Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-08-25
|1urv Returns Verdict That frank Was Hanged by "Parties Unknown"
SAW MOB;
 NONE RECOGNIZED
rormer Sheriff of Marietta Learns of Il flair Before Hanging; Saw Lynch ers Go By His Place, But Sheds No Light on Identity.

Marietta, Ga., Aug. Z4.-l he Colo ner,s jury today, after being unable to elicit from any of the Il witnesses anv clue as to the identity of anyone connected with the lynching of Leo Nj Frank, who was found hanging to tree at Frye's gin, near this city, on the morning of August IF, rendered verdict that the faTou prisoner came to his death by hanging at the Hands of parties unknown.
 Testimony given at the inquest, in- dcated that the city and county of- |ficials had endeavored diligently to aMertain the facts of the lynching, land the identity of any or all of the party that participated in The hang linz. but thus far their efforts have proved futile. ..
 The nearest disclosure as to what Happened in the oak grove near Frye's gin, w'7s the testimony of J. IA Benson, a merchant of Marietta. who drove by tie place soon after the lynching party had parked it's auto- mobiles by the roadside and had led Frank to the tree where denth awaied him. While Benson testified That he "had a pretty good suspicion as to what was going on," he did not recognize anybody in the party, and Towing to the careless handling of guns, deemed it the better part of yal0r to proceed on his way"
 esaM Lynchers E. Raeagnized None.
 After several othfr witnesses testi- fled that they viewed the body but declared they knew nothing of the ac- tual lynching, w. J. Frey. owner of the place on which Frank was lynched. was called.
 Frey, former sheriff of Cobb coun- i ty was expected to be the star wit ness of the inquest.
 "Mr. Frey" asked acting Solicitor Dorsey. "did you know Leo M, Frank?"
 T attended his trial in Al lanta two days, but l did not know him." You were among the first to dis cover the body?"
 Well, sir, when I got there with rus Benson and Walter Gam, there wasn' anybody in the grove but Leo Frank"
 When did you first know anything aad happened that morning?" T think it was about , o'clock that morning my brother telephoned the state prison farm had been broken ln'o and Frank taken out" what did you do then?" Dldnt do anything but went on aDout my business at home" Former Sheriff Suspicious.
 walter Gam, a travelling man rom rom Augusta, was visiting at my ,nce l live right on the main road. MT Gann and I were in the field soout 6:3O or ' o'clock, when three or . ,ouf automobiles came whizzing by apart" ""o"' 'o '"' "'
 ., rnen what happened"
 h, Meil, Sir. having heard about the riss" isSA at the prison farm. it popped ,sm .a up into my mind there was r1s,netning doing in the way of ouk.
 Mr. Frey said the, man he after ss ea'a round out was Frank was seat na III the rear seat of one of the a;ss passlng Cars, and man being on e',aer a side of him.
 o..., uia you recognize any of the other par.Aes in the cars?"
 No Sir"
 aWo wo you know who they were?"
 M were they masked?"
 the,u Mo' but they all wore goggles and
 ' races were covered with dust" oensa nad at no idea anything had hap csme uu \. .nat close to my home. So I Nhins ns on to town. but did not see any vhass. s yet. I went to the cemetery thsra .e Mary Phagan is buried. but bacs was notailg there. came Son A , mo Marietta and met Gus Ben hlas s who said: Bill. those amtomn- I d, droan turned in the road by your gin., vhsn hr0ve right back to hhe gin. and thMa a we we reached the oak grove ins. was the body Of Frank hang
 looked at him. but did not mt
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