Norwich bulletin., 1915-08-18
Franks Lynching
Carefully Planned
EVERY MOVEMENT OF THE MOB
SHOWED PREPARATION.
BODY NOW IN ATLANTA
No Member of the Band Has Yet
Been Identified-coroner Jury Has
Adjourned for Week Pending Col
lection of Evidence.

Marietta. Ga, Aug. 17-Leo NJ.
Frank, convicted of the murder of
Mary Phagan, was taken from the
state prison farm at Mil1edgeviIIe last
night by small band of determined
men, was brought to within a few
city at daylight today and hanged to
tree near the Marietta MilledgevilIe
highway.
Body DangIed From Tree.
The body, which was found at s
O'Clock this morning, dangled from the
tree for several hours while a throng
from the surrounding countryside
gathered about the scene. BY a vote
or the crowd the body was cut down
without multilation and taken by au-
tomobile to Atlanta, where another
throng congregated to view it.
Collecting Evidence.
Oficials of Cobb county in which
the lynching occurred Immediately in
stitute6 an investigation. Coroner
Booth empanelled a jury and an
| nounced that the county commission
ers had empowered him to employ ad-
d1tlonal counsel Two witnesses ap-
| peared before the jury which adjourn
ed its session for a week while officials
collect evidence. Although the identi-
| ty OF no member of the band was
known to officials tonight it was sug-
1 T
| taken nearly 100 miles in an automo-
1 bile from the state prison almost to
/ the outskirts of Marietta indicated that
| most of the lynchers came from this
| city.
Feet and Legs Firmly Bound.
The body was discovered by search
| ers from several cities in this section
who started out in automobiles after
| news spread that Frank had been kid
/ mapped from the state prison farm
The body, hanging from an oak tree,
was found clothed only in a silk shirt
| which Frank wore when he was torn
from bed in the prison dormitory.
A white handkerchief covered his
| face, his feet and legs were firmly
| bound and under his right jaw was
the knot of the hangman's moose ex-
pertly tied to produce quick death.
| Great Crowd Gathered.
News of the discovery of the body
| spread quickly and a great crowd had
| gathered before the arrival of Coron-
er Booth. The latter's announcement
that it would be cut down Immediate
ly aroused some objection.
There were cries of:
Don't move the Jews body until we
shoot it full of holes" but an appeal
by Former Superior Judge N. A. Nor
ris of Cobb county quieted the crowd.
Gained the Crowd.
A-CN ES 1uIlnSI N1Ol6nCo,
he said The work of the mob is
| done. Leo NJ Frank has given his
| life for the crime he is alleged to
have committed. Do not mutilate the
body. Let it be sent to his mother
l appeal to your better judgement and
I ask all who agree with the course I
suggest to raise their right hand.'
There was a moments hesitation,
then uplifted hands appeared above
the crowd and the body was cut down.
At first it was placed in an under
takers wagon which headed toward
Marietta, but officials who feared that
the crowd might become unruly stop
ped the wagon on the outskirts of the
town and transferred the body to an
automobile which hurried to Atlanta
Excitement in Marietta rapidly sub
sided after the body was cut down.
Several automobiles, however, fol-
lowed the machine that bore the dead
victim Of the hanging to Atlanta
Gang Worked Quietly.
The gang that took Frank from the
prison dormitory apparently worked
quietly and rapidly after they began
their 100 mile automobile ride from
MilledgeviIle The scene of the
yards of two farmhouses, occupants
of which said they noticed nothing
unusual during the early morning
hours. One man who lived half a mile
IurIher away said ne saw four au-
tomobiles passing his house but they
did net attract unusual attention.
Thorough Preparation.
There seemed to be every indica-
ton that the hanging had been care
fully planned. The ease with which
Frank wos removed from the state
prison farm. difficulties lert in the
way of pursuers, and the sudden dis
appearance of the band after the
lynching all pointed to thorough pre-
paration
After the circulation Of reports to-
day that several high powered auto
mobiles had left Marietta early Mon
day night, Mayor Dobbs issued this
statement:
Il desire in the interests of justice
and truth to say that the Marietta and
Cobb County officials had no knowI-
edge of any automobiles leaving Ma
rietta well loaded last night nor were
| they apprised Of the return of any
| machines today. None of the officials
had any intimation of the 1ynching
| until the body was found"
| GOVERNOR HARRIS TO
| AIN