The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1915-01-08
Is Leo Frank Guilty?

terest taken in murder trial as has
been manifested in the case of Leo
Frank, who is under a sentence OF
death at Atlanta, Georgia, for the muir
der OF Mary Phagsn a fifteen year old
factory girl. The testimony given at
the trial which ended few weeks ago
shows the crime to have been a
heinous one, we'll planned and COM
mitted by an abnormal brute, and the
man who is guilty should hang. But
the question of Franks guilt is doubt
full. We have not the time nor the
space to give the details of the case,
but refer those who are interested to
the last two issues Of Golfers Weekly,
which gives full account Of the trial
We will say, however, that Frank was
convicted purely on circumstantial evil
dence and the testimony of Jim Con-
ley, negro of the lowest type.
Leo Frank is a Jew. The we'll
meaning people Of Atlanta appear to
have a dislike for Jews, and when it
became known that circumstances
pointed towards Frank having com
mitted this awful deed, the citizens of
that city and throughout all of Georgia
rose up, and as if in one voice, cried
for Franks execution. Kill the
damned Jew" was the most common
remark on the streets Of that Southern
city. The Georgians did not wait to
see what would be the outcome of his
trial, in their eyes he was guilty. The
Judge, the jury, and even Franks at
torneys were threatened with death if
he was not convicted. Under such
conditions is it not more than likely
that the laws OF justice would miscarry
The supreme court, the highest
tribunal in the United States, will now
review the case. and it remains to be
seen if Frank will then get that which
every good citizen wants to see, fair
play"
If, in the end, Frank dies on the
scaffold for the crime of which he has
been convicted, the people of Georgia
may in years to come discover that
they have killed the wrong man.
And then won't they blush with shame.
The Spokesman Review OF Decem-
Der 2oth contained an account OF
where an innocent man, George H.
Painter, was executed in Chicago in
1894 for the murder of his sweetheart,
Alice Martin. This is the statement
made by Chief of Police Gleason who
received letter from a person signing
himself R. w. Baxter of Buffalo, San
canon county, Ill.
The writer asked that Painters rela-
tives be found and promised to remove
the stigma from the family.
Painters last words on the scaffold
were declaration that he was not
guilty.
Alice Martin, Painters sweetheart
was beaten to death in 1891 and Painter
was arrested nine months later. After
two years of fighting the prisoner was
convicted and executed. On the scat
fold he said:
IF I killed Alice Martin, the girl l
dearly loved, the woman I loved so
much that l would almost commit any
crime for her, I pray this minute, my
last minule on earth, that the eternal
God will put me into eternal hell.''
The condemned man raised his voice
and continued:
Look here, gentlemen, if there is
one man among you who is an Ameri-
can, I say to him on his soul-on his
soul, I say-see that the murderer of
Alice Martin is found"
The scaffold prayer was delivered by
the Rev. A. P Moerdyke who said:
May he whom so many believe in
nocent Of this crime join Thee in ever
lasting life for the sake % Lord of Thy
son, Jesus Christ, our LODI"
This is Just another incident OF one
Of life's tragedies. Frank may be
guilty and if he is, no sentence could
be too severe. But on the other hand,
there is serious doubts in the minds Of
some of the persons who have carefully
investigated the case. We are not a
L tfrNL:l