The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-18
Leo Frank S Throat Cut
By Prisoner; Nav Die
Jugular Vein Severed. but
Mary Phagan's Slayer Has
Chance to Recover.

MilLEDGsviLLE. Ca. July i7-Leo NJ
Frank, now serving lifetime sentence
at the state prison farm here for the
murder of Mary phagan, fourteen
year-old factory girl. two years ago in
the National Pencil factory. Atlanta. is
believed to be in dying condition at
the hospital here.
after II o'clock tonight by William
Green. a fellow convict. who Is serving
lifetime sentence for murder COM
mitted AT his home In Columbus
Franks jugular vein was severed and
his neck cut nearly half of. Doctors
who have been working on him for more
than an hour now report that while he
has lost a great deal of blood there Is
windpipe and the spinal cord were not
cut.
The former superintendent Of the Ma
tonal Pencil factory has been doing
IisHt Worh dfouHu tne pTlsOn ouuuins
dormitores since his arrival there after
his commutation by Gov. Slaton. He
had been employed to clean up the rooms
and to do other tasks of similar ma
ture around the buildings.
His assaiant Is a. years old. He
used "A prison made butcher knife which
does service in killing hogs. Green is
now in "A prison dungeon.
Frank has not been on very good
terms with some OF the prisoners. but
the authorities did not believe that he
would be attacked. The prisoners at
( night have the liberty OF the hall OF
( a dormitory, but are closely watched by
/ guards.
! 1t Is alleged that Green came up to
Frank from behind and thrust the knife
into his throat. Frank fell to the floor
! screaming with pain. The guard,
rushed up and removed him to the hos
pital and doctors began to work OF
him. bu; he had lost a great deal "
blood
which had been used In the morning
for killing hogs. How he obtained the
knife is not known.
Mrs. Frank is In Milledgeville, wher
she had come to visit her husband.
The sentence Of death passed on Lee
NJ. Frank was committed by Gov. Slator
of Georgia on June 81 after the Suprem.
T..
the appeal from the decision Of tn
created tremendous stir; crowd
gathered and for several days the Gov
ernor was kept under the protection o
the State troops.
The murder of which Frank was con
victed was committed ON April 20. 1919
Saturday afternoon, although tn
body OF the victim, Mary Phagan. wa
not found until the mex, day.
Mary was IA years old. pretty and
worker In the National Pencil factor
In Atlanta. OF which Frank was super
intendent and in which he owned stock
She had not worked several days durin
the week preceding her death. but tina
Saturday she went to the factory to ge
$l.2O owed to her as wages.
She did not return TO her home tina
evening A search was instituted, bu
without success AZ 80 A. NJ. the mex
day Newt Lee, negro watchman I
the pencil factory. telephoned to III
police that he had found the body of
murdered girl In the basement of tn
factory. There was complete evidenc
of criminal assault; the child's clothe
had been torn from her body, her hea
had been struck and cord about he
). neck had strangled her.
Lee was arrested and two hours late
the body was identified as that OF MAJ
Phagan. After detectives had talke
with Frank, c. A. CAN'T, white ma
employed at the factory. was arreste'
Frank had said that CAN'T and Mar
Phagan were on friendly terms.
On the following Tuesday. two da!
; after the discovery Of the body, Fran
was arrested on testimony given b
! Lee and CAN'T. tending to establish n
fact that Frank had been In the far
tory all Saturday afternoon. Then Jill
, Conley. a negro employed at the factor!
= was discovered washing a stained shii
and he was arrested.
I The trial, beginning July 2S. 1871
I lasted until August 20. when the jur
found Frank guilty. There was con
1 mon street talk In Atlanta that II tn
D jury acquitted a mob would lynch. an
T that Jurors and Judge might also con
= in for mob violence
e Frank himself took the stand. but