Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1914-12-18
THE DOOMED JEW.
(Editorial.l


Leo M. Frank, whose sensational
trial for the murder of young girl
who worked along with about one
hundred others, in Franks pencil fac
tory. in Atlanta, and his sentence to
death is familiar to the public.
One court after another, up to
the highest, has refused to inter,
fere with the verdict of the jury, and
Franks only hope now, very slender
ore, it seems, is communication of sen
tcnce at the hands of the State au-
tborities in Atlanta.
We do not pretend or presume to
know anything of the case except as
gathered from the newspapers. An
intelligent jury tried the case. Frank
seems to have had competent and able
counsel, and behind the result and
findings of the court outsiders cannot
go. However, from what has appear-i
cd in the newspapers, for and against
Frank, belief in his guilt, and in the
T, justice of the verdict, isd ifficult, and
far from convincing, as we see it.
Golfers Weekly sent Mr.. Connolly,
ar experienced prosecuting attorney
Of high standing, to Atlanta, to in
vestigate the case. His report, part
Of which was published in a current
issue of that paper, is outspoken I'M
his belief that Frank is not guilty of
the crime charged against him. Hes
says, and this is what puzzles u.s..
that the verdict was the result of
public prejudice against Frank on
account of his nationality, that there.
was such public clamor for his,
blood that the entire court seemed to
have been afraid to acquit. So strong
was this public clamor that the trial
Judge advised, after consultation, thac
neither Frank nor his attorneys re-
main in the court room when the
verdict should be rendered, fearing,
that if the prisoner was acquitted,
he, as we'll as the defending attor-
neys, would be mobbed, and when
the verdict of guilty was brought in
that there was wild hurrah and
shout from the packed crowd inside
and outside the court room, and gen
eral rejoicing that the d-nd Jew was
convicted. We say, this is astonish-
ing. Why should there be prejudice
against this, clearly proven, exam
plary quiet young man on account of
his nationality in a city like At
lanta? This is not true of any city
cf which we have any knowledge. In
Richmond, Jewish men and women
are most highly regarded. In our
own section in Bluefeld and Poca-
hontas, Jewish citizens, as q rule, arc
gentlemen, and highly respected and
esteemed. The facts, as recited by
Mr.. Connolly create doubt. Why
this wide spread prejudice against o
young man, who up to this time, ac-
cording to Golfers, had never had a
stain upon his character? We can
not exactly bring ourselves to be.
lieve but that there must have been
very strong circumstantial, incrimi-
mating evidence against him. And
still, that this young man, the pos
SCISSOR of a beautiful young wife and
a happy home and ap rosperous busi-
ness, should commit such &C rime is
unreasonable and almost unbeliev-
able.
a citizen of this town was in At
lanta at the time or about the time
CT the trial of Frank, and he states
that so far as he could learn there
is no prejudice in Atlanta against the
Jews, and that the evidence against.
Frank, whilep urely circumstantial,
was very strong, much of which has
never appeared in the newspapers.