The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1915-06-22

ATLANTA, June Ex-Governor Johr
nj. Slaton was at his country home
when he announced his decision in the
Frank appeal for executive clemency
He also made public a statement eX
planning why he commuted the sen
tence In it he called especial atten
ton to the intense feeling that pre-
vailed at the time of the trial of Lee
NJ Frank.
At the time the governor made pub
lie his written statement ne also die
tated the following: "All that | ask
is that the people read my statement
of the reasons why | commuted Leo
NJ Franks death sentence to life i'm
"'Feeling as | do about this cause
would be a murderer if | allowed this
man to hang. It may mean must live
in obscurity the rest of my days but
would rather be plowing in the field
than to feel for the rest of my life
that | had this mans blood on my
hands"
Governor Gives His Reasons.
In his statement eXhaustively ex-
planning his reasons for committing
Franks sentence, Governor Slaton
stated the circumstances surrounding
the murder of Mary Phagan in the
National Pencil factory here on April
26, 1913, the conviction OF Frank and
his appeal for clemency. He mention
ed the attention attracted to the ease
all over the country and the wide
spread appeals for commutation. Con
| tinuing the statement he says:
"The murder was most heinous
one and the offender deserves the pun
ishment of death. The only question
| is as to the identity of the criminal
The responsibility Is upon the people
of Georgia to protect the lives of her
citizens and to maintain the dignity
of her laws, and If her choice must
| be made between the appreciation OF
| citizens Of other states and the en-
| forcement of our laws against offend
ers, we must choose the latter alter
native.
at is charged that the court and
jury were terroriZed by mob and
that the jury was coerced into their
verdict
when Frank was indicted and the
| ir was filled with rumors as to the
murder and mutilation Of the girl
there was intense feeling, and to such
and extent that my predecessor, Gov
ernor Brown, stated in argument be
| fore me that ne had the militia ready
to protect the defendant if any attack
was made. No such attack was made
and from the evidence he maintained
none was contemplated Some weeks
/ later the defendant was put on trial. "
The governor then referred to Geor.
gia's laws relating to change of venue
declaring these provisions are most
! broad in behalf OF the defendant to
| insure one a fair trial. Frank, he said
went to trial without asking a change
of venue and submitted his case to
jury that was acceptable to him
During the progress OF the trial, -
| he continued, after evidence had been
| introduced laying the crime with many
offensive details upon Frank, the feel
ing against him became intense. II
I the audience in the courtroom mani
tested their deep resentment toward
| Frank. 1t was largely by this evidence
/ Of feeling beyond the courts power tc
correct It would be difficult for an
/ appellate court or a trial court to
Igrant new trial in such a long case
because the audience in the court
room on a few occasions indicated
their sympathies The jury found the
defendant guilty and with exception OF
! the demonstration outside the court
room there was no disorder. Nothing
was done which the court could cor
rect through legal machinery"
! The governor said the United States
supreme court had sustained the rul
ing He declared the charge against
the state of Georgia OF racial preiu
dice is unfair. He then reviewed the
evidence.
! He asserted the state proved that
, Frank was in the office of the factory
"a little after o'clock the day of the