The Washington times., 1915-02-21
Detective Burns's Statement

In previous comments on the
Frank trial evidence have
drawn attention to the character
Of the testimony on which the
prisoner was convicted Of the
murder Of Mary Phagan and Sen
fenced to be hanged. No testi-
mony better illustrates my point
than that Of Minola Mcknight
which is presented tn to-days an
stallment. This negro woman
was cook in the household of
Franks parents in law where
Frank and his wife lived. Her
testimony also illustrates in a
striking manner the assertions |
have made in respect to the
methods which were used N OBJ
tanning evidence against this
young man. Read what this
negro woman on the stand has
to say Of the way she was in
duced to sign that affldavit
against Frank and then decide
If the prosecution was fair, If it
used proper and legal methods
and If Franks conviction was
warranted OH the testimony pro-
duced and on the character OF
the witnesses who testified
against him.
Minola went anAo court and
swore that every statement she
had made in the affidavit was
false and that she had been
frightened and coerced into sign
i'm the damaging evidence in or
der to procure her liberty. Tho
treatment this woman described
was as brutal and outrageous
as any I ever encountered.
Woman's Husband Reants.
Mcknight. after the trial, made
an affidavit in which he recanted
the testimony he had given on
the stand, and laid bare a plot
which he said two white men at
the hardware store where he was
employed had evolved in order to
get the reward money for the
conviction OF the slayer of the
Phagan girl. This involved his
making an affidavit to informa-
ton purporting to have been
given him by his wife. Minola. He
said he had been induced by these
two men to cook up the story and
that there was not word OF
truth in 1t.
Mcknight, after making tho af-
fdavit recanting his testimony at
tho trial. was found badly injured
and was taken to the hospital
He said a train had hit him. Per-
haps he thought It was. but It
was moro likely the blackjack OF
a detective. Subsequently he was
locked UP at the station house.
and 1t was given out that he had
asked for protection, though from
whom or from what was not
made plain He then made
third affidavit recanting his re
cantation.
Only recently Minola Mcknight
was made the victim of a most
cowardly and apparently unpro-
voked attack. and her head was
almost severed from her shoul-
ders. To this day they do not
know who Is responsible for 1t.
Another important feature Of
the case that would like to call
attention to as tending to show
the character of evidence pro-
duced against Frank is the testi-
mony Of ]. e. Duffy. an employe
Of the factory. who not long be-
fore the crime cut one of his
fingers badly. The defense sought
to show that great deal Of blood
dripped from the mutilated finger
to the floor at about the place
at which the alleged blood spots
were found OH the second floor
Dorsey put Duffy on the stand
and made him swear he held
waste around the injured finger
and that not a drop Of blood fell
ON the floor. Duffy became con-
science stricken after the trial
and without any solicitation on
the part Of any person came for
ward and recapted. He said that
he had lied on the witness stand
and that. as matter Of fact a
great deal Of blood went on the
hoor