The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-06-25
spread appeals for Communication. Con-
tinuing the statement reads:

one and the offender deserves the
punishment of death. The only ques-
ton is as to the identity of the crimi-
nal. The responsibility is upon the
people of Georgia to protect tie lives
of her citizens and to maintain the
dignity of her laws, and if the choice
must be made between the approba-
ton of citizens of other States and
the enforcement of our laws against
offenders we must choose the latter
alternative.
ct is charged that the court and
jury were terrorized by a mob and
that the jury were coerced into U2eir
verdict. When Frank was indicted
and the air was filed with rumors as
to the murder and mutilation Of the
girl there was intense feeling, and to
such an extent that my predecessor,
Governor Brown, stated in argument
before me that he had the militia
ready to protect the defendant if any
attack was made. Some weeks
later the defendant was put On trial"
Refers to State Laws
The governor then referred to Geor-
gia's laws relating to change of venue,
declaring these provisions were made
most broad in behalf Of the defendant
to insure one a fair trial. Frank, he
said, went to trial without asking
change of venue and submitted his
case to a jury that was acceptable to
him. During the progress of the
trial. he continued, "after evidence
tad been introduced laying the crime
with many offensive details upon
Frank, the feeling against him became
intense. If the audience in the
court room manifested their deep re-
sentiment toward Frank, it was largely
by this evidence of feeling beyond the
courts power to correct. It would be
difficult for an appellate court or a
trial court, to grant new trial in
such a long case because the audience
/ in the court room on 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
courts could correct through legal ma
chinery."
The governor said the United States
supreme court had sustained this rul-
ing. He declared the charge against
tie State Of Georgia of racial prejudice
is unfair. He then reviewed The cevi-
dence.
What the State Proved.
He asserted the State proved that
Frank was in his Office at the factory
a little after IL o'clock the day of the
murder, and that he admitted paying
Mary Phagan wages due her. So far
as known, fne says, Frank was the last
person who saw her alive. Other facts
enumerated by the governor as to MIN
the more important of these shown by
the State were:
That Frank at o'clock the after
noon of the murder allowed the negro
watchman, Newt Lee, to leave the fac
tory for two hours; that the same
evening Frank called Lee on the tele-
phone, and that Lee found the double
inner doors locked, all of which things
he had never done before; that cord
similar to that with which the girl
was strangled was found in quantities
on tie metal room floor and in less
quantities in the basement where the
body was discovered. He also included
the testimony Of Miss Monteen StoVer,
tfaat when she was in Franks Office,
about the time the State contended
Frank and the Phagan girl were in
the metal room, Frank was not in his
Office, although he had declared he
had not left the Office.
Jim COnley's Testimony.
'"Tne most startling and spectacular
testimony in the case was that given
by a negro. Jim Conley, who frequent
ly had been in the chain gang" the
statement says. He then referred to
the murder notes" found beside the
body, which Conley finally admitted he
had written at Franks dictation,
"Conley claimed Frank asked him to
come to the factory on Saturday and
watch for him as he had done, which