Author: Historical Librarian

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 5th, 1913 Urges Enforcement of Laws Regulating Locker Clubs and Against Sunday Tippling, Questionable Houses and Carrying Concealed Weapons Judge W. D. Ellis, of the Superior Court, delivered the following address to the new Grand Jury, and touched upon the Phagan case: "Under our system of judicial procedure, we have in the Superior Court of this county six terms each year. Grand juries are drawn and impaneled at each term, but the duties of making investigations into matters of a general nature, such as the inspection of the offices, the books, papers and records of Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 5th, 1913 The reason for the delay in beginning the Coroner's inquest was that Coroner Donehoo was in Marietta up to 2:30 o'clock. The body of Mary Phagan was exhumed by direction of the Coroner who went to Marietta for the purpose. An examination of the contents of the stomach will be made for the purpose of determining whether the child had been poisoned before she was attacked on the day of her death. It will probably be several days before this examination can be completed. The examination was done very quietly, and few people Read More ...

    Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Atlanta Police Do Not Believe He is Implicated in Tragedy—Letters From Women and 50 Photographs of Girls Found in Prisoners Trunk. The Atlanta police and State officials say they place little importance in the arrest of Paul P. Bowen, the former Atlanta youth who is being held by the Houston authorities. In Bowen's trunk was found a mass of clippings telling of the Phagan killing, and at least 50 photographs of girls and young women. Several times while he was being questioned, Bowen is said to have contradicted himself. Bowen stoutly maintains Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Paul P. Bowen, arrested in Houston, Texas, on suspicion of complicity in the murder of Mary Phagan, could not have been connected with the Atlanta mystery, according to members of his family here. Albert Bowen, a brother, said Paul Bowen has been in the West since last August, when he went to Arkansas to work for the Rock Island Railraod. He has never been back to Georgia since, he declared, but has spent the time in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. On April 21, Albert Bowen declared, he received a letter from Paul written Read More ...

    Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Factory Superintendent's Statements on the Witness Stand Considered Distinctly Favorable to Him. Leo M. Frank's testimony before the Coroner's inquest threw no new light upon the Phagan case. Indeed, if it did anything it strengthend the belief in the minds of many persons that the mystery is far from solved. Frank's testimony was distinctly favorable to him. He was on the witness stand for several hours. He answered every question in a straight-forward manner. He was not more nervous than any other man in the room. He never halted for a word Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Factory Superintendent Explains Every Hour of the Saturday Phagan Girl Was Slain. Here is told how Frank passed the whole day of the Saturday when Mary Phagan was killed. The following is taken from Frank's testimony: 7 o'clock a. m.—Arose, and dressed at home. 8—Left home for factory. 8:20—Arrived at factory. 8:50 or 9—M. D. Darley and others entered there. 10—Went over to office of Sig Montag, factory manager, on Nelson Street. 11—Went back to the factory office. 12—Stenographer and office boy left him alone in office. 12:10 p. m.—Mary Phagan came for Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 Body of Slain Girl Exhumed and Bloodstains on Factory Floor Analyzed. NEW THEORY ANNOUNCED Solicitor Believes Victim May Have Been Thrown, Still Alive, Down Elevator Shaft. Solicitor General Dorsey, Chief of Detectives Lanford, Chief of Police Beavers, and all men working under them in the Phagan case seem thoroughly satisfied with the progress they are making in the great mystery. They are actively engaged in many unknown directions—as they say, "piling up evidence to strengthen the case." What evidence the officials have other than that which has already been made public they refuse Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 6th, 1913 By A GEORGIA LAWYER. It is absurd to say, as some people have been saying in Atlanta of late, that Solicitor General Dorsey "has taken the Phagan case from the Coroner," or has "butted in" on the Coroner's business in some way. It would be equally sensible to say that the commanding general in a battle had "butted in" on a captain's business, when, as the battle progressed, the general gave directions of one sort and another to the captain as to its conduct. The truth of the matter is, Solicitor General Dorsey Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 7th, 1913 Detectives Figure Strangling Was a Typical Mediterranean Crime—Solicitor Dorsey Grills Watchman Lee in Effort to Get New Points. A new and sensational interpretation was given the Phagan mystery Wednesday afternoon when it was revealed that Pinkerton detectives are trailing a Greek now missing who was employed in a restaurant near the National Pencil factory before the crime was committed. The reasons that the city detectives give for the adoption of the new theory are: The slaying of Mary Phagan was not a negro crime, as the only negro who has been suspected in Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 7th, 1913 Important Light is Trown on Case Also by Girl Companion of Mary Phagan. With new evidence in hand, Solicitor Dorsey went to the jail at 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon to question Newt Lee, the night watchman, exhaustively. He plied the negro with questions for forty-five minutes. Before closeting himself with the negro the Solicitor said he had never questioned Lee himself, and he hoped to leave the jail late today with valuable information. Detective Rosser was reported to have found a 14-year-old girl who had important information bearing on the case. This girl Read More ...

    Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 7th, 1913 Third Time Unfortunate Victim's Remains Have Been Exhumed—Dorsey Says Officials Are Not Looking for Finger Prints, but Other Clews. The body of Mary Phagan was exhumed early Wednesday for the second time in two days. The unofficial explanation is that the exhumation is made for the purpose of making a microscopic and minute examination of every wound on the body for finger prints and other clews as well. Solicitor Dorsey let it be known that the police are not working on the idea that the finger prints would be helpful in solving Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Wednesday, May 7th, 1913 Inquest, To Be Resumed Thursday, Will Bring Out Important Facts Not Yet Made Public—Medical Experts To Be Called by Coroner. New mystery was added to the Mary Phagan case on Wednesday, when the authorities for some reason not yet disclosed, did not follow out the order given by Solicitor Dorsey for the exhumation of the remains. It was said by Solicitor Dorsey that he had given this order in the hope that new clews might be discovered. A difference of opinion as to the advisability of the exhumation evidently has arisen, but the Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Pinkertons Find No Foundation for Report of Lunch Room Helper's Disappearance. Harry Scott, of the Pinkertons, said Thursday that the information obtained by his agency to the effect that a Greek helper in a restaurant had disappeared following the killing of Mary Phagan had proved baseless so far as he was able to determine. "It was a blind clew," he said. "We were unable to find that any one was missing from the restaurant. Neither were we able to locate the supposedly missing person in Anniston, Ala., where our information said he was." Read More ...

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 John Black, city detective, followed Scott. Q. Tell about the shirt.—A. Sergeant Bullard and I went out to the rear of 40 Henry Street and searched Newt Lee's room. Q. What did you find?—A. Lots of things. Q. Tell about finding the shirt?—A. We found it in the bottom of an old barrel. Q. Was the shirt on the top or in the bottom of the barrel?—A. In the bottom. Q. When was this?—A. On Wednesday after the murder. Q. Did you see the shirt Lee wore Sunday morning?—A. Yes. Q. What Read More ...

"Boots" Rogers, former county policeman who drove the police to the Pencil Factory when the first news of the Phagan slaying reached headquarters. Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 W. W. Rogers was the first witness. He lives at 104 McDonough Road, and operates an automobile for himself. He said he took a party of officers to the National Pencil plant at five minutes past 3 o'clock Sunday morning, April 27. He corroborated statements of officers regarding the finding of Mary Phagan's body and the notes beside it, and of the body being face downward. Q. Who telephoned Frank of Read More ...

  Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Man Who Said Mary Phagan Passed His Place Testifies He Was Wrong. J. L. Watkins, who testified that he saw Mary Phagan Saturday afternoon, April 26, between 4 and 5 o'clock, was called to the witness stand. He was accompanied to the inquest by a girl, Daisy Brown, who he said was the girl he mistook for Mary Phagan. He said he became convinced of his mistake when detectives came out to his place and had Daisy Brown to dress as she was Saturday afternoon. Then he discovered, he said, that she was Read More ...

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Frank was slightly nervous when he was answering the questions. He was asked: Q. What kind of an elevator floor have you in the factory on the office floor?—A. A solid sliding door. Q. Where was the elevator Friday night and Saturday?—A. I didn't notice it. Q. What protection would there be from a person from falling into the shaft if the door was open?—A. There is a bar across the shaft. Q. Where was the elevator Saturday?—A. I did not notice it. Q. Where was it Sunday?—A. On the office floor. Read More ...

    Atlanta Georgian Thursday, May 8th, 1913 The inquest was resumed at 2:40. Only a small crowd was present. Miss Hattie Hall, stenographer for the Pencil Company, was called. She said she had been connected with the company since December 4. From a pile of papers taken from the factory records, Miss Hall identified a number that were written by herself. She said she did not think she could identify Frank's writing. Miss Hall selected eight letters that she had written. She said she didn't know how long it had taken her to write the letters. Miss Hall looked Read More ...