Sunday, 18th July 1915: Frank’s Throat Slashed By Prisoner While Asleep At State Farm, The Atlanta Journal

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### BARE CHANCE OF LIFE THOUGH JUGULAR IS SEVERED BY KNIFE

William Creen, Columbus Murderer, Secures Butcher Knife and Steals Upon Noted Prisoner in the Night

"Am I Going to Die? I am Not Afraid," Frank Said This Morning When the Doctors Told Him His Chance Was Very Slight

(Special Dispatch to The Journal.)

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga., July 17. Leo M. Frank's throat was cut tonight by a fellow prisoner at the State Farm. His left jugular vein was severed and at 2:30 o'clock Sunday morning physicians said chances for his recovery are slight.

"Am I going to die?" Frank asked the doctors after they had sewn up his wound. "I am not afraid. There is nothing between me and God. I hope the man who did this will be forgiven."

Frank was attacked at 11:10 o'clock tonight while he lay sleeping in the prison dormitory. His assailant was William Creen, forty-five years old, serving a life term for murder following conviction in Muscogee County June 13, 1913. Creen used a crude but sharp, home-made butcher knife.

Frank, Creen and about one hundred other prisoners were in the dormitory on the second floor of a two-story building at the farm. They had gone to bed at 9 o'clock, the regular hour. Two guards were stationed at the two entrances to the room, and the lights were turned down dim.

Frank's cot was about forty feet from one entrance. Creen's cot was four cots further along in the line. No one saw Creen stir, but he must have slipped out of his cot, crawled under the three between him and Frank and risen by Frank's side with the butcher knife in his hand.

Frank was asleep on his right side. As Creen struck, the man in the next cot cried out. The two guards started toward Creen. Prisoners leaped up from their cots. Before Creen could strike again, he was seized and the knife wrested from him.

### CREEN PUT IN IRONS.

Frank sank back on his cot in a pool of blood. Creen was rushed to Warden James E. Smith and is now in irons in a solitary cell in the basement of the dormitory building.

Frank was lifted from his cot and taken to the operating room next to the sleeping room. He has never lost consciousness. Two physicians, inmates of the prison, were in the building, and gave him immediate medical attention. One of them is Dr. W. J. Mc Naughton, serving a life term for murder, convicted of killing a citizen of Swainsboro named Flanders. The other is Dr. L. M. Harris, convicted in Columbus of another crime.

While these two doctors worked over Frank, a hurry call was sent to Dr. Guy D. Compton, prison physician, at his home half a mile away. Dr. Compton arrived within a few minutes. The three physicians at once began an operation to stitch up Frank's throat. It took over two hours.

Frank never lost consciousness. The Journal correspondent entered the room after the operation and asked Frank how he felt.

"Pretty well," said Frank, and attempted to smile.

Dr. Compton stated Frank might recover, although his head is cut nearly off. While the jugular vein is severed, the windpipe and spinal cord are not touched. He had lost much blood, which, in his poor physical condition resulting from long confinement, makes his chances for recovery smaller.

### AWAITED HIS CHANCE.

The knife Creen used is said by Warden Smith to have been obtained on the farm Saturday afternoon, doubtless when Creen was assisting in killing several hogs, the prisoners always being served fresh meat on Sunday. It is Warden Smith's belief that Creen concealed the knife about his clothing and lay awake for two hours awaiting his chance.

Frank had been at the farm exactly three weeks at 4 o'clock Sunday morning, having been removed from the Fulton County tower Sunday night, June 20, by Sheriff Wheeler Mangum and two deputies, who took him on a Central of Georgia train to Macon thence thirty miles across the country by automobile to the prison farm, where his arrival was expected by officials, who had been notified. Announcement of his commutation to life imprisonment for the murder of Mary Phagan was made five hours later by Governor John M. Slaton.

