Monday, 19th July 1915: Frank’s Condition Steadily Improving; Good Chance To Recover, Say Doctors, The Atlanta Constitution

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William Creen Declares

That He Alone Plotted

Famous Prisoner's Death

Frank's Family Physician Says That Prompt Attention of Prison Directors Saved Patient's Life.

Thinks Frank Will Get Well. Two Trained Nurses on Duty.

"I'M GOING TO LIVE. I MUST LIVE.

I MUST VINDICATE MYSELF,"

DECLARES FRANK TO DOCTOR

Creen Had No Quarrel With His Victim and

Read No Anti-Frank Literature. Admits

Talking About Case to Fellow-Convicts, But

Shoulders All Blame. Creen Is Chained to

Concrete Post.

Milledgeville, Ga., July 18. (Special.) Leo Frank, with his throat cut almost halfway round, is resting easily late tonight in the Hospital Ward of the Prison Farm here, and the indications are that he will recover. With normal pulse and a temperature of 99, he is in no immediate danger, according to the Prison Surgeon, Dr. Guy Compton, but it will be several days before chances of a relapse have passed.

Frank, who has been conscious since he was attacked, is optimistic and displays considerable fortitude. "I am going to live. I must live. I must vindicate myself," he declared. His wife is constantly at his bedside and this afternoon he was visited by her brother, M. Marcus, and Dr. H. J. Rosenberg, the family physician.

CREEN TAKES ALL BLAME

FOR ATTACK ON FRANK.

William Creen, the life-term convict who admits cutting Frank's throat, declares that there was no conspiracy among the prisoners to kill Frank. He says that he alone plotted Frank's death, claiming that he had "an inspiration" that he should do so.

Dr. Guy Compton says that the prognosis is favorable for Frank's recovery. The jugular vein was ligated, and anastomotic circulation has successfully set up in the deeper and surrounding blood vessels. In case no infection happens from the weapon of the would-be assassin, a knife used in cutting salt pork, and no rupture of vessels occurs from blood pressure or coughing spells, everything will probably go well with Frank, and the wound will heal by first intention.

In fighting off his assailant, Frank got gashes in both of his hands from the knife. The wounds are not bad, however.

DR. ROSENBERG THINKS

FRANK WILL RECOVER.

Dr. Rosenberg, Frank's Atlanta physician, arrived at noon. He also thinks Frank will recover. He complimented the efforts of the prison doctors, saying their prompt services saved Frank's life.

Dr. Mc Naughton is being congratulated for the heroic part he played, for it was he who rendered the first aid, clamping the gushing vein and stopping the big hemorrhage. Dr. Mc Naughton says Frank would surely have bled to death in five minutes. He is much pleased over saving the life of his fellow prisoner, under such dramatic and tragic circumstances.

CREEN IS CHAINED

TO CONCRETE POST.

Bill Creen appears quite composed as he lies on a cot in the rear of the big dormitory with his legs chained to a concrete post. The report of his being in a private cell or dungeon is untrue, for there are no cells in this prison.

According to Creen's statement, he has killed two men, Tobe Reese, eight years ago, being acquitted on a plea of self-defense, and O. S. Kitchen, three years ago, for which he was given life sentence. Before the trial, he was examined by a lunacy commission, which pronounced him sane. Dr. L. M. Jones, superintendent of the State Sanitarium, was on the commission.

Creen weighs 165 pounds, has dark hair and mustache, brown eyes, is 6 feet tall, was born in Memphis, Tenn., lived in Georgia 25 years and has a wife who works in the Eagle-Phenix Factory.

He says he has been reading only the Bible.

MRS. FRANK PROSTRATED

BY THE TRAGEDY.

Mrs. Leo Frank is broken down and badly fatigued from the harrowing experience of last night. She, too, thinks her husband is on the road to recovery. She shudders when she thinks of the narrow escape he had. She declares her husband is the most wonderful man in the world to endure what he has with such patience and heroism.

Everybody who has been around Frank's bedside comment on the calm fortitude exhibited by him almost in the very face of death. For some time, he thought he was going to die, but throughout showed courage, never giving way to pain nor uttering any protest. He reiterated his declaration of innocence, saying if he had to die, he had no fear of death and he hoped his assailant would be forgiven.

