The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-08
Clamor for "Blood Sacri-
fice," He Says, Is Cause
Of Conviction.
EXECUTION DATE
is HIS BIRTHDAY
Extraordinary Motion for New
Trial on Ground of Newly Dis
covered Evidence, to Be Filed
by His Attorneys, May
Again Defer Elec-
trocution.

Atlanta. Ga, March LEO NJ. Frank
Vas resentenced 20 death here today
for the murder OF Mary Phagan. fac
cory girl. Ills execution Was get for
april IL
The date sct for the execution 50 the
prisoners thirtie,h birthday. This fac:
was not known until scnteuc. was pro-
nouuced. when Frank. turning to n
iri"io. remarked that til" 17.h would
10 his Nirticth anniversary Frank
tTas born IN cue-o. Tex, on April il.
1854.
Judge J. H. inn, OF The Superior
Court IN pronounciuc sentence. merely
carried out the order Of the Supreme
Court OF Georgia. which on February
]. approved the conviction. Frank
previously had ueen sentenced to lie
executed on October IN. 1ais. hut sen.
fence vas suspended PENDING dccision
oi {. motion for new trial, an appeal
to the supreme Court. and motion for
,.aeaf!ns on the appeal, Tine last II
lhesc efforts 10 say. the life OF Una
younE factory superintendent was
defeated by. decision Of tn, Supreme
Court OIL February -
Immediately after the formal decree
OF execution was read by Judge Hill
the condemned man made n brief state
inent - tho court, protesting his In
noconce lie spoke with composure
varying his tone OF voice only. TO cm
phasize various points touched upon In
MS statement
Attorneys for Frank already have an
houneed their intention of filing an
eANaordinar% motion for Ii new trial.
on ground Of newly discovered evil
d"nce. This action. Ii Is expected, will
oe delayed several weeks Pending
disposal Of the motion by the Superior
NouFt the date OF execution may he
sun further deferred
Gnvc Fnisr Testimony
While no definite announcements has
been made OF the nature Of alicga-
IONS to be Incorporated in the extra
ordinary motion, it IL expected to
touch on several aitidavits recently
made public 10y counsel for Frank
These include sworn statements from
TWO stat" witnesses ut tho trial OF
Fr@nk last autumn that they testified
falsely tn regard To the movements of
the fourteen year-old factory girl md
Frank on the day or her murder April
-. 1913. Two other anidavits purport
TO establish an alibi for Frank.
Judge Tim, who pronounced sem
tence day, recently succeeded Judge
J.. :. Roam. who presided at Franks
trial. sentenced him to death on Au-
gust %. aud on October 81 denied "A
motion for new trial
In his statement to the court to-day
Frank charged that popular clamor
for "A blood sacrifice had been re-
sponslble for his conviction
Eemnrkablc Statement
Franks remarkable statement 10 the
court IN reply 10 the formal question:
!IaNe YOU anything to say why the
sentence should not he pronounced?'
WAS IS follows:
May i, please Your honor. trust
your honor viii understand that
,tt r. Sf,,ty
words more 10 the bench az repre-
sentinG the majesty OF the law Of
Georgia than to the gentleman now on
the bench. we'll Know that your
honor has nausht TO do with the va
ricns NiciSsitudes of my case
In Your honor's presence. repre-
sentine human law. and IN the pres
enc OF the Supreme Judge. who at this
very moment is casting the light OF
ms omnipotent hnd omniprcscnt eve
from Ills throne OF high. assert I am
innocent Of little Mary Phagan's death
and have no knowledge of how 1t oc-
CURED.
Law, 3 We know it, your honor. is
but the expression Of mans legal ex-
?eri"nce. 1t is hut relative 1t tries
10 approximate justice. In the name
OF the law many grevous errors have
colossal and irrctricvablc. I declare u
your honor now that the State OF
| Georgia is about 10 make such nm error.
The law says that when one has lost
/ MS life through violence of another.
the pcrDctrator of the deed must an
swcr with his own. Lei me be lust
! But the law does not say that where
one is Killed q blood sacrifice shall he
made OF the next convenient Individual
If this latter obtains then taking OF
such lifo is not Justice.
1T Is but murder icgalized. Oh. what
hi III
Your honor is about To pronounce words
that viii thrust me over the abyss that
separates our earthly existence from
the higher life. tho life eternal NAV
| shortly stand before the tribunal OF
the Higher Judge. OF whom human
minds have the slightest conceptlon
Isy that tribunal will he adiudged as
now am--nnocent, and will receive
the award OF those who suffer wrong
fully on this earth.
Harmed Try False Stories
Your honor, an astounding and out
rageous state of affairs obtained prcvl-
oua and during my trial. On the
streets rumor and gossip carried vile
vicious and damnine stories i'm regard
To me and my life These stories were
absolutely false. aud did me great
harm as they bcclouded aud obscsscd
the public mind and outraged il against
me.
From tho public in this state OF
mind. the jury that tried me was
chosen. Not alone were these stories
circulated on the street. but 10 the
shame-'of our community he it said
these vile msinuations crept into my
trial, into the courtroom, creeping in
insidiousiy, like "a thief in the night.
The virus OF these damnin,r insiru-
ntions entered the minds OF the twelve
men and stole away their judicial
frame of mind and their moral courage