New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-17
LEADERS CUT
JAIL WIRES
Prisoner Thrown Into
Automobile and Car
ried from Town.
POSSES IN PURSUIT
Hurried Efforts Made TO Pre-
vent Lynching of Prisoner
by Armed Attackers.

y -
Milledgeville, Ga, Aug. 16.-Leo M.
Frank. whose sentence of death for
The murder of Mary Phagan was
commuted to life imprisonment, was
removed from the Georgia prison
farm here tonight by twenty-five
armed men. who overpowered War
don Smith and are believed to have
lynched Frank.
First reports that they might be
friends of Frank were dispelled
when a prisoner said he heard
member Of the mob say that Franks
body would be placed tomorrow on
the grave of Mary Phagan at Mari
eta.
Previous to the attack wires lead
ing to the prison had been cut.
ahc
Frank was placed in an automo-
bile and rushed in the direction Of
Eatonton.
The attack was shortly before
midnight. The warden and most of
the guards were sleeping on a rear
porch Of the main building in which
the prisoners are confined. Both he
and the guards were handcuffed, af-
Ter which the party entered the pris-
on and removed Frank.
Eatonton, Ca, Aug. 1.-THE
party which took Leo NJ. Frank
from the state prison farm tonight
had not passed through here at l 80
o'clock this morning.
Augusta, Ga, Aug. 16.-Sheriff
posses have been ordered out in all
counties surrounding Baldwin Coun-
ty, in which Milledgeville is located,
in an effort to find Frank and the
party which took him.
No man has ever been more fercely
hated by the people among whom he
lived than has Leo NJ. Frank. No man,
guilty or innocent, has ever struggled
harder for a freedom which the almost
unanimous enmity Of an entire state
was determined should be denied him
Mary Pnagan was killed on April %
Her body was found on April o. Frank
and negro sweeper, Jim Conley, were
arrested on April %. In Jail Conley
"squealed" TO save his own life. He
told Of Franks attack on the girl and
OF her subsequent murder. lie was the
guard, he asserted. who watched when
his employer lured women into his
Office.
For some reason the story which Con-
ley told did not prejudice Georgisns
against him. For perhaps the first time
IN the history of the South, a uegro's
testimony against white man was
rated above that white mans denial
Cooley was the star witness for the
state in the first trial Of the superln-
iendent, which began on July 28, 1913.
his story, repeated on the stand, tlled
Atlanta with a mob, which declared
thst Frank must die
While a Sullen, dangerous crowd sur
rounded the courthouse on August %
ne jury brought in a verdict OF guilty.
Judge Rowan sentenced him the next
osy 10 death. Franks counsel petit
noned for d new trial. This was de
MED.
For nearly two years after this
FRANK fought strongly and unwaver-
hgly for his freedom. His case was
carried through the State Supreme
Court, which indorsed the lower body's
Geeision, a. the United States District
court and finally TO the Supreme Court
OF The United States. All of these,
judging the case entirely on its legal
merits refused 20 granb retrial.
As last re ort this same calm.
keen minded Hebrew, whose splendid
nerve still held. petitioned 10 Gov
tfnor John VI. Slaton 10 commute his
sentence Of death on June %, 1914,
% hfc imprisonment.
Governor Slaton would never dare re-
spono 10 this plea, Gcorgians sald con-
hoenily. But Governor Slaton did. He
went brayely against the almost unani-
nous opinion Of his people, faced po-
n'cal ruin and placed his very life in
oanger when, on the night Of June 20,
commutaton from him spirited Frank
away from his cell in the atlanta jail,
winch he had occupied for two years.
ana hurried him across country TO the
away
Georgia buzzed wrathfully like an
overturned beehive when this was
learned. Mobs burned the Governor in
emgy all over the state. His own
"Wnsiolk in Atlanta went out TO at
loek rim az his country home, and were
dispersed by the militia
Oh July II, at night a murderer
ee4ned Green, serving a life term at the
@te Farm, crept up on Frank in the
,sIotmitory and cut the sleeping mans
iuhIoa,. The convict said that he be-
"eVed he was doing Gods service