
Leo M. Frank. [The lascivious superintendent of the National Pencil Company, so candidly described by several women and girls who worked at the factory. These women gave testimony describing Frank’s lascivious character at the coroner’s inquest, including inappropriate touching of the women and sexual advances in exchange for money — Ed.]
Atlanta Georgian
Tuesday, April 29th, 1913
Mysterious Action of Officials Gives New and Startling Turn to Hunt for Guilty Man—Attorney Rosser, Barred, Later Admitted to Client.
Has the Phagan murder mystery been solved? The police say they know the guilty man.
Chief of Detectives Lanford at 2 o’clock this afternoon told The Georgian:
“We have evidence in hand which will clear the mystery in the next few hours and satisfy the public.”
All the afternoon the police have been “sweating” Leo M. Frank, superintendent of the factory where the girl worked, and putting through the “third degree” Lee, the negro watchman at the factory.
[The statement came at the end of a second long conference between John Black, city detective; Harry Scott, Pinkerton detective, and Leo Frank, superintendent of the National Pencil Company factory.
Additional clews furnished by the head of the pencil factory were responsible for the closing net around the negro watchman.
With the solution of the mystery at hand came the further information that what suspicion had rested on Frank was being rapidly swept away by the damaging evidence against the black man. It was announced that he probably would be liberated to-night or in the morning.
“It looks a great deal better for Frank who has been detained only for his own protection and to furnish further information to the department,” said the detectives. Continue Reading →