The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-21
Irate Delegation on Way From
Mary Phagan's Home.
EXTRA POLICE ARE SWORN IN
Prisoner Rushed to States
Penitentiary i'm Motor.
Willing to Face OBJ
1iviOn to Do Duty.

Atlanta, June 21.-Leo M.
Franks death sentence for the
murder of Mary Phagan was
commuted to life imprisonment
today by Geo. John M. Slaton.
The governors decision was an
nounced barely more than twen-
ty-four hours before the time set
for Franks execution and after
he had been taken secretly from
the Fulton county Jail to the
state prison farm at Milledge-
vile.
Excitement-ef~ crowds on the
streets here after it was an
nounced that Governor Slaton
had committed the death SEN
tence of Frank to life imprison-
ment, subsidized somewhat as the
day wore on. A mass meeting
was held on the capitol grounds,
however, starting shortly before
noon. It was conservatively esti-
mated the crowd numbered
$500. Several speakers took ex-
ceptions to Governor Slaton's ac-
ton.
The police were on watch for the
big Cobb county party reported ON its
way to Atlanta to wrealS vengeance
on Governor Slaton for sparing Leo
M. Franks life.
Extra Police Patrol Streets.
AS early as $3.50 o'clock this morn
ing extra police started patroIling
Sfr
gated; by 10 o'clock two-thirds OF
the entire force was on duty, and at
IL o'clock near-beer saloons and clubs
dispensing liquors were ordered
closed.
Five arrests were made for failure
to move on. These included one physi-
clan. Only very small percentage
of the crowd was professional and
business men.
Governor Slaton issued a statement
of approximately $4,000 words, ex-
planning his action He maintained
there was reasonable doubt of Franks
guilt of the murder of Mary Phagan-
He devoted much of his statement to
the part of the negro, James Conley,
might have played in the crime. Mary
Phagan was murdered IN April, 1913.
Governor Slaton still was at his
country home when he announced his
decision on the case over the tele-
phone to the Associated Press. In
making this announcement, the gov
ernor dictated the following brief
statement:
ALI that I ask is that the people
of Georgia read my statement of
the reasons why / commuted Leo
NJ. Franks death sentence to life
imprisonment, before they pass
judgment.
Feeling as do about this case,
would be a murderer IL i allow
ed this man to hang. 1t may
mean that 1 must live in obscur-
ity the rest of my days, but L
would rather be plowing I'm a field
than to feel for the rest Of my
life that / had that mans blood
my hands.
Governor SlatOn was completing a
long statement, giving his reasons for
his action, and this, he said, would be
made public later.
When early reports that Franks
sentence had been commuted began to
circulate, crowds began to gather on
the principal downtown street corners.
The arrest of a man who attempted
to disr1ount a policeman by grabbing
the horses reins. stirred one crowd to
excitement and they followed the Off
GERS to the city hall, a block away.
Speakers started to harangue the
crowd from the city hall steps. but
were stopped by an extra force of po-
lice. 1t was stated that a delegation
was coming here from Marietta, the
former home of Mary Phagan.
The police ordered all near-beer sa-
looms closed shortly before IL o'clock
and an extra one hundred policemen
were put on duty. orders were is
sued Immediately to arrest any one at
tempting to incite violence.
Mutterings Against Decision
The first official announcement of
Icontinued on Page Two:I
Weather Forecast for Kansas.