Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.
Atlanta Journal
July 30th, 1913
J. M. Gantt, one time suspect in the Phagan case, and now a witness, Wednesday sat on a bench in the room above the one where Leo Frank was on trial for his life and said unpleasant things about his shoes.
“There they are,” he declared in a peevish tone. “The two little devils that got me into this case and have cost me a hundred dollars in attorney’s fees and more worry and care than anything I ever had before.”
The objects of his wrath were simply two unoffending black boots with a stout pair of soles and shiny calf tops.
They wer[e] the shoes for which Gantt called at the pencil factory on the afternoon of the murder, a call which resulted in his arrest later and his apprehension as a witness. That was three months ago, but Gantt still wears the shoes. One would think he would throw the “little devils” away, but he doesn’t.
“You see, they’re good shoes,” says Gantt.