Category: TRANSCRIPTS: ATLANTA JOURNAL

Monday, 28th April 1913, J. M. Gantt is Arrested on His Arrival in Marietta; He Visited Factory Saturday, The Atlanta Journal
Arthur Mullinax, who seems to have established an alibi through statements of friends that he was at home on night of the murder. The Atlanta Journal Monday, April 28th, 1913 (Page 1, Column 1, Row 1) James Milton Gantt Protests…

Monday, 28th April 1913 Police Think Negro Watchman Can Clear Murder Mystery; Four Are Now Under Arrest, The Atlanta Journal
Mary Phagan Atlanta Journal Monday, April 28th, 1913 (Page 1, Column 2) Developments in Case Have Come Thick and Fast Monday but No Evidence Has Yet Been Developed Which Fixes the Atrocious Crime — Mullinax Seems to Have Proved Alibi…

Monday, 28th April 1913 Coroner’s Jury Visits Scene of Murder and Adjourns Without Rendering Verdict, The Atlanta Journal
The Atlanta Journal Monday April 28th, 1913 (Page 2, Column 2) Will Meet Again Wednesday Morning When Witnesses Will Be Examined—Five Hundred People Present When Inquest Was Begun For an hour Monday morning, a jury empaneled by Coroner Paul Donehoo…

Monday, 28th April 1913 “God’s Vengeance Will Strike Brute Who Killed Her,” Says Grandfather of Mary Phagan, The Atlanta Journal
The Atlanta Journal Monday, April 28th, 1913 (Page 2, Column 2) Calling upon God Almighty to visit speedy vengeance upon the murderer or murderers of his fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Mary Phagan, whose mutilated body was discovered Sunday morning in the basement…

Monday, 28th April 1913 Man Held for Girl’s Murder Avows He Was With Another When Witness Saw Him Last, The Atlanta Journal
The Atlanta Journal Monday, April 28th, 1913 (Page 2, Column 4) Arthur Mullinax, Trolley Conductor, Denies That E. L. Sentell Saw Him Saturday Night With Mary Phagan Arthur Mullinax, identified by E. L. Sentell, of 22 Davis street, clerk for…

Monday, 28th April 1913 Strand of Hair in Machine on Second Floor May Be Clew Left by Mary Phagan, The Atlanta Journal
1—Mary Phagan's own handwriting, as shown in her address she wrote for Sunday School teacher. 2—Written by Lee at suggestion of detectives for purpose of comparison. 3—One of notes found in cellar. 4—Also written by Lee at suggestion of detectives.…

Monday, 28th April 1913 Thousands Visit Morgue to View Girl’s Body, The Atlanta Journal
The Atlanta Journal Monday, April 28th, 1913 (Page 2, Column 4) Six thousand people, according to reliable estimates, visited P. J. Bloomfield's undertaking parlors Monday morning to see the body of Mary Phagan. It was the largest crowd, police say,…

Monday, 28th April 1913 Two Maundering Notes Add Mystery to Crime, The Atlanta Journal
1—Mary Phagan's own handwriting, as shown in her address she wrote for Sunday School teacher. 2—Written by Lee at suggestion of detectives for purpose of comparison. 3—One of notes found in cellar. 4—Also written by Lee at suggestion of detectives.…

Tuesday, 29th April 1913 Bloody Thumb Print is Found on Door, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 (Page 4, Column 3) Murderer of Mary Phagan Probably Left Factory by the Rear Door A bloody thumb print, found Tuesday afternoon on the rear door to the basement of the National Pencil factory,…

Tuesday, 29th April 1913 Gantt’s Release Asked in Habeas Corpus Writ, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 (Page 1, Column 2) Petition Made to Judge George L. Bell and Will Be Heard at 4 o'Clock JAMES MILTON GANTT charged with the murder of Mary Phagan is seeking his release upon a…

Tuesday, 29th April 1913 L. M. Frank, Factory Superintendent, Detained By Police, The Atlanta Journal
Leo M. Frank. Superintendent of the National Pencil company, snapped by a Journal photographer on the way to police headquarters. Mr. Frank is not under arrest, but will be a witness at the coroner's inquest. Atlanta Journal Tuesday, April…

Tuesday, 29th April 1913 State Offers $200 Reward; City Will Follow With $1,000 For Mary Phagans Murderer, The Atlanta Journal
J. M. Gantt, who was arrested at Marietta and brough to Atlanta Monday, charged with the death of Mary Phagan. Atlanta Journal Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 (Page 5, Column 2) Mayor Woodward Calls Special Meeting of Council So That Reward…

Tuesday, 29th April 1913 Stepfather Thinks Negro is Murderer, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 (Page 5, Column 1) Believes That Newt Lee Bound and Gagged, Then Murdered Mary Phagan W. J. Coleman, step-father of Mary Phagan, believes that she was murdered by Newt Lee, the negro night watchman,…

Tuesday, 29th April 1913 Three Handwriting Experts Say Negro Wrote the Two Notes Found by Body of Girl, The Atlanta Journal
At the top is a photograph of writing done by Newt Lee, the negro night watchman after his arrest. At the bottom is a photograph of two lines of a note found beside the body of Mary Phagan in the…

Tuesday, 29th April 1913 Where Was Mary Phagan on Saturday Afternoon? The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 (Page 4, Column 2) Are there any friends or acquaintances of little Mary Phagan who saw her after she is supposed to have left the offices of the National Pencil company Saturday afternoon, where…

