Atlanta Georgian., 1914-02-27
BECKER CASE
APARALLEL,
He SAYS
Doomed Man, in New Statement,
Attacks Methods Used in
Obtaining Conviction,

Renewing his bitter arraignment of
the prosecution in his case, Leo Frank
has resumed his line of argument by
drawing a parallel between his case
and that of Becker, the New York
police officer who has just been grant
attack insists that his trial was il
legal.
In the meantime, Franks lawyers
are working hard on the eXtraordi-
nary motion for new trial which
they hope to have ready for presenta-
ton by the date of his resentencing
by Judge Ben Hill next week.
\ part of Franks latest statement
touches indirectly on the testimony OF
Mrs. Nina Formby, who declared in
New York that she was kept intoXi-
Gated by representatives of the police
department until she made false af
fdevit charging Frank with perver-
sion.
Will Stand by Retraction.
a report from New York Friday in
dicated that she would stand by her
absolute retraction of the charges.
and the prosecution and the Atlanta
police department are preparing to
combat her new attitude by showing
that the affidavit was made in good
faith and not under influence.
Chief Lanford, for his part, re-
newed his declaration that Mrs,
F'ormby is not in New York, and that
the alleged retraction was instigated
by Harry Latham, who was supposed
to have gone to New Orleans. He in
sists that the Formby statement was
obtained in an absolutely regular
manner.
Mrs. Formby herself volunteered
the testimony" said the Chief, "and
it was duly given, sworn to and wit
messed within "a hours, SO that three
weeks campaign of drunkenness is
about as far from the facts as it
would be possible to get"
Says He Was Ambushed.
Frank makes the statement that he
was "ambushed," and confronted not
only with the main issue in the case
the charge on which he was indicted
hut also with "innumerable other false
accusations and insinuations unspeak-
able"
In discussing a recent editorial deal
ing with the Supreme Courts grant
ing of a new trial in the Becker case,
Frank says:
"A paragraph thar is especially
pointed and which covers lly trial IS:
That if the atmosphere of q
trial or its controlling cireum-
stances are such a S to produce
bias or infame prejudice, the ac-
cused shall have the benefit OF the
doubt II is or should be, AK
tomato and impelling that at eV-
erv turn. under every condition
an environment of perfect ialr
ness surround and characterize
the trial.
Taking into consideration the d ,
plause in and out of the courtroom
the hisses and jeers in the judge ana
i,,ry's presence, the spirit of passion
ate tension pervading the courtroom,
all of which 1t is known oiile"
my trial, can any fair minded person
declare that in accordance with the
above paragraph, covering as / take
it, the fundamental principles of law
and Justice, l had fair trial and
square deal?
"No Presumption of Innocence
THE editorial states:
Justice is built upon the theory
that man is innocent until his
guilt shall have been established.
In my case the presumption OF IN
nocence in my favor was denied No!
The onus put upon me was not that
of defending ny self, but they inn
nosed the task of proving myself in
Continued on Page 2, Column 5.