Warden Smith deeply regrets the tragedy. He has been on a great strain since Frank was placed under his care. He hasn't had a good night's sleep in weeks. He says the happening of last night emphasizes another need at the Prison Farm"a place of detention for dangerous convicts. He has several such prisoners now that he has to keep chained to prevent them from committing acts of violence. Creen is another problem to handle.

FRANK'S CONSTITUTION

IS HOLDING OUT.

Frank's strong constitution, which was noticeable throughout his fight for life in the courts of Georgia and the higher courts, is still holding out. He was a frail man when he was brought to the State Farm, probably sixty pounds lighter than when he was first arrested and accused of the murder of Mary Phagan. But he has taken on flesh since his arrival here. He was getting strong and robust, working much of the time in the open air with other convicts, hence the great loss of blood that he has suffered has not caused a complete collapse. He is weak, but he has nerve.

Frank has asked the prison doctors again if they thought he would live.

"You have a good chance to recover," he was told today.

Frank smiled. "Don't punish the man who attacked me," he said. "I have nothing to fear. There is nothing between me and God. I will be able to prove to the world that I am innocent of the crime of which they accuse me if they give me a chance."

"Doctor," he said late this afternoon, "I am going to live. I must live. I must vindicate myself."

The weather is very hot, the temperature having reached 98 yesterday, and again today. Frank stands the heat remarkably well, however, and he has a light, airy room.

Two trained nurses from Macon, Miss Mc Cormick and Miss Parker, were brought here in an automobile this morning to care for Frank. Two noted Macon doctors hurried here shortly after the cutting, to be of assistance in dressing the wounds, if possible, but prison doctors had completed dressing the wounds before they arrived.

NO CONSPIRACY

TO KILL FRANK.

William Creen, the life-term convict, who admits that he cut Frank's throat, was questioned again today by prison authorities to ascertain if there was a conspiracy to kill Frank.

Creen asserted that there was no plot. He said that he had inspiration that he should kill Frank and plotted alone to kill him. He told of siding in the butchering of hogs on Saturday morning, how he had hidden a butcher knife that had been made out of a big file in his clothing, carried it to bed with him and then how he attacked Frank as the latter slept.

Creen admitted that he had talked with convicts on the Frank case, but said that they had not influenced him in any way. He took all the blame for the crime on his own shoulders, and said that while he thought at the time that he was doing right, he now regretted his act.

Superintendent Smith said this afternoon that Creen had not been permitted to read newspapers or anti-Frank literature.

"Creen read the Bible," said the superintendent. "The Bible was furnished to him at the library. He studied it whenever he had an odd moment. He seemed to be getting religion. I knew that Creen was a bad man, but never dreamed that he would attack a fellow convict. I had instructed the guard not to pick a quarrel with him, as it might result seriously."

"Did Creen have a quarrel with Frank?" he was asked.

"No, absolutely not," said the superintendent. "They appeared to be friends. That is why the attack is all the more shocking."

Mrs. Frank left her husband's bedside at 11 o'clock tonight after an all-day vigil. She went to the home of Captain Burke, superintendent of the farm, to spend the night."Mr. Frank's condition is favorable," she said. "We are encouraged." Mrs. Frank added that she was too tired to collect her thoughts to talk further.

STATE TO PROBE ATTACK ON FRANK AT PRISON FARM. Commissioners Davison and Rainey Are Expected to Arrive in Atlanta Today To Consider Affair. With Leo M. Frank conducting a desperate fight for Life at Milledgeville State Prison Farm, where he was wounded by a fellow Convict Saturday night, State Authorities are now preparing to conduct a Searching Probe into the attack upon the famous Prisoner. Commissioners R. E. Davison and E. L. Rainey are expected to arrive in Atlanta this morning. It is understood that the first matter to engage their attention will be the Frank Case. One of the most important phases of the investigation will be an effort to learn whether the Assailant acted on his own initiative or was the tool of others. Governor Harris is keenly concerned over the attempt upon the famous Prisoner's Life. So many rumors of violence to Frank and threats upon his Life have come to the attention of State Officials that they feel that a Searching Probe of the whole case is necessary.