Tuesday, 29th April 1913 Witnesses Positive Murdered Girl Was Same Who Created Scene at the Terminal Station on Friday, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Tuesday, April 29th, 1913 (Page 1, Column 2) Gatemen, T. R. Malone and H. P. Sibley, After Viewing Corpse, Declare Mary Phagan, Sobbing Loudly and Displaying Vehement Feelings, Prevented Strange Man From Boarding Train for Washington—Neither of…

Wednesday, 30th April 1913 Business Men Protest Sensational “Extras”, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 (Page 1, Column 3) Following an interview between Mayor Woodward and Chief of Police Beavers and Chief of Detectives Lanford, in which the mayor protested that extras on the Phagan murder case which were…

Wednesday, 30th April 1913 Hearing for Gantt at 3 P.M. Wednesday, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 (Page 7, Column 1) Judge Gober Says His Client Will Be Taken Before Justice of the Peace Powers J. M. Gantt, held on a warrant charging the murder of Mary Phagan, will given a…

Wednesday, 30th April 1913 Mary Phagan at Home Last Friday, Says Mother, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 (Page 7, Column 1) Mrs. W. J. Coleman, mother of Mary Phagan, says that the girl was at home during Friday and Friday night, and could not possibly have been the one seen at…

Wednesday, 30th April 1913 Negro Watchman Tells Story of Finding Girl’s Body and Questions Fail to Shake Him, The Atlanta Journal
A sketch of pretty Mary Phagan from her latest photograph by Brewerton. Atlanta Journal Wednesday April 30th, 1913 (Page 1, Column 4) Newt Lee, Negro Who Notified Police of Mary Phagan Murder, Tells Coroner Girl's Body Was Lying Face Up…

Wednesday, 30th April 1913 Negro Watchman Wrote Note Found Beside Dead Girl, Experts Declare, After Seeing Franks Handwriting, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 (Page 1, Column 3) The Journal's Three Handwriting Experts Still Firm in Their Conviction That Newt Lee Wrote Mysterious Notes When Shown Copies Written by Both Frank and Lee in Comparison With Original Note…

Wednesday, 30th April 1913 Reward of $1,000 is Appropriated by City, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 (Page 7, Column 1) Money Will Be Paid for Information Leading to Arrest of Girl's Murderer At a special session called at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning, the city council of Atlanta voted for the…

Wednesday, 30th April 1913 Says He Punched Time Clock on Wrong Number, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 (Page 7, Column 2) Harry Denham's Story Indicates Miss Annie Howell Wasn't in Factory The time clock at the National Pencil company's factory, where Mary Phagan was murdered, shows that employe No. 141 registered…

Wednesday, 30th April 1913 Use of Dictaphone on Frank and Negro is Denied by Police, The Atlanta Journal
Leo M. Frank Atlanta Journal Wednesday, April 30th, 1913 (page 7, Column 2) They Decline to Say, However, Whether Conversation Between Superintendent and Watchman Was Overheard WAS MARY PHAGAN SEEN AT 5 P. M.? J. L. Watkins Says He Saw…

Thursday, 1st May 1913 Detectives Eliminate Evidence in Conflict with Theory that Phagan Girl Never Left Factory, The Atlanta Journal
The big picture in the center shows the head of the detective department, Chief Newport A. Lanford. To his left is John R. Black, city detective, who was largely instrumental in convicting the Druid Hills murderers. On the extreme left…

Thursday, 1st May 1913 Did Murderer Seek to Burn Slain Girls Body, and Did the Watchman Interrupt Him? The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Thursday, May 1st, 1913 (Page 7, Column 2) A new theory based upon an assumption of the innocence of the negro night watchman, Newt Lee, is that the murdered body of Mary Phagan was taken to the basement…

Friday, 2nd May 1913 Solicitor Dorsey is Making Independent Probe of Phagan Case, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Friday, May 2nd, 1913 (Page 1, Column 5) Outside of Solicitor's Activity There Have Been No Developments Since the Suspects Were Transferred to Tower GROUNDLESS RUMORS DENIED BY OFFICIALS Chief Lanford's Busy Running Down Tips—Coroner's Inquest Will Be…

Saturday, 3rd May 1913 Detectives Confer With Coroner and Solicitor Dorsey, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Saturday, May 3rd, 1913 (Page 1, Column 5) Following Meeting Lasting Two Hours, Officials Investigating Murder Mystery Visited Scene of Tragedy NO CHANGE IN PLANS FOR INQUEST MONDAY Progress Has Been Made In Developing Evidence, It Is Said,…

Sunday, 4th May 1913 Girl in Red Dress May Furnish Clue to Phagan Mystery, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Sunday May 4th, 1913 (Page 1, Column 5) A 17-year-old miss, blonde and who weighs about 140 pounds, and who was in in Marietta last Wednesday afternoon wearing a dark red dress and a leghorn hat, may furnish…

Monday, 5th May 1913, Coroner’s Inquest Resumed 2:30 p.m., Leo Frank Will Testify, The Atlanta Journal
Atlanta Journal Monday, May 5th, 1913 Factory Superintendent Was Expected to Be the Chief Witness, Though 200 Others Had Been Subpoenaed NEW GRAND JURY URGED TO PROMPT INVESTIGATION A Thousand Violations of Law Against Vice Do Not Equal Crime of…