New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-30
AT His Request | Remedied
Mistake of Trial Judge,
Who, Dying, Admitted
Error, Says Ex-Governor,
Proud Of His Act.
By John ]. LEARY, Jr.

az did not pardon Leo Frank, be-
cause he did not ask for a pardon. He
did ask for the Communication Of his
sentence. IL Is never the custom to
grant more than Is asked for. II
Frank had asked for a pardon ] would
have considered it,"
Thus did John NJ. Slaton, who, in
the closing hours Of his Governorship
Of Georgia, saved the prisoner from
the gallows, conclude a spirited re-
view of the evidence against the al
legged slayer of Mary Phagan.
Not once did he say that he believed
Frank to be innocent. On that point
he refused to commit himself. But
his manner and his words left no
doubt in my mind that he believes the
negro, Conley, and not the man now
serving a life term In Milledgeville,
Ga, killed the girl.
Further than this, I have reason
for saying that Chief Justice White, of
the United States Supreme Court, ap-
proves Mr.. Slaton's course in the
Frank case. The chief justice and the
Ex-Governor met on the trip up. What
was said Mr.. Slaton would not repeat,
but | have his word for it that it was
a pleasant meeting.
at would be highly improper for
me TO repeat what Chief Justice White
said" added Mr.. Slaton, "for he is a
judge, stands for the highest court
in the land, of which he is the hon
ored head, and 1t would be disrcspect-
full. But you can say that we had q
very pleasant meeting"
On Second Honeymoon.
With Mrs. Slaton, the man whose
last official act was to save the life
of Frank arrived in New York yester-
day afternoon on what he terms "our
second honeymoon" for during the
seventeen years that they have been
married his duties as a legislator and
as Governor Of Georgia have forced
him to spend his summers at home.
Here they will stay until Friday, and
then 60 to Sacandaga, in the Adiron-
dacks, for a house party over the
Fourth as the guests Of j. Ledlie Hees,
president of the Fonda, Johnstown &
Gloversville Railroad.
Thence they go to the Pacific Coast,
returning by easy stages to Boston,
where he will attend the annual meet
ing of the American Bar Association,
and to his Georgia home to resume
the practice OF his profession, confident
that autumn will see him three times
stronger with the people of Georgia
than | ever have been before. Then
they will have realized that in commut-
ing the sentence Of Frank I not only
did not interfere with the courts, but
served as the exponent and servant Of
the law in remedying a mistake made
by the trial court at the request Of the
trial Judge, the only judge who had
/ sny right to review the case upon its
.
merits"
For those who differ with him Mr..
Siaton has respect. and confidence that
ultimately those worth while among
them will think as he does, once they
understand all the facts in the case.
For the mobs, he has the utmost con-
tempt.
Opposed by Rin-Rah.
"You have riff-raf in every city, he
told me, "why shoul Int We be expected
( 10 have some in Atlanta? The mob IN
Georgia was made up Of the kind OF
men whose wives support them oy
running boarding houses, whose chill
dren are in factories insteai Of IN
school, and who spend their time on
/ the corner speaking Of the Unequal
{ tiles of the law; and Of half-grown
bows who know no better.
/ aThe people of Atlanta are all right
So are the people of Georgia. You re-
member that a negro killed a police
man here in New York and 10000 peo'
! Continued on page .. column