Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-21

a
i've ~ ooscurity II necessary. but co,i5
not aHord not to commute him 7 bsl1eya
only course. 9 was my
FRANK STILL A sTorC.
Frank is said 20 havs tstor -. 49,
OF bis communication with iron co,,,ra.,,.s ..u@s |
,Whleh mas marked his attitude ave. sI,.s |
nus arrest. jail officials said he bardIv |
seemed to show relief. That ba roouy, |
Ielt the confidence he has ali elone AZ
pressed that he would escape the rai,ows
was generally believed ''0"'
Speculation Is already rife ne 70 rh.,
steps FRANKS friends will take naxt
Inc danger of death having been re-.
moved 1t is considered a foregone eoncln-
sion tnat the next effort will be to secure
reopening Of the case In some way.
That II will be long time before a
pardon can be sought for him with any
| nope of success Is deemed certain i'm
less, indeed, now evidence Of an over
whelmlng character can be found In
support Of claims Of his innocence.
GOVERNORS STATEMENT.
Governor slaton, in his statement after
reviewing the case from the day Mary
Phagan was murdered, said:
This case has been the subject of
newHnAa
pers in the United States, and has oc-
casioned the transmission OF more than
100000 letters from various States re-
questlng clemency. Many communIca-
tions have been received from citizens Of
| this State, advocating or opposing inter-
ference with the sentence of the court.
Many newspapers and multtudes Of
people have attacked the state of
Georgia because Of the conviction of Leo
M. Frank and have declared the con-
viction to have been through the domina-
tion of mob and with no evidence to
support the verdict. This opinion had
been formed to a great extent by those
who have not read the evidence and who
are unacquainted with the judicial pro-
cedure in our State.
THE murder committed was a most
heinous one. A young girl was strangled
TO death by a cord tied around her throat
and the offender deserves the punishment
OF death. The only question is as to the
identity of the criminal
THE responsibility is on the people Of
Georgia to protect the lives Of her citl-
zens and to maintain the dignity Of her
laws and II the choice must be made be-
tween the appreciation OF citizens of other
States and the enforcement of our laws
against offenders, whether powerful or
weak, we must choose the latter alterna-
tive.
when Frank was indicted and the air
was filled with rumors, there was Intense
feeling and to such an extent, my prede-
cessor, Governor Brown, stated in an
argument before me, that he had the
militia ready to protect the defendant in
the event any attack was made.
During the progress Of the trial, feel
ing against Frank was intense.
COURT COULDN'T QUIET CROWD.
IF the audience in the courtroom mani
tested their deep resentment toward
Frank, it was largely the evidence of
feeling beyond the power of a court to
correct 1t would be difficult anywhere
for an Appellate Court, or even Trial
Court, to grant a new trial in a case
which occupied 30 days, because the audi
ence in the courtroom upon a few occa-
sions indicated their sympathies. How
ever, the deep feeling against Frank,
which developed in the progress of the
evidence, was in the atmosphere. and, re-
gardless of the commission of those acts
of which the court would take cognizance,
the feeling Of the public was strong.
Judge Roam, in the exercise of precau-
ton, requested both counsel and defend
ant be absent when the verdict was rem
dered in order to avoid any possible DEM
onstration in the event Of acquittal.
1.-THE jury found the defendant guilty
and with the exception of demonstrations
outside the Courtroom, there was no dis
order
Hence it will be seen that nothing was
done which courts of any State could
correct through legal machinery A court
must have something more than an at
mosphere with which to deal, and especi-
ally when that atmosphere has been
created through the processes of evidence
in disclosing a horrible crime.
"Our Supreme Court, after carefully
considering the evidence as to demonstra-
tions made by spectators, declared them
without merit, and in this regard the or
derly processes of our tribunals are not
subject to criticism.
CoNLEY's ADMISSION
"The admission of Conley that he wrote
the notes found at the body of the dead
girl, together with the part he admitted
he played in the transaction, combined
with his history and his explanation as
TO both the writing of the notes and the
removal OF the body to the basement,
made the entire case revolve about him.
Did Conley speak the truth?
zone fact in the case, and that of most
important force in arriving at the truth,
contradicts Conley's testimony. 1t is dis
agreeable to refer to IT, but dellcacy must
Weld to necessity when human life is at
stake.
"The mystery in the case is the ques-
tion as to how Mary Phagans BODY got
in the basement. Conley testified that
he and Frank took the body down to
the basement in the elevator on the aft
ernoon of April 26. 1913, and leaves for
inference that Frank removed the body
1856 feet toward the end OF the building
where the body was found at spot near
the back door, which led out toward
the street in the rear. Conley swears
that he did not return to the basement
hut went back up in the elevator While
Frank went back on the ladder. consti-
tuting the only two methods OF ingress
and egress TO the basement, excepting
through the back door. This was be-
tween / and o'clock on the afternoon
of April 26.
crank is delicate in physique. while
| Conley is strong and powerful. Conley
place for watching, as declared by hlm-
| self was in the gloom few feet from
| the hatchway leading by way OF the lad
der to the basement. Also he was with
| I'm a few feet OF the elevator shaft on
| the first floor
"Niarv Phagan, coming downstairs, was
| compelled 10 pass within a rev teet o,
| Coniey, who was invisible to her. and
within a few feet OF the hatehway- Frank
| could not have carried her down the
| batehway Conley might have done so
| with difficulty. II the elevator smart was
not used by Conley and Frank in taking
| me body 10 the basement, then the eN-
nisnation Of Conley, who admittedly
F'. ~, ,otas found by the body, cam