Arizona republican., 1915-08-25
Verdict Is Returned by Jury After Three Min utes' Deliberation-Death at the Hands of Parties Unknown.
GRAND JURY TO
 CONSIDER AFFAIR
Mayor of Marietta Says When Told Frank $ Body Had Been Found Near Town Thought Story Was Only a Hoax.
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPArCHl

MARIETTA, Aug. 24.-The coroner's i inquest into the lynching of Leo M. Frank resulted in verdict of death-at the hands of parties unknown" Not an official nor a citizen examined threw the slightest light upon the iden- tity of the men who took Frank from the state prison farm at MilledgeviSe, and hanged him in the outskirts of Marietta.
 When the testimony was concluded there Was nothing to guide the jury to any other verdict than the one reached in less than three minutes dellberation.
 The next step in the Frank inquiry is expected to be taken when the grand jury meets in Marietta on September 1st. Judge Patterson of the Blue Ridge circuit court will deliver a special charge and Solicitor General Clay will direct the investigation.
 Several persons living near the scene of the lynching testified at the inquest, but either not separately or closely enough to identify individuals.
 Mrs. G. W. Ayres, who lives near the Frey gin, said she saw nothing un- usual on the morning of the lynching.
 J. A. Benson, Marietta merchant, known as Gus Benson, was the next witness. He drove in from the country soon after the lynching party had passed the Frey place.
 Driving to town I saw three or four cars parked near the Frey gin, but I didn't stop" said Benson.
 What did you see?"
 T saw a man step out of one of the cars"
 Did you recognize him?'
 No sir
 Did you recognize anybody in any of the cars? ?"
 No, sir, I was going pretty fast"
 Well, where did you get an idea that Frank had been hanged there at the gin?"
 From the cars there. When I pass ed the Frey place, Bill called to me that he thought there was something doing. l had seen a morning paper about what happened at the prison farm. So it all excited my suspicion"
 Did you see again or recognize any of the machines that you passed at the gin?"
 No. sir
 ietta, said he knew nothing of the lNnCIlDS ullll dIleI lue DOuS Hdu DttH discovered.
 Mayor Dobbs of Marietta, and state senator. said that when he first heard of the 1ynching. he thought the story was a hoax. T met Deputy Sheriff Hicks said the Mayor and I asked him about it. He said he knew nothing. I suggested that we get a car and go aut to the Frey gin, although I thought at the time that when we got back to toWS the folks would have good laugh on us l did not believe we would find { Frank. but when we got to the oak thic1et there he was hanging by the neck.
 Deputy Sheriff Hicks took charge of the situation. We have done all in our power to find out who composed the party that hanged Frank. I told Marshal Looney to instruct the entire police force to get all the information possible, and to report the slightest clue.
 Have you received any report?"
 No sir, not yet"
 "Is there anything else you would like to say?'
 I have seen in the papers that lot of automobiles were missing from Marietta the morning of the lynching. The truth is We did not miss a single one. It may have been people from or, Da rThraal