The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-08-27

4
statement, before we do it?'
This question, II was learned on
reliable authority here today was
put to Leo M. Frank by the lead
er OF the mob which iynehed him
as he stood under the tree In
Marietta's outskirts from which
he daneled a few minutes later,
corpse.
"No," Frank was said TO have
replied.
"We want to know the leader
is then quoted as having asked,
whether you are guilty or inno-
cent Of killing little Mary Pha-
ean7"
Frank, Il is said, did not at
first reply. There was a pause, at
the end of which II Us said the
mob leader repeated his question.
~ think" Frank is declared to
have answered them, "more Of
my wife and mother than ! do Of
my own life"
Nothing more, IL is asserted,
was said and Frank was quickly
strung up.
San Francisco, August ID. q.
Woodward, mayor OF Atlanta, Ca,
who is visiting this city, Is on record
as declaring that Leo VI. Frank. who
was lynched Monday night, suffered
the just penalty for an unspeakable
crime. The Atlanta mayor ut the
same time warns former Governor
John NJ. Slayton not to return TO
Georgia.
Mayor Woodward made his declara-
ton at banquet of the California
State assessors association and thoir
families Tuesday night
Little or no applause greeted the re-
marks of Mayor Woodward, though he
was listened to with close attention.
In the course of hia speech. which
was entirely unexpected. Mayor
Woodward said:
Il am going TO take occasion to tell
of the events that have put Georgia
on the map In very undesirable
light. | am going TO cndeavor TO set
you right. People throughout, the
United States have obtained their
ideas of the Frank case from a pois-
onei and subsidized press and press
reports.
Common decency prevents me from
telling you the revolving truths of the
of Mary Phagan. wish you
all knew the truths as know them.
| know them. for I have been with
this case every since IL started ana
have read every line OF evidence that
was introduced: everything that has
know and ! know that
there Is not n member OF the jury
that tried Leo NJ. Frank who. from
the time IL rendered the verdict 10
ihis day. has any idea that he would
change his decision If put to the test
again.
Georgia is the leading state of the
South. Its people cannot be classed
with tramps, hoodlums, bandits and
lawbreakers. but things had come TO
Q point where every avenue OF the law
had been exhausted and the judgment
OF the courts set aside BY one man
and the people felt that Il was up to
them to take the law into their
hands.
while the PEOPLE OF Georgia de-
plcre this deed OF Monday night, we
u TIE ltttlue luul
prompted IL, and want IL understood
that il is simply emphasizing the fact
that when IL comes'to a woman's hon
or there is no limit We will not go
TO to avenge and to protect
There were only two people impli-
Gated In the death OF Mary Phagan.
know the negro did not commit the
deed, and am positive that 75 per cent
OF the people i'm Georgia are convinced
that the man lynched Monday night
the deed, and they arc en-
the ground and ought to know.
AS mayor of Atlanta, I have re-
ceived tons and tons of letters, petit
tons and requests asking that some
thing be done for Frank. and they
have all gone into the waste basket.
fer, like all Georgia people who are in
a position to get at the truth. I know
the facts.
IL know Jack Slaton, have known
MIN for thirty years, ever since he
was a young man. have been friends
with him. and while hate to say 1t. |
would not advise him to return to
Georgia for a year-if ever.