The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-04-19
ONLY HOPE NOW IS
PARDON FROM GEORGIA
HIGH COURTS DECISION RE-
FUSES WRIT OF HABEAS
CORPUS; TWO DISSENT
iI}y Associated Press. J

Washington, D.. c., April 19-Lec
NJ Frank, under death sentence for
the murder Of Mary Phagan, the At
lanta factory girl, lost another step
in his noted fight for life in the su-
promc court of the United States to-
day.
In decision to which Justice
Holmes and Justice Hughes dissent
cd, tho court today dismissed Franks
appeal frop~~the federal court Of
Georgia, which refused to release him
on writ of haboas corpus.
Franks only hope now is pardon
from Georgias official.
The feeling in Atlanta and Georgia
against Frank is so intense that q
pardon Is almost out of the question,
it is believed
Frank will likely be executed at an
early date.
The Jcwg Of the country have CON
tributed, 100000 toward derraying
Franks court expenses.
Leo N. Franks legal fight for life
las taken a place among the cclebrat-
ed murder cases OF recent years.
Scycn times since his conyicliQAl.4aiin
August, 1918, the lower and supreme
courts Of the state Of Georgia refused
to grant Frank new trial or to ses
aside the verdict; three times the
sentence Of death was passed upon him
and twice appeals we're made to the
United States supreme court, the first
being unsuccessful and the second re-
sulting in the decision today. !
The murder of fourteen-year-old
Mary Phagan, factory employe, OF
Atlanta, Ca, which at first appeared
to be a crime of only local Importance,
eventually developed into a case Of
nation wide interest. This was due
in large part to the efforts of Frank
and his friends to obtain for him a
new trial or annulment of the YER
dict Added interest in Atlanta was
given the case because of its having
been brought into municipal political
controversy, which involved attacks
on that city's police and detective de-
partments and wrangles among fac
tion3 in the city administration.
Soon after the trial ended, the case
came in for agitation which spread all
over the country
Mary Phagan was murdered April
2G, 1913. on Southern holiday in OBJ
scrvancc of Confederate Memorial day.
Shortly afternoon of that day she was
seen to enter the pencil factory, in
Atlanta, where she had been employ
cd and where she went to obtain
wages due her. Her body was found
next morning In the basement OF the
factory, with cord tied about the
neck
Leo. NJ. Frank, a young Jew, a col
legc graduate ami married, WnoIe
home hai becn in Brooklyn \. !,
was superintendent OF the pencil fac
tory. Three days after the murder
Frank was arrested on suspi ion and
ON May s, Frank and a negro watch
man at the factory Newt Lee, were
held by the coroner for the grand
iury's action. Lee subsequently was /
released. Sixteen days later jim !
Conley, negro sweeper at the fac- +,
tory made a confession to the polisc |
in which he accused Frank of having
killed the Phagan girl, and declared
he had helped dispose of the body
Conley. who was one of the chief
witnesses for the state at Franks '
trial. was convicted as an accessory |
after the murder in February. 1914.
and sentenced to one years impris-
onment. He began his term last
July.
Frank was placed on trial in super
for court July 2S, 1918. Judge l.. S.
Roam presiding. Judge Roam died ,
March 90. 1918. in New York. A /
,CopfiDnel on page six 81