroused. Clad in a suit of clothes which the officers only re cently got for him to take the place of those he had worn ever since the time he was arrested, he entered the courtroom with the shadow of a smile on his lips. He was pleased with the interest he was attracting. What did anything matter so long as he was the center of the white folks’ interest now. A blue shirt, newly laundered, but ill-fitting, was unbuttoned at the throat. He carried his old cap in his hands as he made his way half proudly to the witness box. He never was confused. While giving his sensa tional testimony, he rested his elbows easily on the arms of his chair. Now and then he arose to illustrate some movement of Frank or himself. He turned his face to Dramatic in its very glibness and unconcern, Conley's story, if it failed to shake or disturb Leo Frank, at least had a wonderful impression upon each member of the jury. Conley told of seeing Mary Phagan enter the factory. This was the first time he had admitted to this, so far as the public had known. Frank showed only a mild interest, but the jurors strained forward in their seats, Conley told of hearing the footsteps from his vantage point on the first floor of two persons coming out of Frank’s office. Frank still exhibited no sign of concern. Conley then related hearing the footsteps going back to the metal room and of being startled by the shrieks of a young girl. Mrs. Frank bowed her head, but gave no other sign. Frank still was the personification of coolness and composure. the jury and talked to them fearlessly and rapidly. He never wavered. Even when massive Luther Rosser began the grill ing inquisition which was barely well started when the noon recess came, the negro maintained the same poise. Ho had a story to tell and he told it in his own way. He refused to be led by Rosser. If the attorney made a suggestion of what happened, Conley was very likely to reply: “No; that ain’t so; it was this way—” and then go on and relate the incident in his own way. Details Tragic Day in Order. Conley began his testimony from early in the morn ing of the fateful Saturday on which Alary Phagan met her death. He told of going to the factory at 8:30 in the morning because Frank told him Friday that he wanted him there at that time. He testified that Frank had said ho wanted him to be there to watch at the door, as he had been in the habit of doing on other oc casions when Frank had women visitors in his office. He detailed each move from that time until Frank went to Montag’s and returned and carried his thrilling narrative along to the moment when Frank, he said, called him from the top of the stairs on the second floor and directed him to go back and get a girl whom he had struck too hard and who had hit her head against something. From that point he related in minute detail a story of carry ing the body, with Frank's help, to the front of the building and down the elevator. Tells of Disposal of the Sody. An audience sat spellbound as he narrated the ghastly story of bundling the limp body into some crocus bagging and starting on his trip to the basement. Unconcernedly, as though it were an everyday matter, he told of the burden becoming too heavy and of Frank coming with an oath on his lips to help him. When he had finished this grisly portion of his testimony, he was asked concerning Frank’s actions at other times. He respond ed with a revolting story on incidents which he said had occurred in Frank’s office and in the metal room. There was nothing lacking of the dramatic. The very cord that was found about the neck of the murdered girl was given the negro and he threw it about his own black neck. He showed exactly where it made its deep impress in the ten der neck of the little factory girl. He drew the noose tighter and tighter. Frank looked on quiet ly with never a quiver of his features. As he slipped it taut about his neck he demonstrated the exact position of the rope as it, ac cording to the State’s contention, strangled the life of the girl. Other Women Figure in D etails. He told of other times when he said Frank had made appoint ments with women at the factory. He told of alleged incidents in Frank's office at which the young superintendent’s wife hung her head in momentary shame, her face bathed in crimson, He recalled a Thanksgiving Day in particular when a tall, heavily built woman entered the factory and he was instructed to watch the door for inopportune visitors. He declared it was this duty he was performing on the first floor of the factory when Mary Phagan came to her death. < Only once during his narrative was there a lightening of the tragic interest with which it was hedged. This was shortly after the cross-examination had begun. Frank and his wife both laughed heartily when Attorney Ros ser facetiously referred to Frank A. Hooper, admittedly the Beau Brummell of the trial lawyers, as “that old weazened-up fellow with the gray hair. ’ ’ Conley was trying to describe the color of the hair of Daisy Hopkins, one of the girls figuring in the testimony. He pointed out that of Attorney Hooper as most like that of the girl. A ripple ■