The prisoners are allowed the freedom of the floor until 8 o'clock and the lights are turned down promptly at 9 o'clock. After that hour, no prisoner is allowed to move without permission from a guard. It is said Creen muttered a curse as he drew his knife across Frank's throat. He struck but once. Frank uttered a cry as he fell back and the lights were turned on full as the other prisoners and the guards sprung forward. Excitement which followed lasted for hours.

Frank was conscious from the start and continued to talk. "I guess they've got me," he is quoted as saying to the doctors who stood over him. He suggested to them how the flow of blood might be stopped.

At 1 o'clock Sunday, he was still on the operating table, but gradually growing weaker. Doctors had not succeeded in stopping the flow of blood, although they had checked it. They admitted his chances for recovery were growing smaller.

At 1:15 o'clock Sunday morning, the physicians had completed sewing up the wound in Frank's throat. They had joined the jugular vein, and they believed the operation was successful. Frank was taken to the hospital. He was still conscious.

Some animosity had been shown Frank since he arrived at the prison farm, but the prison officials stated Sunday morning they had not thought for an instant that an attack would be made on him.

### FRANK TALKS TO DOCTORS.

After Frank's wound had been dressed, he turned to the physicians attending him and asked:

"Am I going to die?"

"We don't know," said Dr. G. D. Compton, the prison surgeon. "You are in a serious condition and will have to be quiet."

"If I am going to die," replied Frank. "I am not afraid. Nothing stands between me and God. I hope that the man who attacked me will be forgiven."

### MRS. FRANK HYSTERICAL.

Mrs. Frank happened to be at the State Farm, a guest at the home of Superintendent Smith tonight at the time that the attack was made on her husband.

Mrs. Frank became hysterical. She soon rallied, however, and was taken to the operating room where doctors were at work on her husband. She maintained remarkable composure, held her husband's hands and conversed with her husband while the doctors were putting in the stitches.

At 2:15 o'clock this (Sunday) morning, Doctor Compton, the prison surgeon, stated that Frank's chances for recovery are slight.

"There is danger of blood poisoning," said the doctor.

"There is danger of the stitches in the jugular vein slipping, either one of which might cause death."

### Chronological Story In the Frank Case Told in Bulletins

April 26, 1913 Mary Phagan murdered in National Pencil Factory, Atlanta.

April 27, 1913 Her body found in basement of factory.

April 29, 1913 Leo M. Frank placed under arrest.

May 1, 1913 Jim Conley, Negro sweeper in factory, arrested.

May 24, 1913 Frank indicted on murder charge.

July 28, 1913 Frank's trial begun in Fulton County Superior Court at Atlanta.

August 23, 1913 Jury finds verdict of guilty.

August 26, 1913 Frank sentenced to hang October 10. Motion filed for new trial.

October 31, 1913 New trial denied.

February 17, 1914 Georgia Supreme Court affirms conviction.

March 7, 1914 Frank resentenced to die April 17.

April 16, 1914 Another motion for new trial filed, staying execution.

June 6, 1914 New trial again denied.

November 14, 1914 Georgia Supreme Court sustains denial of petition for new trial.

November 18, 1914 Georgia Supreme Court refuses writ of error.

November 21, 1914 Frank's attorneys seek writ of error from Justice Lamar, of United States Supreme Court.

November 23, 1914 Justice Lamar refuses writ.

November 25, 1914 Justice Holmes, of United States Supreme Court, also refuses writ.

December 7, 1914 Full bench of United States Supreme Court refuses writ of error.

December 9, 1914 Frank resentenced to hang January 22.December 21, 1914 United States District Judge Newman, of Georgia, refuses Application of Writ of Habeas Corpus.

December 24, 1914 Frank's Attorneys apply to Justice Lamar for a Certificate of Reasonable Doubt and an Appeal.

December 28, 1914 Justice Lamar grants Appeal and Certificate of Reasonable Doubt.

February 25, 1915 Frank's Case argued before full Bench of United States Supreme Court.

April 19, 1915 Supreme Court, with Justices Lamar and Hughes dissenting, dismissed the Plea for a Writ of Habeas Corpus.

