The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-04-19
y. S. Supreme Court Gives a
Decision Against Leon NJ.
Frank of Atlanta
CONVICTED OF MURDER
OF MISS MARY PHAGAN
One of the Most Celebrated Cases of
Recent Years-Supreme Court Says
He Had Fullest Right to Be Heard
in Georgia.

in Georgia.
WASHINGTON, April 19-The Su-
preme court of the United States to-
day decided against Leo Frank in his
habeas corpus case.
Justice Pitney delivered the opinion
of the court saying: Gin all the pro-
ceedings in court Of Georgia the fullest
right and opportunity to be heard ac-
cording to the established modes of
procedure have been accorded to him. 2
Leo NJ. Frank s legal fight for life
has taken a place among the cele-
brated murder cases of recent years.
Seven times since his conviction in
August, 1913, the lower and supreme
courts of the state of Georgia refused
to grant Frank new trial or to set
aside the verdict; three times the SEN
tence Of death was passed upon him
and twice appeals were made to the
United States supreme court, the first
being unsuccessful and the second re-
sulting in the decision today.
The murder of 14-year-old Mary
Phagan. q factory employe of Atlanta,
Ga, which as first appeared to be Il
crime Of only local Importance, even
tually developed into case of nation
wide interest. This was due in large
part to the efforts of Frank and his
friends to obtain for him a new trial
or annulment of the verdict Added
interest in Atlanta was given the case
because of its having been brought in
to municipal political controversy,
which involved attacks on that city 5
police and detective departments AND
wrangles among factions in the city Is
administration.
Soon after the trial ended the case
came in for agitation which spread all
over the country.
Mary Phagan was murdered April
| 90, 1918, on Southern holiday in OBJ
servance of Confederate Memorial day
! Shortly after noon of the day she was
seen to enter the pencil factory in At
lanta where she had been employed
and where she went to obtain wages
due her. Her body was found next
morning in the basement of the fac
[ tory. with a cord tied about her neck
Leo NJ. Frank, young Jew, a cot
| legc graduate and married, whose home
| had been in Brooklyn, y. y, was SUI
perintendent Of the pencil factory
| Three days after the murder Frank
was arrested on suspicion and on May
5, Frank and q negro watehman at tht
| factory, Newt Lee, We're held by the
coroner for the grand jury 5 action
| Lee subsequently was released. Six
teen days later tJimi Conley, q ne
gro sweeper at the factory made {
confession to the police in which n,
accused Frank of having killed tn,
Phagan girl, and declared he had help
ed dispose of the body. ConIey, wht
was one of the chief witnesses for th
state at Franks trial. was convicte,
as an acessofy after the murder il
February, 1914, and sentenced to on
year 5 imprisonment. He began hi
term last July.
Frank was placed on trial in su
perior court, July %, 1913, Judge /
S. Roam presiding Judge Roan die,
March %. 1915, in New York. A ver
diet of guilty was returned August %
Frank being sentenced to death. i
his statement to the jury at the clos
of his trial Frank said he had see
Mary Phagan in his Office in the fac
tory. few minutes before the tim
the state contended she was murdered
that he paid the girl her wages an
| mat size te1i HIS OuiCt. Inc tuGutN =
, the defense has been that Conley, wh
was about the building when the gin
; entered, and who had been drinking
! attacked and killed the girl after sh
left Frank s Office.
In October, 1918, Frank s attorney
filed motion for q new trial, allies
ing 103 errors in admission of test
mony and conduct of the trial, an
S also charging that demonstrations b
the crowd within and outside the coul
room during the trial had interfere
4 with a fair verdict. Judge Roam d
: MED the motion and the Georgia 81
: preme court affirmed his action Febrl
: ary II, 1914. A motion for rehearin
:, of the appeal was denied by the stat
supreme court two weeks later.