IN TOUCH WITH PRISON. The Governor kept in close touch with Milledgeville Sunday afternoon. Shortly after lunch he held a long talk over Long-Distance with Dr. George B. Compton, the Prison Surgeon, who is attending Frank. Dr. Compton assured Governor Harris that the patient was holding his own, and that the greatest danger came from the possibility of blood poisoning. Anxiety for Frank's Life was felt in Atlanta all Sunday, however. His friends throughout the City felt that Frank had only a "fighting chance," and this was verified by Reports from the State Prison. Dr. H. J. Rosenberg, Family Physician for the wounded Prisoner, was called to Milledgeville Sunday morning. Dr. Rosenberg was at the bedside, all through the afternoon. He reported Frank improving. Mrs. Frank, it was stated, was at his bedside most of the time. She bore the ordeal well. It was not until the Frank Case that this System was generally known, and, although he would not talk for Publication, it is possible that he, himself, will suggest a legislative investigation in this direction.

Two Atlanta Ministers stated Sunday afternoon that the attempt upon Frank was of a nature that sometimes occurs among Convicts and should not be an Assault upon his victim. It was reported that Harry A. Alexander, Associate Counsel for Frank, would leave shortly for Milledgeville. Alexander, however, would not talk to Newspaper Men, neither verifying nor confirming the Report.

PARDON FOR CREEN ASKED. Governor Harris received an Appeal to Pardon the Prisoner, Creen, Sunday afternoon from a body of Citizens of a small City near Columbus. The Appeal was made by wire, the message reading: "We, the undersigned, respectfully Appeal to you to pardon William Creen, now serving Life Sentence in the State Penitentiary." It was signed by a dozen names. It was also probable that the proposed Probe of the Prison Commissioners would be extended to the disciplinary System of the State Prison. Guards and Officials, in this event, will be called upon to explain why Creen was able to smuggle the knife into the Dormitory and make his attack upon the sleeping man without interference. There is a possibility of the State Legislature being urged to investigate the Prison relative to the System of herding a large number of Prisoners in a single Room where they sleep in a body, which state of affairs largely permitted Creen to make the Assault upon his victim necessarily reflect upon prison conditions in the State. Both Pastors, Rev. H. M. Du Bose and Dr. C. W. Daniel, appealed to the Prison Commission, with a number of other Ministers, to commute the convicted man's Sentence. "I consider this incident one greatly to be regretted and deplored," stated Rev. Du Bose, "but I look upon it, however, as one of those horrible Affairs that are difficult to prevent, and, therefore, do not construe the occurrence in any way reflecting upon Georgia or her people." Similar sentiment was expressed by Dr. Daniel, who said in part: "It is an unspeakable tragedy, but one that does not fall upon the heads of the people of Georgia."

CREEN'S MIND AFFECTED BY FALL FROM BRIDGE. Many Believe Frank's Assailant Insane He Has Killed Two Men. Columbus, Ga., July 18. Will Creen, who cut Leo Frank's throat at the State Farm last night, has had an adventurous and unusual career. He had killed two men before attacking Frank, and is now under Life Sentence. Creen is about 40 years of age, and is married, his Wife now residing in Columbus. As a Stonemason, he has worked in and around the City for a good many years. He was one of the workmen on the new Dillingham Street Bridge across the Chattahoochee River here, and fell from the Bridge into the River, narrowly escaping Death. It is believed that he has not been altogether sound mentally since his fall from the Bridge. Creen's first man was Tobe Reese, whom he killed in a Saloon Fight. Reese is said to have run amuck and Creen ran behind the Cash Register for refuge. The other fired at him, the Bullet striking the Register, and then Creen dropped him with a well aimed shot from behind the Register. He was tried and was acquitted on the ground of Self-Defense. Afterwards, Creen shot Sam Hudson in a fight, and while under indictment for this, on a Charge of Assault with intent to murder, killed Otis Kitchens on March 9, 1913. Creen cursed a number of boys in the Street who laughed at him as he passed by in his buggy. Kitchens, an Insurance Man, who was passing along, reproved him for his words. Creen went to his home, secured a Pistol, returned and shot Kitchens between the eyes, killing him. Upon his arrest, Creen acted queerly, and his Attorneys claimed that he was insane. Dr. Jones, an Expert from the State Insane Asylum at Milledgeville, was called to Columbus, and examined the Prisoner, reaching the Decision that he was feigning insanity. At the same time, it was felt that Creen was not altogether sound mentally, and under an Agreement between the Solicitor General and his Attorneys, he was given a Life Sentence. Mrs. Creen was much affected when she heard of her Husband's deed, and expressed the Opinion, that he is crazy. She said that last June, when he seemed to have lost his mind and was apparently unable to talk with her in a connected manner.