Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-19
FRANK LYNCHED
BY GEORGIA MOB
Persistent Enemies Of the
Alleged Slayer Of Girl
Raid Prison Camp
CONVICT IS TAKEN
AWAY AND HANGED
Authorities Are Without {
Clue as to Identity Of
the Guilty Parties

Clue as to Identity Of
the Guilty Parties
Marietta. Ga, Aug. 17.-Leo. M.
Frank. serving life term for the muir.
der OF Mary Phagan. the Atlanta fac.
tory girl. and who was taken from the
prison farm at Milledgeville last night,
was lynched two miles east of here to-
day by the armed party who took him.
He was hanged to a tree.
Frank was brought 100 miles from
the prison farm to a point almost with
IN sight of the former home Of Mary
Phagan. No shots were fired.
Franks body, barefooted and clad
only In prison trousers and shirt, was
found at $50 o'clock this morning. 1t
is believed he was lynched about day
light.
Several automobiles, we'll loaded,
left here in the direction Of MfIIedge-
Vile last night. After the return OF
some of the machines today, officers
started out on the road which they be-
lieved the automobiles had travelled
They had gone only two miles when
they saw the body of Frank not more
than $50 yards from the roadside
Crowds View Body.
News that the body had been found
spread rapidly and within a short
time hundreds of persons were crowd
ing to the scene. No immediate ef-
fort was made to cut the body down,
as Sheriff Hicks was not in town and
the coroner took no action.
1t is believed that the stop at the
bridge over Little river, near Eatonton,
when the armed party talked loudly
and fired shots, was ruse to delay
pursuers. The vicinity of the bridge
was thoroughly searched, and at the
time the search was being made, 1t Is
probably Frank already had met death.
The crowd increased rapidly as the
women and children were mingling
with the crowd in the woods at the
edge Of which the body still hung At
that hours no effort had been made to
dispose Of the body, although Coroner
Booth had been summoned
Franks body was cut down at 1915
o'clock but not until one Of the crowd
had spoken to the crowd advocating
mutilation Of the body.
Newton Morris Immediately pleaded
with the throng to allow an inquest to
take it's proper course. A vote was
suggested and taken. It was over
in favor of allowing the
coroner to take charge Of the body.
It was then cut down and the two mile
trip to Marietta started. The inquest
was set for II o'clock.
Parents In Mourning.
New York, Aug. 17.-When Rudolph
Frank and his wife, parents of Leo
Frank, learned that their son had
been hanged near Marietta, Ca, they
drew the shades of all windows OF
their home in Brooklyn and refused to
answer the door bell or telephone.
Neighbors said the Frank family
had begun an eight day period OF
mourning. which was customary un-
der the Jewish religion.
Souvenirs Are Taken.
When the body was cut down parts
Of Franks shirt were torn away by
souvenir hunters. The body was
roughly handled before it was put into
The undertaker's wagon.
Within short time after the body
vas started for Atlanta excitement
1ere subsidized and the town presented
almost a normal appearance before
loon.
After special session of the Cobb !,
county commissioners, at which the
Of special attorney to |
lssist the coroner's jury was author
zed, Coroner Booth empaneled jury |
ind began an investigation of the !
ynching.
Deed Expected by Wife.
Milledgeville, Ga, Aug. 17.-Mrs.
1eo M. Frank received the news that
Ter husband had been lynched in 4
manner that led those present to be.
ieye that she had been expecting it.
The was preparing to go to an uncle's
lome at Athens, Ga, when she was
old what had occurred. She is re-
'orted bearing up well.
JaiIer Tells Of Attack.
Milledgeville, Ga, August II. -,
Il was called to the door just as T
,as preparing to retire" said Captain T
M. Burke, superintendent Of the
tate prison farm, today. when I
assed the threshold, two strong men
rabbed me and snapped handouts on
~ wrists. Four others stood guard
yer me, two with shotguns and two
nth heavy pistols I demonstrated
nd they declared it was no use for
lie to squirm as. they had come for
go Frank and were going to get him.
II told them that Frank was not at
~ house and they said they knew
1at but they were going to take me
here they knew Frank was quartered.
was marched up to the peEitantiary
uilding by a guard which was doubled
8 we proceeded.
when we reached the building
emand was made for the gate to be +
pened and when the trusty prisoner L
waited official orders, one of the men
agan cutting the wires and informed
le prisoner if he did not open it he T.
ould be killed as soon as an entrance
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