The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-19

frank O1almed Innocence
 The manner of making the supposed information public was for the per- son telling the story to say that it had come from an intimate friend who had perfect confidence in him, but whose name. of course, could not be used One statement that caused much comment began by referring to the loyalty and bravery" of the men who did the lynch- ing. but closed with the statement that Frank said just before he was drawn up and strangled to death that he was innocent. Each one of these stories in- dicate that Frank was not harmed on the trip from Milledgeville to the lyncnlng scene and that he met death in full reali- ation of the fate that awaited him.
 After those stories had caused com ment another one was brought forth to- day in which il was said that Frank s la words conveyed an evasive answer tc question as to his guilt.
 One of these statements published here today, quoted citizen of Mari etta, whose name was kept secret but who was said%to be in a position to know. as follows.
 Ever since the day Governor Sla- ton committed the sentence of Frank .ne hanging has been in process of formulation. There was not a miss ing thread from the fabric of the per feeted scheme when the 25 men set out early Monday night for Milledge- vile.
 Meetings were held in a spot so conspicuous that you would be as tonished to hearsits name called. A leader was chosen, a man who bears as reputable name as you would hear in a lawful community. Hundreds of men would have obeyed him.
 ''rhe 25 men who were chosen, although this was not the entire number avail able, were business-lil<e as well as de : tcrmined. Like business ventures they would not go into it without first knowing every lay of the ground
 Learned of Conditions Advance men were sent to Milledge- vile. where they made thorough ob- servations of the prison and it's sur roundings. which included barbed wire entanglements, and acquainted them selves with the telegraph and tele- l'hone connections.
 "On Monday night two men were sent in advance of the main body. They reconnoitered and severed telegraph and telephone connections with the prison so that authorities in the sur ounding territory could not be notified and intercept them as they carried
 Frank to his place of death Tt was originally planned to carry frank to the cemetery in which Mary Phagan's body is buried. but daybreak overlook the captors There was no little dissenson over the proposal to hold the l,nching in the woods where il took place but word from the mob S leader silenced all opposition Asked to recount the actual hang ing of Frank and what happened. he is said to have replied.
 Nobody ever will know that out side of the men who were actually pres ent."
 He never confessed" was the con cluding answer. according to the pub llshed account.
 Local postal authorities today excluded from the mails post card photographs of Franks body before it was cut down. Photographers and others did a large business selling them m Marietta and Atlanta yesterday and last night. Act ing Mayor Ragsdale received several pro- tests against their sale here today but said he was powerless to stop the vendors who had obtained license to sell them. Three such licenses were isslued. Mir.