The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-08-13
TELLS ABOUT lRINE
C0NLEY ON STAND TELLS SENSA.
TI0NAL STORY.
DESCRIBES The Scene

Negro Accomplice of Frank in the
Murder of the Young Pencil Fac
tory Girl at Atlanta Tells All About
the Awful Crime Enacted in the
Factory Walls.
Counsel for Leo NJ Frank, superin-
tendent Of the Atlanta pencil factory,
on trial for the murder Of Mary Pha-
gan, spent the entire afternoon Mon
day in grilling cross-examination OF
James Conley, negro sweeper at the
pencil factory where the girls body
was found. The negro earlier in the
day accused the defendant Of being a
degenerate and charged that Frank
the little factory girl because she re-
pulsed his attentions.
In his testimony Conley declared
that on several occasions he stood on
guard for Frank, when the latter was
closeted with women. Frank, accord
ing to the negro's testimony, was ac-
customed to stamp on the floor when
he desired Conley to keep watch. Con-
ley sometime ago made confession,
and while on the stand Monday he
stuck to the story he told then. The
lawyers for the defence tried to break
down his testimony, but Conley held
his own.
In his direct evidence Conley gave
circumstantial account Of what he
alleged happened at the factory the
day the Phagan girl met her death.
The negro testified that about noon
on the day of the girls disappearance
she went into the room with Frank,
who thereupon gave him the prear-
ranged signal to keep watch.
Only a short time had elapsed, ac-
cording to the negro, when he heard
a muffled scream. A few minutes
later he was summoned by Frank, ac-
ccrding to the latter's testimony, ap-
parently being greatly excited. Con-
ley testified that the factory superin-
tendent's face was crimson; his body
and legs were trembling, and that he
clutched a cord with both hands.
T wanted her and she resisted
me-" Frank exclaimed, according to
Conley. He then told of going at
Franks direction to the machine
| room, where he found the body Of
Mary Phagan.
There, he declared, he bundled the
girls body in a sack and attempted
to take it to the elevator. He was
forced to call to Frank to help him,
he said, and together they carried the
body to the elevator. Frank, he de-
| clared, turned on the electric current
by which the elevator was operated,
and they carried the body to the
basement. There, the negro said, the
body was left on a pile Of rubbish
near the furnace.
He told Of their going to Franks
Office where, he claimed, the factory
superintendent offered him 5000, and
where the negro claimed he wrote the
notes at Franks dictation, which lat
er were found near the body Of the
girl. Conley testified that Frank con-
ttnued to become more nervous while
| in the Office. Walking back and forth
and wringing his hands. Conley stat
ed that Frank exclaimed:
"Why should I hang, I have veal
thy relatives in Brooklyn"
"But what's going to happen to
me?" Conley said he asked Frank.
"T'll take care of you alright" he
said Frank replied. and handed him
roll of bills containing $500.
According to the negro's testimony,
Frank told him to go down into the
basement. gather up some chips, put
them in the furnace, and put the
girls body on top Of them. The ne
gro stated that he told the factory
superintendent he was afraid to go
into the basement alone, but would
go If Frank would accompany him.
Frank, according to the witness,
refused to go to the basement, and
took back the 5000 which he had CIV
en- Conley, saying that he would keep
it for him. Frank, the negro said,
told him to leave the building, but
to come back in about forty minutes.
AS Conley was leaving the building
Frank accompanied him to the stair
way. according to the witness, with
his arm thrown over Conley's shoul-
der.