The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-06-21
'CLEMENCY
GRANTED BY
GOVERNOR
Sentence COMMITTED to Life Impris-
onment and Convict is Hur-
ried Off to the State
Prison Farm
BY United Press.

~ OhftC0 AtEnns
Atlanta, Ga, June 2l-With the
shadow of the gallows already gather
ing about him. Leo Frank, through ex-
ecutive clemency granted today, was
saved from paying the extreme pen
atty for his alleged crime.
Franks sentence was commuted by
the governor to life Imprisonment and
he was hustled off by the sheriff at
midnight.
The sheriff was notified Of the gov.
ernors action only short time before
the departure. Frank will probably
begin work on the State prison farm
at MiIledgeyille Tuesday
The governor would not talk about
y the case Yesterday, though it
was known that he had decided upon
communication OF sentence
II is understood that the governor
withheld the announcement of his de-
cision because OF fear OF mob violence.
He announced that later in the day
he would give out a complete state
ment Of the reasons upon which his
action was based
Story Of the Crime.
The murder OF the little Phagan girl
was one OF the most atrocious in Geor-
gia history The evidence against
Frank, except that OF the negro. Con
ley. was entirely circumstantial The
whole case was based ON circum-
stances tending to substantiate Con-
ley's confession
Mary Phagan was the daughter of
Mrs. J. w Coleman--her mother hav-
ing remarked The child. although
barely IA years OF age. was unusually
large and well developed for her age.
Saturday. April &c. 1913. the day of
the murder. was a Dixie holiday, Con-
federale Memorial day. Mary Phagan
left her home, arrayed in her best at
tire, for 1.-The parade and celebration
uoNu tuWHs nuoiti} pFiott NUM- oieTt
a hurried lunch. TO collect si.25 owing
her She had not worked for three
weeks in the factory and did not know
that other employees had been notified
to call the previous day for their pay.
She arrived at the factory shortly
after noon. Frank said he gave her
her money and she left Thereafter,
conflicting testimony regarding her
fate begins. She did not return to her
home that night, and search was be-
gun.
At 800 the following morning her
body was found by Newt Lee, night
watchman, in the cellar of the factory
Her face was almost unrecognlzabls.
The body had evidently been dragged
face downward through cinders and
dirt. A shoe was torn off, her hat,
parasol and mesh purse were lost, and
her clothing torn A cord, such as
was used in the factory, was tied
tightly, pressing into her throat.
AS Frank had been the last person
TO see her alive and was said to have
been alone in the factory in the after
noon, except for some workmen in the
rear suspicion fastened upon him. He
was arrested.two days later. Suspic-
ION against the night watchman soon
cleared away. Not until few days
later was suspicion directed at the
negro. Conley It was learned and ad-
mitted that he had been in the factory
on the afternoon of the murder. He
had also been accidentally discovered
washing a stained shirt
Testimony of conIey.
"A Conley at first denied all knowledge
of the murder. Altogether he gave
five widely different versions of his
actions. Two illiterate notes we're
found beside the Phagan girls body.
One said tall slim black negro
(Conley is short and brightly had
committed the crime. Conley also at
first denied he could write or read.
T.afar ha said Frank forced him 20