Sunday, 18th July 1915: Leo Frank’s Throat Cut By State Farm Prisoner, The Atlanta Constitution

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### Desperately Wounded by Fellow Prisoner

#### LEO M. FRANK

Jugular Vein Severed Partially, Has Slight Chance For Recovery. Attacked by William Creen, Convicted Murderer, at 11:10 Last Night, Frank's Condition Is Critical, According to Prison Officials. Was Asleep in Prison Dormitory When Creen Rushed Upon Him. Physicians Sew Up the Wound and Operation May Save Life.

"SEEMS THAT THEY HAVE GOT ME," HE MUTTERED WHEN DISCOVERED BLEEDING ON FLOOR BY GUARDS. Creen Made Attack With Butcher Knife Smuggled Into Prison. Rushed Upon Him in Dark. Frank, Though Weak and Sinking Slowly, Retains Consciousness and Directs Physicians How to Stop Flow of Blood. Creen Confesses, and Says He Is Sorry.

Milledgeville, Ga., July 18. At 3 o'clock this morning, Dr. 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."

Milledgeville, Ga., July 17. Leo M. Frank, serving a life imprisonment sentence for the murder of Mary Phagan, a 14-year-old Atlanta factory girl, was attacked and his throat cut by William Creen, a fellow prisoner, at the State Prison Farm here. Physicians announced late tonight that the wounded man's condition was serious, but that he had a chance to recover.

The attack on Frank was made while he was sleeping in the prison dormitory in company with the other inmates. The knife used was made of a file, and had been used by the prisoners in killing hogs during the day. Frank's throat was cut for a distance of several inches and the jugular vein partially severed.

Some animosity has been shown Frank since he arrived at the State Prison Farm after his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, but the prison officials said tonight they had not thought for an instant that an attack would be made on him.

William Creen, 45 years old, who is doing a life term from Columbus, Ga., on a charge of murder, has confessed to cutting Frank's throat. Creen has been put in a dungeon.

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

The inmates of the prison occupy one large room at night; a sort of a dormitory, where the strictest of rules are observed by the prisoners. All are allowed the freedom of the floor until 8 o'clock, but after that hour a prisoner is not allowed to move without permission from a guard.

The attack on Frank tonight came so quickly that no guard had time to interfere. Creen is alleged to have drawn the knife from his prison clothing, where he had secreted it for the murderous attack, and uttering a curse, thrust it across the throat of Frank, the attack being from behind.

Frank fell to the floor, uttering a cry of pain. The lights were quickly switched on, and the guards saw him prostrate upon the floor, blood spurting from his wounds, while a prisoner was trying to make his way back to his bed.

A knife that had been made of a file and which the convicts used in killing hogs during the morning was found on the floor of the prison where the attack occurred. How the knife was smuggled into the prison is a mystery.

#### GUARDS FOUND FRANK'S CONDITION ALARMING.

The guards found Frank's condition alarming. Prisoners were excited. Dr. George B. Compton, the prison surgeon, was immediately called, but before he could reach the prison dormitory, two well-known Georgia surgeons who are serving terms in prison were at Frank's side, administering first aid to the wounded man.

One of the physicians is Dr. J. W. Mc Naughton, of Swainsboro, who is doing a life term for murder, having been sent to prison after four trials, and the other physician who attended him first was Dr. L. M. Harrison, of Columbus, doing a long term.

"I guess they've got me," Frank is quoted as having uttered to the doctors who stood over him. Frank was conscious from the start and continued to talk. He suggested to the doctors how the flow of blood could be stopped. He was gradually growing weaker.

Within a few minutes, Frank was placed in the operating room in the hospital department of the prison. Dr. Compton, the prison surgeon, assisted by the two doctors who are doing time there, started to sew up the wounds.

At 1 o'clock this morning, Frank was still on the operating table in the hospital ward of the prison. Doctors had not succeeded in stopping the flow of blood, but they had checked it. Frank was growing weaker at that time, but was still conscious.

Prison officials who had been with the doctors during the operation stated that Frank had a chance to recover, but they admitted that it was a small chance.

#### CREEN SERVING LIFE SENTENCE.

William Creen, who attacked Frank, was sentenced to a life term in prison from Muscogee County (Columbus) on June 13, 1913.

Leo M. Frank was brought to the State Farm in the early morning of June 21, after a midnight flight from the Fulton County jail in Atlanta, by a train to Macon, Ga., and there by automobile to the prison.

A few hours after his arrival here, it was officially announced that the then Governor Slaton had commuted his sentence to life imprisonment.

After his arrival here, Frank insisted that he would in time prove to the world that he was innocent of the charge of having murdered Mary Phagan, the 14-year-old Atlanta pencil factory girl.

Less than a week ago, the State militiamen here and at Macon were ordered held in their armories, a report having reached the ears of state officials that an attempt would be made to force an entrance to the State Prison, get Frank and lynch him.

#### SORRY I DID IT, DECLARES CREEN.

While Frank was on the operating table, Warden Smith and other prison officials had Creen brought before them and his statement was taken.

"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 that it may bring on the officials of the State Farm, especially of 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. Frank was asleep when attacked.

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.

#### HE SLEW KITCHINS THREE YEARS AGO.

Columbus, Ga., July 17. (Special.) William Creen, who attacked Leo Frank tonight at the State Penitentiary, was sent up from Muscogee County for the murder of a man named Kitchins in 1912. Just what the circumstances were that surrounded the murder of Kitchins by Creen could not be learned at a late hour.

#### TRANSFUSION TREATMENT.

An effort was being made at the time The Constitution went to press this morning to secure an Atlanta surgeon to go immediately by automobile to Milledgeville to attempt to save the life of Leo M. Frank by a transfusion of blood.

Solicitor Hugh Dorsey first learned of the attempt on the life of Frank from The Constitution, and expressed surprise. He said he had no statement to make at that time and probably would have nothing to say on the matter."I don't see that there is anything for me to say," said Mr. Dorsey. "I would like to know more of the facts in the case."

Solicitor Dorsey stated that in the event Frank succumbed to his injuries, that his assailant could be tried for murder and if convicted, could be sentenced and hanged. He said that the fact that Creen was serving a life term for murder did not prevent his being tried for a subsequent offense.

When notified by The Constitution of the affair, Harry A. Alexander, attorney for Frank, said that he had no statement to make.

Attorney Luther Z. Rosser was asked for a statement, but he stated that until he knew more of the details, he had nothing to say. "If the poor fellow dies, I may have some statement to make," said Mr. Rosser.

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"At Peace With God, Ready To Die," Says Leo M. Frank, Wants Assailant Pardoned

Milledgeville, Ga., July 17. 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. George B. Compton, the prison surgeon.

"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, wife of the wounded prisoner, was a guest at the home of Superintendent Smith on the prison farm tonight. She swooned when she learned of the attack, but later rallied and was taken to the hospital room where Frank's wounds were being dressed.

If Frank survives the attack, it will be because of the prompt attention given him by Dr. Mc Naughton, it was stated here tonight. It was only two or three minutes after Frank was slashed before Dr. Mc Naughton had had him carried to his room, only about seventy-five feet away, and had begun his attempt to stop the hemorrhage.