Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1915-08-27
FRANK | YnCHED !
BY ARMED MEN
Hanged TO a Tree Near Home
Of Mary Phagan.
BODY SWINGS FOR HOURS

Mob in Motor Cars Drag Him From
Cell at Georgia Prison Farn-Hand'
cuffed Guards and Cut Telephone
Wires.
An organized body of armed men
went il motor cors to the state prison
at Miliedgeville, Ga, held up the
guards, dragged from his cell, Leo NJ.
Frank, who was serving a lie SEN
tence for tne murder of Mary Phegan,
and, after carrying him 100 miles,
hanged him to tree, two miles from
Marietta, almost within sight Of the
house where the little factory girl
had lived.
Frank, after being condemned to
death, obtained a communication OF MS
sentence to life Imprisonment from
John NJ. Slaton, then governor, sew
eral months ago. A short time later
he was murderously attacked by Will
liam Green, another prisoner, who
tried to cut his throat. He had re-
covered sufficiently to be removed
from the hospital to his cell last Sun
day.
Franks body was found about $50
yards from the road. 1t was barefoot,
and clad only in prison trousers and
shirt. His eyes were bandaged and
his hands tied behind him. His feet
were dangling four feet above the
ground. There was no mark Of bullet
wounds or other mutliation.
The place where the body was
found was behind Frey's cotton gin,
a mile and a half from the National
Cemetery. T2e nearest farm house
is 200 yards away.
News that the body had been dis
covered spread rapidly, and within
short time hundreds of persons were
hurrying to the place. Among the
onlookers were many women and chill
dren.
Franks body was cut down two
hours later, but not until one of the
crowd hal spoken to the crowd, ad'
vocatiag muti.ation OF the body.
Newton 4, Morris, a former super.
ior cocrt Judge, pleaded with the
thronS TO lot an Inquest take its prep
er course. i vote was taken, and 1t
was overwhelmingly in favor of let.
ting the ccrCner take charge Of the
body.
The armed men arrived In the vi.
cinity OF TIC farm almost unnoticed
and prccee 'el mcthodically to their
business. Al means of wire commu.
nication from the prison TO Milledge'
vile, three miles away, were destroy
ed ana all wires, except one telephone
line, from Milledgeville also were
cut
Five men went to the house of the
warden, ]. T. Smith, awakened him
and made him prisoner. At the same
time, a small squad of men went to
the home CT ]. NJ. Burke, superinten.
dent of the farm. Burke was forced
to go with them to the gate nearest
the dorrnitory where it was believed
Frank v"s 'crt. The two guards on
duty there were ordered, while guns
were lercilcd on them, to open the
gatc;.
Tie ra:;y then rnshcd in, quickly
got i'ra~'. ~~.! Aurriel him to one OF
the wal. cc1s. He was forced into
one If t..-i, wEi'o a number of the
party is "a: to lave nourished rope
be ore liz ace. Without delay those
who had hcea guarding the warden
let h:Il, an; joined the party at tho
gate. Tie cas- then started OF.
u cn l3agiGg the prison, the lynch
ers adopted q ruse, evidently designed
to throw CT, or at least delay, posi-
bic purrser5. They first directed
their course to airidTc across Little
river, near EatCatoa, about twenty
miles from 3!illedgeville.