The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1915-06-26
CEORC|ANS YELL
AGAINST SLATON
hob Marches en- HiS HOmGii
Militia Is Called Out


Saves Lie or go vi. Frank - IN
Atlanta EIob Of Professors After
Parading Streets Gather In House
and Senate Chambers at Capitol ard
Hold Indignation Meeting.
Atlanta, June IA crowd estimat.
ed at 10000 persons formed in the
center OF Atlanta last night and after
listening TO speeches Genunciat0ry Of
Governor SlatOn because the executive
commuted the death sentence OF Leo
NJ. Frank to life imprisonment, began
a march to the governors country
home, six miles from the city.
1--WE want John NJ. SIaton, Georgia's
traitor governor" cried the mob as
it left the city.
Company G., Georgia national guard,
was hurriedly summoned to the gov
ernor's home and d Gordon was formed
about the gates. The governor then
proclaimed martial law for a distance
Of One-half mile on either side of his
estate and instructed Captain Cheron,
commanding the troops, to order 4
u ONu vi dUCuI IOO LISly NIICn I1du
assembled near the gates, to disperse.
Advancing with fixed bayonets the
militia soon scattered the crowd.
When informed a mob was coming
to his home Governor Slaton said:
"The mob can come and tear me to
pieces, but l will know that | have
done what l have done to uphold the
right and honor Of Georgia. The ones
who are bowling the loudest now are
the very ones who will be the first to
approve my action in a short time.
couldn't hang any man when there
was a doubt as to his guilt. l could
not sit here like Pontius Plate and
turn Frank over to be executed. |
had to do what was right The whole
thing is just this: The people VINO
are doing all the talking have not read
the evidence in the Frank case"
Indignation meetings are being held
in many towns at which resolutions
denouncing the governor are adopted.
At Marietta, where Mary Phagan
was born and buried, Governor Slat0n
has been hanged in efigy. Following
a great mass meeting at which Slaton
was bitterly denounced a life size
dummy was suspended from a tele-
graph pole in the public square with
this inscription:
John M. Slaton, King of the Jews
and GeOrgia's traitor governor"
The governor was also hanged in
effigy at Woodstock and other places.
Turbulent crowds marched through
Atlanta's streets denouncing the gov,
ernor, but there has been no approach
to rioting. Only five arrests were
made and these were for disorderly
conduct. All the police reserves were
out, however, and the city authorities
closed ali the. near beer saloons and
the locker clubs.
The most striking demonstration oc-
Cured at the capitol, where several
thousand people gathered and yelled,
1--WE want John M. Slaton." The
crowd did not find the governor, how
ever, for he did not leave his home.
The crowd after hearing denunciatory
addresses from the capitol steps IL
vaded the capitol and held meetings
in the house and senate chambers at
which resolutions denouncing the gov
ernor were adopted.
The tenor of the resolutions is that
Governor Saton has destroyed trial
by jury and broken down the courts
of Georgia.
'Su l ask is that the people OF
Georgia read my statement and con
slider calmly the reasons that / have
given for committing Leo M. Franks
sentence to life Imprisonment" said
Governor Slaton. Feeling as I do
about this case I would be a murderer
if I allowed that man to hang. I
would rather be ploughing in a field
than to feel for the rest OF my lie
that l had that mans blood on my
hands"
The governor discussed with report.
eTs some Of the points which led him
to commute the sentence. He showed
a remarkable familiarity with the
record and when reporters remarked
on the fact he said:
4 have learned that record almost
by heart. Mr.. Dorsey himself, I don't
believe, is more familiar with the
record than I am"
The governor is positive in his
statements indicating that all doubt
of the guilt of Conlev and the inno-
cence Of Frank has been removed
from his mind by his careful study of
the facts Of the case.
The governors decision, which
makes about nine ordinary newspaper
columns, is a thorough review of the
case from the beginning.