May 31, 1915 Frank's Plea for Commutation of Sentence to Life Imprisonment heard before the State Prison Commission.

June 9, 1915 The State Prison Commission submitted a divided Report to Governor Slaton, Commissioners Davison and Rainey voting against and Commissioner Patterson for Commutation.

June 12, 1915 Final Hearing for Executive Clemency begun before Governor Slaton.

June 21 Governor Slaton commutes Frank's Sentence to Life Imprisonment, and Prisoner is taken to Milledgeville and begins Sentence.

July 17, 1915 Frank assaulted with Butcher Knife by Prisoner at State Farm.

PAGE 1, COLUMN 3

CREEN DECLARES HE IS SORRY HE SOUGHT TO KILL LEO FRANK

"Thought It Ought to Be Done At Time," But Wouldn't Do It Over Again for the World.

Had Killed Two Men.

(Special Dispatch to The Journal.)

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga., July 17. While Frank was on the Operating Table, William Creen, the Convict who attacked him, was brought before Warden Smith and other Prison Officials. To them, he made the following Statement:

"I'm awfully sorry that I did this," he said. "At the moment, I thought that I was doing what was right. I thought that I was doing something that ought to be done."

"If I had to do it again, I wouldn't do it for anything in the world. I am especially sorry that I attacked Frank, now that I realize the seriousness of the Crime. I am sorry because of the criticism it may bring on the Officials of the State Farm, especially Warden Smith. I wouldn't do a thing in the world to injure him in his position. He had confidence in me, and I have violated that confidence. I am ready to suffer the consequences."

Creen was questioned to some extent as to how he attacked Frank. He said that Frank lay asleep in the bed in the Dormitory of the Prison where there were a hundred others. He slipped up behind Frank in the darkness, and slashed his throat. There was only one knife wound.

Immediately after Creen had made his Statement, he was taken to the basement of the Prison where he was placed in Solitary Confinement. He was also put in irons. The cell in which he is confined is of Concrete and Steel. It is practically a Dungeon, although not so termed by Prison Officials.

Creen Bore Bad Reputation; Had Killed Two Men

(Special Dispatch to The Journal.)

COLUMBUS, Ga., July 17. William Creen, the Convict, who tonight attacked Leo M. Frank at the State Prison Farm near Milledgeville, has killed two men and has since his boyhood, borne a very bad Reputation.

Creen is serving a Life Sentence for the murder of a young Insurance Agent named O. D. Kitchens. He shot Kitchens down on the Streets here on March 9, 1913, because Kitchens had remonstrated with him for cursing and abusing some young boys who had angered him by laughing at him as he passed the corner in a buggy.

Creen went back to his home, secured a revolver, returned to where Kitchens was standing on the Street and shot him through the forehead without a word of warning. Kitchens left a widow and one child.

At his Preliminary Hearing on March 14, 1913, Creen was bound over for murder without Bond. He remained in Jail until May 26, 1913, when he was put on trial. During this time, he feigned insanity and refused to talk to anyone. Dr. Jones, a Superintendent of the State Sanitarium at Milledgeville, and Dr. F. L. Cosby, of this City, were appointed a Commission to examine him. He would not answer any of their questions, but after carefully looking him over they gave it as their Opinion that he was not crazy, although there was a possibility that an injury to his head, which he received in a fall several years before might have affected his mind somewhat.

Upon the Agreement of the Attorneys and the Judge Creen, after being found guilty by a Jury, before whom he continued his Policy of Silence, was given a Life Sentence in the State Prison.

At the time he killed Kitchens, Creen was under bond under a Charge of Assault with intent to murder a man named Sam Hudson, whom he shot in a Barroom fight. Prior to that, he killed Tobe Reese, for which Crime he was acquitted on a Plea of Self Defense.

Creen has figured in the various Courts for various Offenses. He had been convicted once or twice of selling liquor and was known as a "bad man."