The Washington times., 1915-02-21
Testimony of Minola Mcknight, Cook in Frank
Household. Indicates Accused Man Is
Victim of Amazing 'Frame-Up.'
FORCED TO SWEAR HIS LIFE AWAY


As negro furnished the testimony upon which the State of
Georgia hoped to hang Leo NJ Frank for the murder of Mary
Phagan the National Pencil Factory Atlanta Ga negro
gave the defense its strongest card in its contention that
the whole against Frank tissue of lies and perfumes and
"frame.up" from start to finish
The testimony Of this negres Mnola Mcknight cook in
the home of Frank and his wife, who lived with Mrs. Franks
parents presented oda nstalen Of the Phagan murder
trial evidence If worth of the slightest credence-and it is
offered has been all the other testimony the famous trial.
the review and unbiased judgment Of the general pu makes
Frank the victim of determination the part of the police and
the Solicitor General of Fulton county, to send him to the gaows
regardless of his innocence guilt
Mnola who type of the ignorant servants in Southern
households that she frightened into signing utterly
false affidavit against Frank by the threats Of the detectives to keep
her In jail until she did No amount of grlng by the solicitor
could bulge her She didn't know all that
the statement she said puported to relate conversations in
the Frank home that damaging to the defendant
Mnola told the court that she would have signed anything get
out Of that cell at Police Headquarters.
Surprising dramatic interest the startling accusations
against Dorsey and the police by the Mcknight the
denuncaon Of the solicitor by Mrs. Rae Frank Of Brooklyn
mother of the prisoner who threw the court into turmoil toward
the end of the trial by nerpng Dorsey the midst of his
examination and excamng that he we'll of the faly
of his insinuatons of immortality against her
The elder Mrs Frank had sat silence throughout the greater
part Of the fearful ordeal Her only sign when the Coney
telling his vile story the lowering of her head Time after
time Dorsey back to the subject of her alleged immoral
practices Toward the last became apparent that beco-
ing than the loyal mother spirit could endure As Dorsey
which, they actually happened the witness could
ng Franks indignation broke bounds and she screamed
her wrath at the solicitor regardless of the dignity of the court and
the efforts Of Franks counsel to calm her.
The cross.examnaon leading to her outbreak is included
in to-day nament so far as properly may be printed Franks
lawyers nearing their cas marshang
by the testify the good reputation and character of the
defendant and to discredi the witnesses for the State.
Girls the factory that they had known heard
any wrong conduct the part Frank Franks college
and his instructors Cornell Atlanta testify his
in in hod
exemplary far they had known One factory g becoming
somewhat hyseca proessed her willingness TO die place
frank, whom she "knew' to be innocent.
All of the testimony presented by the defense preliminary
remarkable statement by the prisoner himself which will be
>"t1shed ina succeeding installment in this paper.
achieved its most pronounced success demon
2ng Jim Conley liar Of exceptional magnitude in the es
mony Of Harry Scott Pnkerton detective reproduced in last
weeks nsamen The detective under the close questioning
Luther Rosse admitted that the the stand had changed
of important places the story of what transpred the
day tragedy as he previously related the police
Other witnesses Dr. L. w. Chids medical expert who
rdcued the time estimates made by Dr. H. F. Harr State
expert Daisy Hopkins the woman in the who made complete
denial that she had attended the alleged gay parties in Franks
office, and W. M Matthew'S motorman, who that Mary
Phagan rode to town on his car.
Matthews said that Mary did at Forsyth and
Streets of the States Witnesses young George
Epps had He also attacked Epps story by tesfyng tina
he did not the boy sit with Mary and fact did not him
the car.
He said that he saw another girl the seat with Mary whom
he did not know and that the two got of the together oa
and Hunter streets Epps early in the trial testified that he
Mary ride to the day of the murder and got
with her at Forsyth and Marietta streets
As todays nstalment opens Solicitor Dorsey conducting
vigorous crosexamnaton of the witness He had just aket
Matthews why he willing to tell the jury that Mary
to Hunter street and did get off back Marietta
To this Matthews REPLIED "Wel because it's truth
that's the I'm willing to tell it, To-days nstament con
tinues from this point
f: e. a. %
positively grit wa