The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1915-06-22
Tuesdays and Fridays
GOV. sLAToN COMPUTES
LEO FRANKS SENTENCE
Georgia Executive Reduces Death
Sentence Of Noted Prisoner to
Life imprisonment.

Gov. Slaton, of Georgia, did what
nine-tenths of the people believed he
would and thought he should-com-
muted the death sentence of Leo
Frank ~ life Imprisonment. Frank,
IL is remembered, was convicted Of
the murder of Mary Phagan in a pen
Gil factory of which he was manager,
in Atlanta. The killing occurred in
April, 1918.
Announcement OF the Governors
decision came several hours after
Frank had been secretly taken from
the jail and hurried to the State Pris-
on Farm at Milledgeville Monday
morning. Frank was sentenced to be
hanged today.
In making the announcement the
Governor dictated the following brief
statement:
"All that ask is that the people Of
Georgia read my statement Of the rea-
sons why | commuted Leo M. Franks
death sentence to life imprisonme
before they pass judgment.
Feeling as do about the case.
would be murderer if allowed this
man to hang. 1t means that must
live in obscurity the rest of my DAYS,
but ! would rather be blowing in the
fields than to feel for the rest,of my
life that ] had that mans blood on
my hands"
Extra editions of newspapers con-
tanning the unofficial announcement
caused considerable excitement
among number of crowds of men,
who gathered on various street cor
ners and around City Hall. Mounted
police and patrolmen were stationed
on the outskirts of the crowd and at
least one arrest was made. Comment
disappearing the decision was heard
in the gatherings.
In his statement exhaustively ex-
planning his reasons for committing
Franks sentence, Gov. Staten review
ed the circumstances surrounding the
murder. the convection of Frank and
his appeal for clemency. Continuing
the statement reads:
"The murder was most heinous
one and the offender deserves the
punishment of death. The only ques-
ton is as to the identity of the GRIM
inal. The responsibility is upon the
people of Georgia to protect the lives
of her citizens and to maintain the
dignity of hcT laws and if the choice
must be made between the approba-
ton of citizens of other States and
the enforcement of our laws against
offenders we must choose the latter al
tentative. ~,
at is charged that the court and
jury were terrorizsd by mob and
that the Jurors were coerced into
their verdict. When Frank was in
dicted and the air was filled with ru-
mors as to the murder and the mutila-
ton of the girl, there was intense
feeling. and to such an extent that my
predecessor, Gov. Brown, stated in
argument before me that he had the
militia ready to protect the defendant
if any attack was made.
At the Georgia Prison Farm,
dressed in stripes denoting the lowest
grade prisoner. Frank again protested
his innocence of the murder of Mary
Phagan and expressed conviction
that day is not far distant when
will be exonerated."
He said he had mo- intimation of /.
what was going to happen when Off
GERS went to his cell in Atlanta to get
him for the trip. He expressed graf
itude toward Gov. Slaton and said he
felt intuitively that he would at least
commute his sentence. Frank will be
known as "Convict No. $685."
That certain class of people of the
city of Atlanta want the blood of
Frank whether he is guilty or not, is
shown by the following dispatch from
that city. OF course Gov. Slaton is
not in danger, for the men who COM
pose the mob there are like all others
-cowardly, but he is right in taking
the proper precaution:
With a mob of several hundred sur
rounding the country home last night.
Gov. Slaton. of Georgia, summoned
our companies of militia and declared
martial law for half mile surround
his premises. The troops were stoned
by the crowd and two officers injured
before order was restored. The DEM
onstration followed the action of the
Governor in committing to life inn
prisonment the death sentence of Leo
NJ. Frank for the murder of Mary
Phagan.