Author: Mary Phagan

Friday, 9th May 1913 Coroner Donehoo Points Out the Law to the Jurors
The Atlanta Journal Friday, May 9th, 1913 (Page 6, Column 5) The coroner's charge to the jury was in part as follows: "You have heard the statement of the county physician. You have seen what caused death. You have seen…

Friday, 9th May 1913 Detective Harry Scott’s Testimony as Given Before Coroner’s Jury
The Atlanta Journal Friday, May 9th, 1913 (Page 6, Column 1) An unexpected turn was given to the coroner's inquest into the mysterious murder of Mary Phagan, Thursday afternoon, when Harry Scott, the Pinkerton detective who has been representing that…

Friday, 9th May 1913 Detective John Black Tells the Jury His Views on the Phagan Case
The Atlanta Journal Friday, May 9th, 1913 (Page 6, Column 1) Detective John Black followed Detective Scott on the stand. He was questioned about the finding of the bloody shirt at Newt Lee's home. He said that on the Tuesday…

Friday, 9th May 1913 Frank and Lee Ordered Held by Coroner’s Jury for Mary Phagan Murder
Leo M. Frank, factory superintendent, who, with Newt Lee, the negro night watchman, was held for the grand jury. Atlanta Constitution Friday, May 9th, 1913 Sensational Statements Made at Inquest by Two Women, One of Whom Had Been an Employee,…

Friday, 9th May 1913 Here is Testimony of Witnesses Given at the Final Session of Coroner’s Jury in Phagan Case
The Atlanta Journal Friday, May 9th, 1913 (Page 6, Column 1) Full Story of Hearing Thursday Afternoon When Frank, Newt Lee, Detectives Black and Scott and Several Character Witnesses Were Placed on the Stand The verdict of the coroner's jury…

Friday, 9th May 1913 Investigation Just Begun Says Detective Lanford
The Atlanta Journal Friday, May 9th, 1913 (Page 20, Column 4) General satisfaction was expressed Friday morning by the detectives working on the Phagan case at the action of the coroner's jury. Chief of Detectives Lanford, however, declares that the…

Friday, 9th May 1913 Newt Lee Tells of the Talk He Had in the Police Station
The Atlanta Journal Friday, May 9th, 1913 (Page 6, Column 2) Newt Lee, the negro night watchman, was recalled and asked to tell about any conversation he had with Mr. Frank at the jail or the police station. Lee said…

Friday, 9th May 1913 Superintendent Frank is Once More Put on Witness Stand
Atlanta Journal Friday, May 9th, 1913 Leo M. Frank general superintendent of the National Pencil factory, was recalled to the stand. He was questioned regarding the elevator. The coroner wanted to know what kind of a door there…

Friday, 9th May 1913 With Two Men Held in Tower, Mystery of Murder Deepens
Atlanta Journal Friday, May 9th, 1913 Belief That the Detectives Had Positive Evidence, Which They Were Withholding, Dissipated by Admissions SCOTT AND BLACK REFUSED TO NAME MAN SUSPECTED Case Now Goes to the Grand Jury but No Action Is…

Friday, 9th May 1913 Woman’s Handkerchief Brought to Officers
Atlanta Constitution Friday, May 9th, 1913 The detectives are investigating today a clew in the Phagan case brought to Atlanta Thursday by W. A. Smith, of Jonesboro, an employee of the Central of Georgia railroad, which was to the…

Saturday, 10th May 1913 Girl Will Swear Office of Frank Deserted Between 12:05 and 12:10
Monteen Stover. Little girl, former employee of National Pencil company, who swears Frank was not in office between 12:05 and 12:10 o'clock. Atlanta Constitution Saturday, May 10th, 1913 Testimony Considered Important by Officers Because Frank at the Inquest Stated on…

Saturday, 10th May 1913 Guard of Secrecy is Thrown About Phagan Search by Solicitor
Atlanta Georgian Saturday, May 10th, 1913 Names of Witnesses Withheld by Dorsey to Prevent "Manufacturers of Public Opinion" Getting in Touch with Them—Satisfied with Progress. Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey declared Saturday afternoon that he was very well…

Saturday, 10th May 1913 Public Now Knows All Facts in Murder Case, Say Detectives
Atlanta Journal Saturday, May 10th, 1913 Pinkertons Declare the State Has No Evidence of Importance That Hasn't Been Given to the Newspapers IDENTITY OF SOLICITOR'S DETECTIVE A MYSTERY Chief Lanford Believes He Is One of Sheriff's Capable Deputies—Gantt…

Sunday, 11th May 1913 Caught Frank With Girl in Park, He Says
Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 11th, 1913 Robert T. House, a Special Policeman, Gives New Evidence to City Detectives. In the evidence obtained Saturday in the Mary Phagan case, one piece that the detectives regard as the most important bore on…

Sunday, 11th May 1913 City Detectives Theory of Phagan Murder Outlined
Atlanta Journal Sunday, May 11th, 1913 The Journal Presents First Complete Statement of Case Solicitor and His Investigators Seek to Build HOW DETECTIVES THINK CRIME WAS COMMITTED They Maintain That Mary Phagan Was Left Unconscious in Factory Near…

