The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-12-16
Wednesday. December I6. 1914
GEORGIA's LEGAL TRAGEDY

murder of 14-year-old Mary Phagan.
and for which Leo NJ. Frank has been
adjudged guilty and sentenced 20
hang. after an unsuccessful appeal TO
the United States Supreme Court for
n new trial. of themselves acquit him
OF the crime. because II was the work
OF hend incarnate. an Internal being
sating lust for human blood. Frank.
by all records and undeniable testi.
mony. does not In the remotest de-
gree subject himself to such faint. In
the current issue OF Golfers, Mr.. G.
r. Connolly. a gentleman OF long expe-
rience as pracucing lawyer and
prosecuting attorney. submits a re-
view OF this celebrated case. which
further strengthens the contentious
made OF Franks innocence OF this
crime. The reason for the unjustif-
,.ole yerdict is a prejudiced public
opinion. the same that gave the hem
Jock to Socrates and the cross 10
sChrist." This. combined with the pc
| seuliar. and it might he said barbarous
laws of Georgia. are likely to send the
unfortunate Atlanta Jew TO the gal.
flows unless the Governor intervenes
40 prevent practical judicial muir.
der.
- The murder of Mary Phaean was
particularly brutal and revolving. and
.the inimical feeling against Frank
vainly endeavored to fasten on him
some previous moral stain that would
give some color 20 the charges Of
delinquency cooked up against him.
Mr.. Connolly describes Mr. Frank as
young man OF whose intellectual
attainments any community might
well be proud. Atlanta has been
combed TO find something against his
moral Character. and a like comb has
been applied to Brooklyn. y. Y. the
city Of Franks youth. and to Ithaca.
n. Y. where he attended Cornell. but
without success. Though he was con
victed largely on the theory that he
was degenerate. William J. Burns.
after his conviction. offered reward
OF $4,000 to anyone who would pro
duce evidence OF a single immoral act
OF Franks whole life. without produ.
cling claimant; and then the police
OF Atlanta made the astounding state
ment that they had never claimed
that Frank was degenerate. so
much for the speculative character
of his guilt.
u is related that when Mary Pha-
gan was killed the newspapers &C
counted FOR the public interest by say.
ing that every mother in Atlanta felt
az II Mary Phagan had been her own
daughter. Mr. Connolly very peril
nently counters: Il think IL Is time
now that every parent took the same
interest in Franks case The lessons
OF this case may come home to any
OF Us at any time Death il bad
enough. attainted death is another
Thing. but the infamy Of such a
death In the case Of an innocent man
Is an unspeakable thing. II Frank IL
absolutely innocent-if the hand Of
the law reached out for him without
warning. with no mark o. murder
upon him. and has bounded him 10
his death. then his fate Is surely as
tragic a. was that Of Mary Phaesn.
The wrong committed BY n whole peo.
pie II far more tragic in its conse.
quences than any wrong committed
BY single individual"
Speaking Of the law applied 10
the appeals for rehearing Of the
case. Golfers reviewer states that
gudgr "a ~,r~tft.tf...r
adopted IN 1906 the Supreme Court Of
Georgia is not allowed to reverse any
capital case where no error OF law
has been committed IN the trial. no
matter how weak the evidence may
be. and cannot investigate or pass
upon the question Of guilt or limo.
Genre Two Of the Supreme Court
Judeeg were for reversing the case On
alleged errors Of Law. but four voted
10 sustain the conviction. IN pub.
-iished statement after tho supreme
court Of Georgia had FOR the third
fine refused 10 interfere. Frank said
cag q - that the law and our sys-
able tnal frufn nnd Innocence fnse rs,s,
- nero aiier once fnr dlo ts ras. Dr.
baffedf o. me f.,hniesi frssse ~ H..
inU tu forever preclude r. fanrfrv ..f
ilcis aud human fisnfa o. b. ffHnIDIsr
beueefh TIE judicial faafr If fHIa H. =.
enq ] cannot aH yat believe Dr. tHsr 4.Ir
stiisih nerfufl rIsIizafion b. brf i
MltL thl " d.t.nr spark Ir each
nuN We lafE bach hundreds of rssrs
% human nfprreaH fo uifr fha srrra
&c thumbs down. wac che Iarf $50
- fne a. n luaf cannot be- fnaf e...t
TIE revolving ysara ~ fwsrfr.add r.a
flrtfa must hars BROUGHT Iurf.r
herltsff fhar r r0rdif'gu harfHr.. In If.
eHnerffal details
A. The infelflgenoer has maintained.