Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-06-21
0|s0RDERLY SCENES ENACTED IN ATLANTA
WHEN COMMUTA7ION IS ANNOUNCED
Order Issued to Arrest Any One Attempting to Incte
Violence Governor Slaton Issues Statement Re-
viewing Evidence and Declares He Would Be MUIR
derer If He Permitted Frank to Be Executed Gov
ernor Expects to be Ostracized Because of Action
Prefers Life Of Obscurity to Guilty Conscience.

Atlanta, Ga. Juno 21.-Leo NJ
Fraults death sentence was commuted
10 lifs.imprisonment today by Governor
slaton. The governors decision came
several hoursl after Frank had been
taken to the state prison farm al
Midgeville. Frank was sentenced to De
hanged here tomorrow for the murder
Of Mary Phagan.
when early reports Of the commuta-
tion Of the sentence had been circu-
lated, crowds began to gather on street
cornsrs. The arrest Of a man who at
tempted to dismount policeman, who
xrabbedA the horses reihs. stirred one
crowd and they followed the officer to
the city hall.
speahers started to harangue the
crowd from the city hall steps but
wero stopped by . force Of extra DO
lice.
ss Il was stated . delegation was COM
Ing here from Marietta, the former
homo Of Mary Phagan.
oovosssor "No Murdsror.n
Governor. Sla1on was At his country
hoine whom hs made his decision. He
made tn following statement:
.All that ask II that the people OF
Georei1 ssaASmy statement Of the rea-
sons for conlanutine the sentence before
they pass judGmsat- FEELING a. do
nh<,trf this caoe. I Would be . murderer
IL would allow this man to hang. II
means that must live in obscurity the
rest Of my days. but I would rather be
plouxhing in the fields the rest of my
life than to feel / had that mans blood
on my hands.'
IA statement viii be made public
later.
Ixera Policemen Called.
Altho crowds on tho streets discuss
inx the Frank case did not appear 30
excited - the day wore on. the police
ordered all-near-by saloons closed
shortly before IL o'clock and an extra
leo policemen were put on duty. Orders
1 were issued TO Immediately arrest any
ono attempting to incite violence.
The frst OFFICIAL announcement Of
z ths governors decision was made at
S:42 this morning. Extra editions OF
the local newspapers containing tine
unofficial announcement caused crowds
10 form Comment disapproving tile
decision was heard in the gatherings.
Governor Explains Action.
In his abatement exhaustively ex-
planning his reason for committing
4 Franks sentence. Governor Slaton re-
viewed the circumstances surrounding
the murder Of Mary Phagan in the Ma
tional pencil factory here on April 26.
1913, the conviction Of Frank and his
appeals for clemency. Continuing the
statement reads:
The murder was q most heinous
one ana the offender deserves the pun
ishmsnt Of death. The only question
Il - to tho identity Of the criminal.
The responsibility 10 on the people Of
Georgia to protect the lives Of her Cit
izens and to maintain the dignity Of
her laws and II the choice is to meet
the appreciation Of the citizens Of other
ternativa.
Court and Jury Tsrrorixsd.
.sIt 10 charged that the court and Jury
were Eterrorixed by mob and that the
I Jury wore coerced into their verdict.
when Frank was indicted and the air
was nIled With rumors ~ to murder
and the mutilation of the girl, there
va intense feeling to the extent that
my predecessor, Governor Brown.
stated I'm argument before me that he
had the militia ready to defend the de-
f1ndent II an attack was made"
The governor refers to Georgia's
laws relating to change Of venue. de-
claSine these provisions most broad IN
bShslf 81 the defendant to insure q
TRIAL. Frank, he said, went to.
tffn1 without asking Z change of venue.
ma submitted his case to jury &C.
ceptable to him. The statement con-
Dsyend3 court's Power.
ftef evidsnce had been introduced