The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-03-10
LEO VI. FRANK MUST DIE.
His Execution is Set For April Ia.
Condemned Man Again Protests
His Innocence.

Frank was reSenleiceQ 10 uedtA HeIS
TODAY for the murder of Mary Pha-
gan. a factory girl. His execution was
set for April II.
The date set for the execution is
the prisoners 30th birthday This fact
was not known until sentence was
pronounced, when Frank, turning to
a friend, remarked that the 18th would
be his birth anniversary. FraCk was
born in Quero, Texas, on April i,
1854.
Judge B. H. Hill Of the superior
court in pronouncing sentence mere
" carried out the order Of the su-
preme court Of Georgia, which on Feb
ruary Il approved the conviction.
Frank previously had been sentenc ID
to be executed October 10, 1913. but
sentence was suspended peading de-
cision of a motion for d new trial, an
appeal to the supreme court, and
motion for rehearing on the appeal.
The last of these efforts TO save the
life Of the young factory superinten-
dent was defeated by decision of the
supreme court on February %.
Protests Innocence.
Immediately after the formal de-
cree of execution was read by Judge
Hill, the condemned man made brief
statement to the court, protesting his
Innocence. He spoke with composure,
varying his tone of voice only to en-
phasize various points touched upon
in his statement
Attorneys for Frank already have
announced their intention of filing an
extraordinary motion for a new trial
on ground OF newly discovered evi-
dence. This action. it is expected, will
be delayed several weeks and pend
ing disposal of the motion by the su-
perior court, the date OF. execution
may be still further deferred.
While no definite announcement
has been made OF the nature of allie
cations to be incorporated in the ex-
traordinary motion, it is expected to
touch upon several afddayits recent
ly made public by counsel for Frank.
These include sworn statements from
two State witnesses at the trial of
Frank last autumn that they testi-
fed falsely in regard to the move
ments of the 14-year-old factory girl
and Frank on the day Of ner mur-
der, April 26, 1913. Two other afi-
davits purport to establish an alibi
for Frank Another charges a con-
spiracy of evidence against him.
Judge Hill, who pronounced SEN
tence today, recently succeeded Judge
L. S. Roam, who presided at Franks
trial, sentenced him to death on Au-
gust 26 and on October 13 denied him
a motion for a new trial.
In his statement to the court today
Frank charged that popular clanor
for blood sacrifice" had been re-
sponsible for his conviction.
"A Blood Sacrifice
''The law says that when one has
lost mis- life through violence of an
other" he said, "the perpetrator of
the deed must answer with his own.
But the law does not say that where
one has been killed a blood sacrifice
must be made of the next convenient
Individual. Previous to and during
my trial gossip on the streets carried
vile, damning stories concerning me
and my wife. From a public in this
state of mind the jury that tried me
was chosen. The virus Of these vile
insinuations entered the minds of the
II men and stole away their judicial
frame Of mind. The issue involved
was law, but the poison ot/the un
speakable things took it's place.
But if the State will that my life
be taken as the blood atonement for
the little child who was ruthlessly
killed by another, then it remains for
me only to die with whatever forti-
tude my manhood may allow"
In a card addressed to the public,
Frank tonight reiterated his inno-
cence and declared that he believed
he was entitled to new trial.
''Tne shadow Of physical death does
not dismay me-" he said. eff such
be my end I shall go to it without
fear and without qualm I am man,
born to face and endure that which
the chance of my fate may bring.