Monday, 26th July 1915: Officials Not Blamed For Attack On Frank, The Atlanta Journal

### Prison Board Exonerates Warden Smith and Assistants at State Penitentiary

In an Official Written Statement given out Monday afternoon, the State Prison Commission completely exonerates Warden Smith and all other Officials connected with the Penitentiary at Milledgeville of any blame for the attack on Leo M. Frank by William Creen, a fellow Convict and Life-Termer, at the State Farm Saturday night a week ago.

This Statement of the Commission comes as the result of an Investigation made by the Commissioners at the Prison Saturday in the presence of Governor Harris and Adjutant General J. Van Holt Nash.

As a result of the Investigation, however, the Prison Commission has issued instructions to all Wardens of the State to use "Extra Precautions in seeing that Weapons of any kind are not secreted in the Sleeping Quarters of Convicts."

The Report of the Commission thus follows: "The members of the Prison Commission visited the State Farm on Saturday to make inquiry into the attack upon Leo M. Frank by William Creen, another Convict."

"The Statement given out by the new Governor concerning it and published in the Papers Sunday contained substantially the results of that Investigation. Creen refused to make any Statement to anyone except to the Governor in the presence of the Adjutant General. In this Statement, he exonerated everyone, both without and within the Prison, of any responsibility for his act. To substantiate his Statement, we examined the Warden, the Guard in Charge of the Yard, the Night Guard, the Floor Walker, and the Convict who occupied the cot adjoining Creen."

"Information derived from all of these corroborated the Statement made by Creen. The assault upon one Prisoner by another was one of those things that will happen in any Institution, despite the utmost vigilance on the part of Officers in charge or any Precaution they may take."

"However, the Prison Commission is issuing instructions today to all the Wardens of the State to use Extra Precautions in seeing that Weapons of any kind are not secreted in the Sleeping Quarters of Convicts. It must be remembered that the same Rules that apply to the State Farm apply to Wardens in every County in Georgia and the Prison Commission is constantly working on the problems involved in the proper care and Management of these Convicts, seeing to it that they are humanely treated and at the same time that Discipline is not so lax as to give rise to criticism that the Convicts are not punished for the Crimes they committed."

"We believe the conditions in the Georgia Penitentiary will compare most favorably with any Penitentiary in the Country and that men come out of it with as little or less of the taint of Prison Life than from any other Prison in the Country; at least, we are working to that end and we believe that we are in some measure attaining it."

"Conditions are being improved from year to year. We may make mistakes all men do and invite suggestions from any Source as to how conditions can be improved. Any information from any Source whatever that would aid in the discovery that Prison Conditions are not what they should be, or that any Convict is not treated properly while at the State Farm or in any Prison Camp in the State of Georgia, is also requested."

### PAGE 7, COLUMN 4 NASH CONGRATULATED ON HIS REAPPOINTMENT

Scores of Telegrams from all over the State have been received by General J. Van Holt Nash, congratulating him on his reappointment to the position of Adjutant General of the National Guard of Georgia. Many of them are from individuals, but a majority are from Officers and Companies of the Militia.