Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-02
COBB COUNTYs JURORS
NO SECRET SERVICE MEN
Court Does Not Expect Them to Do
Detective Work in Frank
Lynching Case.
MoB's VICTIM NOT MENTIONED
Judge Patterson Tells Jury of Its
Duty to Investigate Fairly and
Fearlessly "Recent Lynching in
This County"


MARIETTA, GA. September 1.-The
Cobb County grand jury, drawn for the
July term of court, was charged to day
by Judge II. ]. Patterson to Investigate
the recent lynching In this county,"
and before the day was ended had ex-
amined several witnesses for informa-
tion they might have on the hanging
of Leo NJ. Frank. At the rate the wit
nesses were handled. il would seem
that the jurors could finish with the
thirty-fivc or more called in time to
report to- morrow.
Judge Patterson was emphatic on
three points in his brief and extern
poraneous charge: That the crime
should be thoroughly investigated that
this was not n special grand jury as
had been reported.sand4that the jurors
were not secret service men" and were
not expected ito do detective work TO
perform their duties"
conn COUNTY HAS NEVER
NEEDED SPECIAL GRAND JURY
Judge Patterson said that Cobb Coun-
ty never had needed a special grand
jury, and inferred that the Frank
iynchinE was not the sole cause of
reconvening the jury that served during
the July term of court. The killing
OF negro soon after the July term was
adjourned. was mentioned.
Within short time after the jury
retired. witnesses called in the Frank
case went before the jurors. but the
majority of them remained only few
minutes. Tomorrow. il is expected.
members OF the Georgia prison COM
mission will be quizzcd. Tho three
members of the commission we're ut the
State prison the night Frank was taken
away.
In his charge to the jury. Judge Pat
terson said in part:
Il want to say that you are not n
special grand jury drawn by the judg g
of the Blue Ridge circuit. as has been
stated, but you are the regularly or
ganized grand jury OF Cobb County
Not only in this, but In great deal
that has been said recently in the press,
the facts have been deviated from, and
I want to strongly assert that the press
generally has done Cobb County n great
injustice. II appears that in great
deal of the matter that has been pub
lshed some newspaper correspondents
have seemingly gotten just as far away
from the truth as they couId. and the
result has been that Cobb County has
been made to suffer for il.
DUTY TO MAKE THOROUGH,
COMPLETE INVESTIGATION
II have been informed that a murder
was committed here in the county the
day after the July term of court was
adjourned. or that l do not know, but
the information has come 20 me. It
has been published broadcast over the
world that a lynching has recently oc-
Cured in Cobb County. 1T is your duty
To make a thorough and complete in
vestiEation of that. as Is all charges
of crime VIXEN brought to your atten-
ton. Your oaths bind you to honestly,
fairly and impartially make an inves-
tiEation of II, but II is not your duty
to assume the role of secret service
men; the role of detectives. You were
not selected in the capacity of private
detectives. but as grand Jurors of your
county, and your work is that OF grand
jurors and rot the work OF secret SER
vice men. And yet. II is your duty to
do what you can to ferret out any
crime alleged to have been committed
within your county; 10 do il fairly,
fcarlessly and without hope OF reward
or the reverse"