Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-04
Continued From Page l.

Sor what he declares was his perjurec
testimony.
The lad goes into great detail as tf
the manner in which his TESTIMONY
was built.up. and asserts that he told
Black repeatedly that it was lie, bat
that the detectives invariable reply
was that il would be "all right and
that he would give Epps some none,
to get out Of town after the trial II
he wished to 90.
Black is the witness who Wllted un-
der the TRIBE IRE OF Luther kosser' s
cross examination during he Frank
trial and became so confused that be
was compelled 20 leave the stand.
Here is the Epps' affidavit in full;
Epps Boys Affidavit
state Of Georgia County OF Bald
win
Now comes George Epps. who,
upon his solemn oath. deposes ana
saws: I am IS years OF age ! reside
at No. 246 Fox street, in the city oil
Atlanta. but at present I am the re-
formatory a: Milledgeville. Georgia.
In August, 1918 I was a witness Tor
the State against Leo M. Frank, VINO
was at that time on trial for the muir
der OF Mary Phagan.
Il was also called as a witness by
the Solicitor General before the COR
oner's inquest over the death OF Mary
Phagan.
Il now state that Mt both the Cor
oner's inquest and the trial Of Leo NJ.
Frank | swore falsely. | now state
that was persuaded to give the ia'Sc
Testimony In both OF the before men
toned hearings by Detective John
Black. / am glad OF the chance 10
tell the truth and relieve my nllhu
and COINCIDENCE and clear myself OF
the periured testimony given at both
hearings ] have prayed to Coo TOT
forgiveness. and ! now want to eX-
plain all OF the circumstances and IN
1uances that made me swear falsely
at both Of those hearings. l VIII say
that the only statements In my testl-
mony that IL Of truth Is that ! knew
Mary Phagan and that ] rode on the
street car with her on April 70, 1918
which was the last time ! ever saw
Mary Phagan alive
ITO explain all of the particulars as
10 how | become to be lead TO give
false testimony in the Mary Phagan
case, will begin with my hrst meet
ing with Detective John Black 0r me
police force My home IL IN the
neighborhool in which Mary Phagah
lived. and knew her and most OF the
nelghborhood knew her, and II was
known throughout the neighporhoou
that John Black was making m
auiries there for boys ana girls OF
neighbors that knew her.
Tells of Black Seeing Him.
1T was known generally In the
neirhborhood that played with Mary
Phagan and talked with her around
the streets OF the neighborhood In
Nav 1919. | was employed at Hirsch-
Spits Bed Factory in the city OF At
lanta, and one day in May ! was toId
a. my boss IN the factory there was
somebody out at the front who want
cd ia see me and I went ont and the
man who was there and who wanted
10 see me was Detective John Black.
He then told me that he understood
that / knew something about the
Mary Phagan case. told MIN l
didn't know anything about the MARY
Phaghan murder case, but In repiy Va
his further questions, admitted that !
knew Mary Phagan.
~ also told him that ! rode down
town on the same car with Mary Pha-
gan on April 26. 1913. He asked me
what time | boarded tn Gear and /
fold him IL was between 10 ana 10
minutes 10 ~. He asked me how !
knew the time. aud I told him ] had
seen the time on a clock that is IN
Mr. Rrvan's store. There Is in this
store a clock. and while standing in
the door Of this store ! noticed that
clock The minute hand was then
between the hours Of and 10 and
the hour hand was nearly to IL
O'clock know that this clock Is not
reliable "a TO time sometimes II
doesn't run at all. but II Is the only
clock that | saw; that IS how ! kne"
the time that | was boarding the car.
Il had been playing ball and, being
Saturday, I did not work at the fac
tory. but went downtown and sold
Dewspa pers and l generally left home
10 20 downtown about II o'clock, but
/ was afraid / would be late this day
April 20. Black further questioned
me If l saw Mary Phagan on the car
and told him ] did, that she sat in
the front seat on the left hand side
facing forward. and ! sat three seats
behind her.
Spoke TO Her on Street.
II did not speak TO Mary Phagan on
the car. but when we got OF the car
at Marietta and Forsyth streets Mary
got off ahead Of me. and | said. Hell
10, Mary. Where are you going z
Mary answered, and said, I'm going
TO get my money and 60 to see the
parade. this day being Decoration
Day. and a holiday. This WAS all OF
the conversation that had with Mary
on that day ! last saw Mary as she
was going over the viaduct south on
Forsyth street, and ! went under the
viaduct to The journal building