The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1915-08-20
Leo M. Frank
Hanged Here

Leo. M. Frank, who was convicted
Of the murder of Mary Phagan and
sentenced to hang, was found in a
grove at Frey's gin on the Roswell
road swinging from a tree Tuesday
morning.
The parties who hanged him are
unknown.
All kinds of wild rumors have
been spread over the country regard
ing the size of the mob and the
manner in which they worked. The
Journal is glad to say however, that
no mark of violence appeared on the
body. The writer was the first news
paper man to see the dead body
Tuesday morning and together with
the special correspondent of the AS
ISOLATED Press has endeavored to give
the world the facts in the case. Not
a shot was fired into the body nor
was there any wound of any kind
inflicted by those who placed him
there. The whole affair was shroud-
ed in mystery and was done quietly
and with absolutely no show of wild
passion and frenzy generally accom-
panying like instances.
About midnight the guards at the
State Prison Farm in Milledgeville
were held up and Frank taken from
them. 1t is supposed that he was
brought to Marietta in automobiles.
but where the parties who took him
came from, is mystery 1t was
evidently very small party of men
or they would have been noticed
somewhere in the wide territory they
traversed before reaching the scene
Of the hanging.
The first news of the taking of
Frank from the farm reached Mari
eta when the Associated Press in
Atlanta called the writer before
three o'clock Tuesday morning. 1t
was said that the body was to be
placed on the grave Of Mary Pha2an
IN the city cemetery before daylight.
Hurriedly dressing l came to the
court house and enlisting the aid of
officer N. B. White we journeyed to
the city cemetery. 1t was difficult
matter to locate the grave in the
darkness. After hunting for some
time with the aid of flash light
the grave was located but Franks
body was not there We returned to
town shortly after four o'clock and
found that the news was spreading
fast. By daylight there was a crowd
at the court house. About eight o.
clock it was reported that the body
had been located and we started for
the scene.
Thousands from everywhere flock
ed to the scene.
At 1917 the body was cut down,
paced in the long undertakers Das-
het of w. j. Black and started for
Marietta in the same black wagon
that has hauled little Mary Phagan's
body several times. At the National
cemetery the horse was growing
ured from the hard run and it was
thought best to transfer the body
10 an automobile. This was done at
Inc suggestion of Judge N. A. Nor
rjs.
BY that time hundreds of automO-
olles were arriving from Atlanta and
IL was feared that an attempt to
Keep the body in Marietta might re-
suit IN parties from out of town at
tempting violence. 1t was decided
70 take it to Atlanta and a quick
run was made. A telephone mes
sage brought an automobile ambu-
lance from Atlanta and met the death
ear at the river.
This action on the part of Judge
norris is being praised by every one
as no one desired to mutilate the
oody, a vote having been taken Of
'ne crowd by Judge Morris, before
'i@e body was cut down, and I'M
aAlmous expression to let the body
Oe sent back to Franks wife and pa
A. rents as it was resulted. This is
N&Veftainly credit to the people of
oooo County. 1t shows that they
we're not blood thirsty and that they
were satisfied with the decree of the
Jaw having been carried out.
we are proud, indeed, to say that
,He body hanged for more than two
iours amid vast throng and no vio-
tence was done. Cobb county people
are civilized. They are not barba-
,'ahs The body was taken to At
ANITA because we did not want it and
Il they did they could have it there
not in Marietta, where it looked
: Il all Atlanta was heading for.
we are through with it,