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The Atlanta Constitution,
Monday, 6th October 1913,
PAGE 1, COLUMN 2.
SPARTA CITIZENS
INSIST HENSLEE
WAS PREJUDICED
“You Said Frank Was Guilty,” They Tell Juror in Letter Sent to Him, and Furnish Copies to the Press.
“WE PRACTICALLY TRIED
HIM BEFORE THE TRIAL”
Say They Will Not Allow Henslee to Call Them Liars to Protect Himself From Criticism “He Deserved.”
Declaring that they had “practically tried” Leo M. Frank for the murder of Mary Phagan before the case was called, the three men who made affidavits against A. H. Henslee, a Frank juror, charging him with bias, yesterday mailed a sensational letter to the Atlanta newspapers presenting their side of the case. The writers of the letter are John M. Holmes, of Holmes & Walker, an insurance and buggy firm, S. M. Johnson, cashier of the concern, and Shi Gray, all of Sparta, Ga., who declares he was in the Holmes & Walker office when Henslee made his alleged statements, say in their communication that they cannot believe that Henslee’s reply to their forced affidavits has been correctly quoted.
The writers also say that they believe it impossible that Henslee could have forgotten the discussion of the Frank case in the office of the concern and recalled the “intense feeling manifested” by Henslee against Frank at the time.
The letter then says:
“You must recall in Mr. Holmes’ office, on the day stated, and in the presence of the undersigned, we all discussed the Frank case and practically tried him, as it were, and that, in the discussion, you not only said that Frank was as guilty as —— but you had much to say about Frank’s being a moral degenerate—your exact language we cannot use—and further stated that you were drawn as a juror.
“We have no disposition to injure you or to make public your statement as two of the writers, Gray and Holmes, have known you and your family for many years and we do not know how the attorneys were acquainted with the fact of this conversation but your remark was common talk in the town where there are a number of people who could have given the information to the attorneys.
“We declined to make a voluntary affidavit in the matter and said nothing until forced to by the court, but let us assure you that the reluctance to testify in no way changes the fact and you shall not be permitted to make statements in the public press denouncing us as liars in order to protect yourself from the criticism you have justly deserved.
“We await your answer.
(Signed)
“J. M. HOLMES,
“S. M. JOHNSON
“SHI GRAY.”
References
The Atlanta Constitution. (1913, October 6). “Sparta Citizens Insist Henslee Was Prejudiced,” p. 1. MaryPhagan.com.
Frank v. State. (1913). New-trial record. Reproduction of the letter from H. Shi Gray, John M. Holmes, and S. M. Johnson, including the wording “as guilty as H---l.”