Perth Amboy evening news., 1915-06-21
Fearing Outbreak at Atlanta
Sheriff Removes Him to
Prison in Auto.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR
Says He is Sure He is Right
Will Spend the Rest of His
Days in 0bscurity If
1t Is Necessary.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR
Special BY United Press WIRE.

GDectai BY United Press Wire
Atlanta. Ca, June 21:-His SEN
tence commuted from death to life
Imprisonment, Leo Nj. Frank left for
state prison at Milledgeville at mid
night. Sheriff Mandum was notified
of the communication short time be-
fore the train left. He put the pris-
oner In his automobile and rushed
him onto the train. Governor Slaton
today promised statement in which
he would give his reasons for COM
muting the sentence. Preliminary
to the statement he issued the fol-
lowing:
"All l ask Is that the people of
Georgia read my statement and con-
slider calmly the reasons I have CIV
en- for committing this mans sen
tence to life imprisonment. i am
absolutely satisfied that l did right"
Frank began a term of imprison-
ment about sunrise on the Georgia
state prison farm Workmen in the
jail were taking down the scaffold
on which he was to have been
hanged tomorrow. 1t was not until
breakfast this morning that more
than the merest handful of Allan
tans knew that Governor Slaton had
granted a Communication of sentence
to the man whom the jury had con-
victed of the murder of Mary Pha-
gan, a worker in the pencil factory
here of which Frank was superin-
tendent. At first the public's atti-
tude was Unexpectedly calm. Off
cials had prepared for a violently
hostile demonstration. Surprised
but gratifed they thought for a
time that their arrangements had
been unnecessary. Later develop
ments showed their original guess
was the correct one. AS the news
circulated crowds began to gather in
the streets. The police became act
I've at once. Mounted officers tried
to keep the throng on the move. Five
mountaineers from Marietta county.
where the girl lived, refused point
blank to move on from the vicinity
and were promptly arrested.
But what can they do some one
asked, with Frank four hours ride
away?"
Its not Frank they're talking
about. It's Governor Slaton," said
a police captain.
At 1920 a mob several hundred
strong marched from the down town
section to the capitol to see the gov
ernor. The governor was not there.
He remained at his country place
three miles outside of Atlanta con-
ferring with city authorities by tele-
phone and messenger. From the
governor came short note assuring
the people he knew that he had done
right and begging them to wait a
lengthy statement he would issue
later in the day setting forth in full
his reasons for committing Franks
senteneeS
Just when the state executive
reached his decision was known only
to himself. 1t was thought he would
announce 1t last Thursday, but he
postponed 1t until Friday. From
Friday he postponed it again until
Saturday, when he announced 1t
would not be forthcoming until
Monday afternoon or perhaps Tues
day
Governor Slaton's statement Civ
ing the reasons for committing the
sentence reached Atlanta from ex-
ecutives country residence a little
before noon. It included more than
I0,UUU WOTuS ana DGSdH Win d ColH-
plete review of the case.
Feeling as | do about this case.
! would be murderer If / allowed
this man to hang. 1t means that
must live in obscurity the rest OF
my days, but would rather be plow-
Ing in field than to feel for the rest
of my days that | had mans blood
on my hands," said the governor in
his statemnt.
The shadow of death hung over
Leo NJ. Frank for two years before
he was finally commuted today as
the murderer of Mary Phagan. He
sought to escape it by every means;
nothing in law or criminal procedure
being overlooked that would pre-
vent him from gong to his death.
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