The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-01-04
EXECUTION OF
OF LIE Nj. FRAN WILL
BE LEGAL MURDER
,Continued from Page oneJ


stains from a shirt Conley and the
shirt were taken TO police headquar
ters and locked up in separate com
partinents
When cross-examined, Conley ac-
cused Frank OF the crime.
Conley's testimony was ia effect
this:
Frank was given TO immoral prac-
tees and he had let Conley know that
he was after Mary Phagan Frank
called him into his confidence on the
day preceding the crime and told the
Negro that the Phagan girl was com
ing to the factory the next day and
that while she was in his office on
the second floor Conley was TO stand
on guard in the hallway.
This fatal day was April 27. the
confederate memorial day, and though
most of the employees were given a
holiday, Frank was at the Office 10
finish up some pressing business
Then. to resume Conley's story,
Frank. having the Phagan girl in his
Office, told Conley 10 come at the
stamp of his foot and unlock the door.
Conley dozed off 10 sleep and was
awakened TO find his master tapping
him excitedly with the point of his
right shoe. "I guess hit her too
hard, and she's lying on the floor in
the machine ROOM was the gist of
Conley's remembrance Of what his
master had said Conley then went
to the room and found the girl dead.
His master was excited and said TO
wrap the girl up In a gunnysack and
the two would take the body down TO
the basement furnace for burning.
This they did. and Conley promised
TO return and burn the girls body. but
got drunk on the money Frank gave
him and forgot to.
And forthwith Frank was locked UP
as a suspect
Immediately the populace arose al
most as one man and cried for the
death OF Frank TO expiate the STAY
ing OF the Phagan girl as we'll as the
other crimes in which there had been
no conviction Frank was removed
from one Jail 10 another and the state
militia was notified 10 be in readiness
at a moments call TO prevent mob VIC
lence. On Monday evening. July 2s,
1918, after an unusually short time.
the personnel OF the jury which was
TO try Frank on the homicide charge
was agreed upon.
At the trial the crowd was intense
in it's antagonism toward Frank. Inc
jurymen had their attention distracted
by men in the audience who shouted.
YOU'D better hang the Jew. III you
don't. well hang him and get you,
too" The populace considered the
iurymen its personal enemies untl
they had shown otherwise by bringing
the verdict it wanted. The wives OF
the iurymen received threatening tel
epbone calls and notes from the en-
ragged citizenry.
The case OF the state rested almost
entirely upon the testimony or Con
lev. who. in his FIVE different state
ments. contradicted himself in many
details. Conley was admittedly
drunkard. His habits were proved TO
he the most disreputable. Yet his tes-
timonv prevailed over that of Frank.
against whose hitherto upright char
acter not one word OF substantlateu
accusation was brought
At the conclusion OF the case-and
here was where his constitutional
rights are alleged TO have been denled
him-the Judge had Frank removed
10 1all SO as UOl 10 Dt piSS'hN 1890
the verdict was read.
After three hours deliberation, the
Jury returned a verdict OF guilty. This
was Aug. %. 1918.
Since that time efforts have been
made on FIVE occasions 20 get Frank
a new trial, without success. The al.
torneys for the defense have declared
they have new evidence that woulu
show. without the question OF doubt.
that their client Is innocent Recently
a supreme court Justice OF the United
States. Justice Holmes, declared that
he was under the impression that
Franks trial had been irregular.
The federal court judges and the
state supreme court Judges in Georgia
have refused 10 grant Frank a rehear-
inc. and unless some legal miracle
happens before Jan. %. he Will hang.
The only possibility OF escape from
tho fate IL the intervention OF the
state board OF pardons. the president.
the governor or the action OF the
United States supreme court judges.
nUnVNr nDnDE nE