Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-11

could save himself from the gallows
What IS called the humanity OF
the law invests every person charged
with crime with the presumption OF
innocence until his guilt has been
proved, and proved 10 the extent -
being irreCOnCilable with every hv-
pothesis Of his innocence Guilt
must be established beyond rea-
sonable doubt
And the reaSouablcnesS Of q doubt
on the minds Of the jury trying a
given case might depend largely upon
the state Of the public mind regard
ing that case.
For this reason, II for no other.
the people In a community where a
crime has been committed should be
reluctant 10 reach conclusion Of the
guilt Of any one. where only circum-
stdntial evidence Is adducible
Il would be a remarkable termina-
ton OF the Phagan case, which is not
now so mysterious as 1t once seemed.
II Frank, the first man suspected by
the detectives. should be acquitted
and his accuser. the negro Conley,
should be brought 10 trial and con-
victed.
But stranger things have happened.
And II the evidence against Conlav
- 49, FNA'AAh az u nov EfNllAE az
sured 10 viii be- viii not the prose-
cution be greatly handicapped in the
necessity of prosecuting COnley by
reason Of having put forth such
strenuous and hopeful efforts 90 con
Wet Leo Frank?
How Rewards Would Be Shared.
Rich rewards viii rec1mpcnse the
discovery of evidence To convict the
slayer in this case. n Frank should
be found guilty, the division of the
large sums offered for evidence 70
convict will go TO certain secret serv-
ice men who first called attention TO
the opportunity Of Frank TO COM
nit the crime, and who have direct
ed their energies In the investigation
Of IL on the theory Of his guilt
II Conley should be proved guilty
one Of the foremen Of the factory
who saw the negro washing "a shirt
under suspicious circumstances. and
who directed his arrest. win likely
get the coin. But with the public II
is not "a question OF rewards 20 be
distributed but IL is the vital the
supreme question. who IL the real
murderer
The law. II rightly followed. II a
noble instrument Of protection TO So
cicty. including the ignorant, the
weak, and those Of little understand
ing. u points the finger of suspicion
at no man. but demands evidence be-
fore guilt can be determined either
the clear and unmistakable proof nf
eyewitness. or an array of circum-
stances which excludes every reason
able hypothesis Of innocence.
Lauds Franks Character.
In determining motive TO commit
crime. we have reason to regard the
character and reputation OF the in
dividual In the case under Consid-
Grafton, the man who protests his
entire innocence and ignorance of the
crime. but who now stands Indicted
as a criminal. has been for six years
an exemplary citizen Of this COM
munity, and the trusted manager II
an important manufacturing enter
prise.
He has sustained well the conh-
dence reposed In him. A leader in
the community life of his race. be
has been highly honored for one Il
his years The attachment ~ mis-
friends 20 him in the weeks ~ his
imprisonment has been rarely sign!t-
icant of an mistaken confidence I'm
his complete innocence.
The high character Of large ma
jority Of his friends. who are men IN
capable of the desire TO shield the
perpetrator of so heinous "a CRIME, rr-
moves the suggestion Of "a clannish
defense Of racial bias.
is not the case against Leo FranN
So far presented against him pair. be-
bly, weak? And does not the far
greater weight Of evidence now point
Enthusiastically TO the negro Conley -
the sole perpetrator Of the crime
GEORGE NJ NAPIER.