The Monroe journal., 1915-07-20
FRANKS THROAT WAS CUT.
Fellow Prisoner Undertook 10 Adj
minister Justice With n Butcher
Knife After a Day of Hog Killing
Thought lit Ought TO BE Done"

minister Justice With Butcher
Knife After Day of Hog killing
Thought lit Ought TO BE Done"
rilledgeville. Ga. Dispatch July Is
LEO NJ Frank lay in the State
prison hospital here tonight with
what attendants said was fighting
chance for recovery. Physicians had
succeeded in stopping the flow of
blood from a jagged wound in his
throat made with an improvised knife
in the hands of William Green. fell
low convict. also serving life term
for murder. The blow was struck
while Frank slept in his bunk in the
dormitory late last night. This latest
and most spectacular phase of the
two-year fight for Franks life may
be the subject of an investigation by
by the Georgia Prison Commission,
which refused to recommend that
Franks death sentence for the muir
der of Mary Phagan be committed
TO life Imprisonment. Reports from
Atlanta were that Governor Harris
intimated today he would start such
an investigation to ascertain if Green
acted entirely of his own volition.
Green said today, when taken from
solitary confinement long enough TO
be questioned. that he planned and
executed the attack alone. He was
not communicative today and gave
as his only excuse that he thought
il should be done" He said. how
ever, that he regretted his act.
Frank was quartered in a dormi-
tory with about 100 other prisoners
and occupied bunk about 40 feet
from one of the two doors to the
large room. Green's bunk was fourth
from him. No prisoner is allowed to
leave his place without permission
from one of the two guards on duty
Shortly after IL o'clock last night
Green called out for permission TO
get up and ii was granted.
He started down the line of hunks
toward the one occupied by Frank.
As he reached II he quickly grabbed
Frank by the hair and delivered one
blow with the knife he had conceal
ed The attack was witnessed by
the guard who rushed to the bunk
and prevented Green from striking
again. Green was oyerpowered and
among prisoners who rushed to
Franks aid were two physicians, one
of whom was also serving a life term
for murder.
The two convict physicians gave
first aid and treated the wound until
Doctor Compton, the prison physi-
clan, was summoned from his home
half a mile away. The three men
took 25 stitches in Franks neck DR..
II. j. Rosenberg. the Frank family
physician. arrived from Atlanta to-
day with nurses. He said that while
Franks condition was precarous he
has chance for life.
Mrs. Frank was in Milledgeville at
the home of j. NJ. Burns. She was
not told of the attack until after the
physicians had finished their work
She became hysterical. but later was
Gained and was taken to the prison
hospital.
The cut extends from the front of
the neck around the left side to al
most the middle of the back of the
neck. Neither the windpipe nor the
spinal cord is hurt, but the jugular
vein is partly severed. The physi-
clans greatest fear tonight was that
some of the stitches might slip, caus-
ing more loss of blood.
Frank was Benefited by the out
door life since being brought to the
farm June 81. Though a small man
he always has had airugged consti-
tuition and that EQUIPPED with his eX-
ercise of the last three weeks are in
his favor the doctors said He took
some nourishment today.
Frank knew of the demonstrations
against the action of Governor Sla-
ton. whose term recently expired in
committing his sentence and also of
threats TO take him from the prison
farm by force Those who reached
his side first last night as he was
wounded believed he had all this in
mind when he said.
Il guess they have got me now. :"
He did not lose consciousness and
after being taken to the hospital re-
quested that his assailant be forgiven.
Green was sentenced from Column
bus for killing man named kitch-
en-. Shortly after the crime jury
inquired into his sanity but declared
him sane. Saturday he was helping
to kill hogs with other prisoners. He
concealed in his clothing the knife
he used in the butchering and later
il is believed seereted 1t in his bunk.