Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.
Atlanta Georgian
Thursday, May 8th, 1913
Newt Lee followed Black on the stand.
Q. Tell the jury of your conversation with Frank in private—A. I was in the room and he came in. I said, Mr. Frank, it is mighty hard to be sitting here handcuffed. He said he thought I was innocent, and I said I didn’t know anything except finding the body. “Yes,” Mr. Frank said, “and you keep that up we will both go to hell!” I told him that if she had been killed in the basement I would have known it, and he said, “Don’t let’s talk about that—let that go!”
Frank has declared that he was instructed by the detectives just what to say to Lee in the effort to open his mouth, and said it.
Q. Was the furnace running Saturday night?—A. It was fired up.
Q. Did you say anything about sleeping?—A. Yes, sir. I came to the factory and Mr. Frank came out of his door and rubbed his hands and said he was sorry he had me come so early, when I might have been sleeping. I said I needed sleep.
Never Met Him Before.
Q. Did Frank ever come out to meet you before?—A. No, sir. He usually says “All right,” when I say, “All right, Mr. Frank.”
Q. Is the trap door usually open?—A. Yes, sir; it’s open every evening when I come.
Q. When you went into the machinery room, did you notice anything on the floor?—A. No, sir.
Q. When you came there at 6 o’clock, what happened?—A. Mr. Frank came out and asked me what time it was. He told me not to punch the clock, as he wanted to put on a new tape. I held the lever and he put on the tape.
Sure He Punched Clock.
Q. Did he unlock the door of the clock?—A. No, he just opened the door.
Q. Are you sure you punched the clock every half hour that night?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. Whose shirt was that they found at your house?—A. It looked like one of mine. I used to have one like that.
Q. Whose clothes were in that barrel?—A. I had mine in there, and the lady might have had some of hers there.
Q. Was your shirt store bought?—A. No, sir, Mrs. John Bowen made it.
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Atlanta Georgian, May 8th 1913, “Lee Repeats His Private Conversation With Frank,” Leo Frank case newspaper article series (Original PDF)