Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-24
NJ DOWELL HOPES
FOR EARLY PARDON
FROM STATE FARM

CLEARWATER, Fla, June 21.-
Frank Mcdowell, the murderer of
his entire family, who was convict
ed of numbering his mother yesterday
and recommended to the mercy of
the court, came before Circuit
Judge M A. McMullen this morn
ing for senetnce. He was given life
Imprisonment.
J. L. Kelly, representing Nc
Dowell, made motion for a new
trial, claiming that the verdict was
contrary to the evidence and citing
seven reasons why a new trial
should be granted. The motion was
overruled, and Mcdowell was told
to stand up for sentence.
Judge McMullen asked Mcdowell
if he had anything to say why SEN
tence should not be passed upon
him. Mcdowell said:
Judge, / have lots of things to
say, but it would be useless"
The judge then told Mcdowell
that he owed much to his attorneys
whose work evidently saved him
from the electric chair. ''You are
fortunate boy" said the judge, "to
escape the chair. l am sorry for
you, Frank, and I truly hope that
you are insane, for if you are not
your conscience will curse you every
hour Of your life. 1t is my duty to
sentence you to life Imprisonment"
When Judge McMullen told Nc
Dowell that if sane his conscience
would curse him the rest of his life
Mcdowell said it would.
Going to Farm
It is expected that Mcdowell will
BIO sent to Raiford about next
Thursday.
Mcdowell was bright and smiling
when he entered the courtroom this
morning, where he had to wait for
an hour before court was called to
order. There were several neWspa-
permen present besides the deputy
sheriff, and Mcdowell talked freely
with all of them. He said he felt
all right, and reiterated his previous
statements that he is not crazy, and
has no praecoX, that he took no
stock in what the alientsts said
about him. He said he thought two
or three years in the prison may be
beneficial, but thought life would
become monotonous after that. he
asked many questions regarding me
prison and the town it is near, and
expressed a preference to working
on the prison farm rather than IN
the factory part of the INSTITUTION;
Discussing the trial Mcdowell
said he hated to be called an ldlot
and a. fool, and declared that he is
nobody's fool. He said the people
do not know the truth regarding
him. He said he hoped to be re-
stored Il, health and get pardon in
a few years.
"But, Frank" s2id d reporter,
"you have told many stories but have
never told the real reason for killing
your parents. Now, come clean with
it," Mcdowell showed signs OF an
ger and said: There was no reason.
| simply have periodic spells when
/ do not know what I am doing; at
other times l am all right"
Being pinned down for a more
definite reply, Mcdowell was remind
ed that he planned the murder OF
his parents aneaQ OF time, dulnlH-
istered drugs to them so there would
be no disturbance when he shot
them, and that nobody believed his
story about not knowing what he
was doing.
Angry With Reporters
At this Mcdowell became angry,
and flashing a scathing glance at his
prosecutor, said: "If you knew what
1 want to call you you would shut
up. You are the first person who
ever accused me of wilfully murder
ing my parents"
Mcdowell, in alking about the
murder, said no sane man would
have left the evidence he did. He
referred to the Holy Ghost nUte as
a fool thing and said the pistol with
blood on it would never have been
left by a sane person.
You fooled the doctors all right"
an attorney said to Mcdowell. II
did not try to fool them" said Nc
DowelI "They thought they knew
something which they did not know
and L simply let them have their
way about it. 1 knew I had no