Sunday, 11th May 1913 Frank is Awaiting Action of the Grand Jury Calmly
Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 11th, 1913 Leo M. Frank, calmly and without any apparent fear or apprehension, is awaiting the decision of the 24 men who will determine this week whether or not an indictment shall be returned…

Sunday, 11th May 1913 Grand Jury to Consider Phagan Case This Week
Atlanta Journal Sunday, May 11th, 1913 Interets in the investigation of the mysterious murder two weeks ago of little Mary Phagan centered Saturday in the grand jury. Two men, Leo M. Frank, superintendent of the pencil factotry , where the…

Sunday, 11th May 1913 Mary Phagans Death Only Assured Fact Developed
Atlanta Georgian Sunday, May 11th, 1913 BY JAMES. B. NEVIN. Mary Phagan is dead. She was murdered. Leo Frank, and Newt Lee are in jail, upon the findings of a Coroner's jury, held as suspects for investigation by…

Sunday, 11th May 1913 Mystery of 14-Year-Old Mary Phagans Tragic End Adds One to Long List of Atlantas Unsolved Crimes
Atlanta Constitution Sunday, May 11th, 1913 BY GORDON NOEL HURTEL. The mystery surrounding the murder of Mary Phagan, the young factory girl who met a tragic and a terrible death in the heart of a city whose streets were…

Sunday, 11th May 1913 Officer Swears He Found Frank With Young Girl
Robert House Atlanta Constitution Sunday, May 11th, 1913 Robert House, Now a Special Policeman, Tells the Atlanta Detectives of an Incident of Over a Year Ago. SEES FRANK IN TOWER AND RECOGNIZES HIM Three More Pinkertons Are Put on the…

Sunday, 11th May 1913 Weak Evidence Against Men in Phagan Slaying
Solicitor General Hugh Dorsey, in a characteristic pose, examining a witness. On Solicitor Dorsey is placed dependence for the solving of the puzzling Phagan slaying case. He is making every effort to unravel the mystery. NO REAL SOLUTION…

Monday, 12th May 1913 Burns Called into Phagan Mystery; On Way From Europe
Leo M. Frank, the pencil factory superintendent, held in the Phagan mystery, in a new photograph. Mrs. Frank yesterday visited her husband in the Tower, where he is a prisoner pending the action of the Grand Jury. Atlanta…

Monday, 12th May 1913 Find Guilty Man, Franks Lawyer Told Pinkertons
Atlanta Constitution Monday, May 12th, 1913 "You Are Employed to Hunt Down Murderer, It Matters Not Who He Is," Luther Rosser Informs Detectives. GRAND JURY TO PROBE MYSTERY NEXT WEEK Solicitor Dorsey States That He Wants All the Evidence…

Monday, 12th May 1913 Phagan Case is Delayed
Atlanta Georgian Monday, May 12th, 1913 Not Likely to Go to Grand Jury This Week More Time Taken to Strengthen Evidence Evidence in the Phagan case may not be presented to the Grand Jury this week. This was…

Monday, 12th May 1913 Rumor That Frank Married in Brooklyn Not True, Says Eagle
Atlanta Journal Monday, May 12th, 1913 At Request of The Journal, One of Numerous Reports About Man Held in Phagan Case Is Investigated TWO ‘NO BILLS' NECESSARY TO FREE PRISONERS Solicitor's "Famous" Detective Has Left City-Character Witnesses Not…

Monday, 12th May 1913 The Phagan Case Day by Day
Atlanta Constitution Monday, May 12th, 1913 The history of the baffling Phagan mystery, daily recorded, is briefly as follows: Sunday April 26—Girl's body found in basement of pencil factory. Newt Lee, negro night watchman, who made discovery, arrested. Arthur…

Tuesday, 13th May 1913 Frank’s Life in Tower
Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 13th, 1913 Of the many prisoners confined in the Tower, Leo M. Frank stands far above them all as the central figure in the public eye while the exhaustive investigation into the death of…

Tuesday, 13th May 1913 Mother Thinks Police Are Doing Their Best
Mary Phagan's mother, Fannie Phagan Coleman (center), with her family in Atlanta, 1902. She holds Mary (right) and another child. Mary Phagan's older sister, Ollie Mae, stands at front left. Atlanta Georgian Tuesday, May 13th, 1913 Mrs. J. W. Coleman,…

Tuesday, 13th May 1913 My Son Innocent, Declares Mother of Leo M. Frank
Atlanta Constitution Tuesday, May 13th, 1913 "I Am Confident That He Will Be Proven Not Guilty of This Terrible Crime," She Tells Reporter HAS NOT SEEN HER SON SINCE HE WAS MARRIED W. J. Burns Secured to Take…

Tuesday, 13th May 1913 Mystery Within a Mystery Now Baffling Newspaper Men Working on the Phagan Case
Atlanta Constitution Tuesday, May 13th, 1913 By Thomas Byrd Magath A veil of mystery so dense as to completely shut off the light from all newspaper men surrounds the identity of the detective who has been employed by…