New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-18
PICKED TO HANG
FRANK, ASSERTS
MOB SPOKESMAN
twenty-five Men Selected
for Work, Says Marietta
Business Man.
DEFENDS LYNCHlNG
AND THE LYNCHERS
Prominent Georgian Leader in
Plot-FOiled Once by Gov.
Harris Receiving Tip.
fBy Telegraph to The Tribune.

fBy Telegraph to The Tribune.l
Atlanta, Aug 17.-"The public will
never know the identities of the
twenty-five brave and loyal men who
took into their own hands the eXecu-
ton of a law that had been stripped
from them by Governor Slaton.
would not advise inquistive authori-
ties or persons to try to reveal them.
They are as zealously banded together
now. and as relentless. as at the mo-
ment they invaded the state prison
This was the statement of conser-
vative. established business man OF
Marietta this afternoon. He was thor
ouqhlv aware of the movements of the
lynching clansmen, of the process OF
organization, OF their plans, and OF
their painstaking system Of advance
preparations. He would neither admit
nor deny that he was one of the mob.
"The men who hanged Leo Frank.
the murderer of Mary Phagan. did not
90 about il with a spirit of lawless-
ness nor vindictiveness. They felt 1T a
duty-a duty to their state and COM
monwealth. duty to the memory OF
Mary Phagan, whom all Cobb County
loved, and whose memory is cherished
in every household in the hills you see
over there to the west.
Al kit,a
than a month ago if some one had not
got careless and permitted leak.
Governor Harris was apprised of the
plans and ordered the militia to be in
readiness.
Police Secuted in Woods.
THAT was the day when the county
police were scouting in the edge of
Fulton and Cobb counties on the look
out for automobiles from Marietta.
Governor Harris and the military
authorities no doubt received wide
spread censure for this apparently un-
necessary action. but il the truth were
known it gave Leo Frank at least one
month of grace he would have not re-
ceived from the hands of the men who
were about to go to Milledgeville for
him.
Ever since the day Governor Sla-
ton commuted the sentence of Frank
plans had been in formulation for this
r.orning's deed. Minute and definite
arrangements were made. and there
was not a missing thread from the
fabric Of the perfected scheme when
the twenty-five men set out early last
night on their journey to Milledgeville.
Meetings were held in a spot so
conspicuous that you would be aston
ished to hear its name called. A leader
was chosen. man who bears as repu-
table a name as YOU would ever hear
in a lawful community. He was re-
spected and honored. The twenty-five
would have gone through hell and high
water with him.
THE chosen twenty-five although
this wasn't the entire number avail
able) were men whose worth was
kLown. collectively and Individually. |
doubt that you would find anywhere a
body of patriots more loyal. faithful,
obedient and determined.
Sifted Out the Men.
"They were business-like as we'll as
determined Like business ventures,
they would not go into it without first
knowing every lay of the ground and
every detail so far as could be fore
seen. The business of getting the men
was the first undertaking. This was
done only after good deal of sitting
and wedding.
81 have learned from my fathers
lips. and from those of my various kin
who served in the reconstruction days,
the modes and methods of the Ku-Klux.
but even that noble institution. for
perfection Of organization. determina-
tion and daring, could not equAi this
modern exploit, done in the interest Of
Justice which we had been denied By
the men we put into Office
"In the first place, the organization
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