The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-30

Ex.Gov Slaton Of Georgia, who COM
muted the death sentence OF Leo Frank.
said following his arrival here yesterday.
the United States Senate. Speaking to
reporters on the roof garden Of the
Waldorf Astoria, with his wife sitting
beside him. he answered a question as
10 whether he would run for Senator
By saying that II the people wished It
Ae might be . candidate.
II shall be three times stronger in
Georgia within a month than / ever was
before" ne added. 81 have lost sleep in
the last week because OF the mob. but
had I allowed Frank to go to the gal
lows I would not have slept for forty
years with his blood on my conscience
The sentences quoted summarized not
only his own attitude on his act in COM
muting the sentence Of Frank. but his
view of ths feeling Of the people OF
Georsia toward him and also his plans
for the future. He said frankly that
he would 60 back to Atlanta. would re-
turn to the practice OF law.
There was no word Of fear or OF doubt
a. to how the people Of his own State
regard his Communication Of Franks
death sentence.
wife Aided Decision.
"I should have felt like an assassin
had I done otherwise he said. but II
was impossible, there was nothing else
to Il, could see no other way out OF II.
l worked over the evidence in the case
for nights and finally. at 8 o'clock on
Sunday morning. / had finished and
had made up my mind. I went to my
wife's room and calling her ! said:
"'Sallie, there's tremendous doubt
in my mind an to the guilt OF Frank.
I don't want to worry you, but i want
you to understand that II j commute
Franks sentence. It may mean my life
and II almost certainly means my politi-
cal death
well. my wife came over to me and
kissed me and said Wei, II there Is
any doubt in your mind about the case.
why, commute. We won't worry about
the future
"But / believe the people OF Georgia
are with me. I know that there are a
certain class Of the people-they are Just
as good as / am-who think that have
lnterfered. They believe that way be-
cause they believe in the law and believe
in unfolding the courts. They have
asked me why I interfered after the
fury, the Court Of Appeals and tho
United States Supreme Court had acted.
but those people do not understand that
the Constitution of the State makes the
Governor q safety valve for wrongs that
may be done by legal technicalities l
respect those people for their opinion.
hat
come around to my way of thinking.
There was only one court and ore
fury that passed on the facts In the
case and Judge Roam, who presided at
the trial, wrote me n letter asking me
to commute Franks death sentence. i'm
posed by that Judge. to lfo sentence.
He said he had doubt about the young
mans guilt. And since the case was
tried many things have come up that
have added to tn, doubt,
To Practise Law Again.
THE whole affair Is not a matter
TO be used for political capital or for
spectacular advertisement l Just did
my plain duty.
"I intend to return to Georgia and
take UP the practice OF law. have
practised there for twenty-six years.
and shall remain there. And ] want
Il distinctly understood that I did not
slip out OF Georgia neither did hide
myself. ] went In and out OF the Caps-
toi like any other citizen. and ! shall
walk the streets OF Atlanta again.
THE only people who really are
aroused against me are the scum and
riffrafY OF the State, boys and men
whose wives support them by keeping
boarding houses. taking In washing
or sewing"
"Wlll you run for United States Sem
ator?" he was asked.
"f the people wish me. may be a
candidate" he said, but that depends
upon Mrs. Slaton."
Don't say that. Jack" interrupted
the ex-Governor's wife laughingly.
The ex-GovernOr then went on to ex-
plain about his new law Arm. which will
bear the name OF Rosser. Slaton. Phil
lips 4 Hopkins. Asked about tho Frank