Tag Archives: John M. Gantt

Charge is Basest of Lies, Declares Gantt

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Charge is Basest of Lies Declares GanttAnother in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.

Atlanta Georgian

Tuesday, April 29th, 1913

John Milton Gantt, the accusation of a terrible crime hanging over him, from his cell at police headquarters, has made to-day a complete denial of any connection with the Mary Phagan murder in the first formal statement to the public since his arrest in Marietta yesterday afternoon.

The statement, which was given to a Georgian reporter, was said by Chief Beavers to be substantially the same as that taken by the police department stenographer last night for the use of the city detectives.

This remarkable denial, if it is to be given credence, sweeps away a whole train of circumstantial evidence that appeared most strongly to connect him with the brutal tragedy. Continue Reading →

Keeper of Rooming House Enters Case

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Keeper of Rooming House Enters CaseAnother in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.

Atlanta Georgian

Tuesday, April 29th, 1913

J. W. Phillips Thinks Couple Who Asked for Room May Have Been Gantt and Girl.

Was the young woman who, in company with a young man, applied to John W. Phillips, keeper of a rooming house at Forsyth and Hunter Streets at about 11 o’clock Saturday night for a room, Mary Phagan, the little girl who was found murdered the following morning? And was Gantt the man with her?

Phillips was not positive to-day.

He saw the young woman in the morgue at Bloomfield’s undertaking establishment, and it is understood he positively identified her to city detectives and the County Solicitor. She looked very much like the young woman, he said, but he would not make the positive statement to a reporter to-day. Continue Reading →

Bartender Confirms Gantt’s Statement

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Bartender Confirms Gantt's StatementAnother in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.

Atlanta Georgian

Tuesday, April 29th, 1913

Says Phagan Suspect Left Pair of Shoes In His Place Saturday Evening.

Charles W. McGee, of Colonial Hills, a bartender in the saloon of J. P. Hunter at 35 South Forsyth Street, almost directly across from the National Pencil Company plant, corroborated to-day the story told by J. M. Gantt about leaving a pair of shoes in the saloon from Saturday night until Monday morning.

“The man I judge to be Gantt from the description came into the saloon, but stayed only a short time,” said McGee. “I noticed nothing suspicious about Gantt or the man who was with him.”

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Atlanta Georgian, April 29th 1913, “Bartender Confirms Gantt’s Statement,” Leo Frank case newspaper article series (Original PDF)

Factory Head Frank and Watchman Newt Lee are “Sweated” by Police

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Factory Head Frank and Watchman Newt Lee are Sweated by Police

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.]

Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.

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 →

Is the Guilty Man Among Those Held?

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Is the Guilty Man Among Those Held

Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.

Atlanta Georgian

Tuesday, April 29th, 1913

Is the murderer of Mary Phagan among the four men who are being held at police headquarters, or is he still at large, either among those still unsuspected or among those who have been severely quizzed by the officers?

The men still in custody are:

1—Newt Lee, negro night watchman, who is thought to know much more about the crime than he has told, but who has not been regarded as the perpetrator;

2—Arthur Mullinax, former street car conductor, for whom a strong alibi has been established, and from whom suspicion is shifting; Continue Reading →

Suspect Gant [sic] Tells His Own Story

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Suspect Gant Tells His Own Story

Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.

DENIES GUILT BUT IS IDENTIFIED AS MAN SEEN LEADING GIRL

Atlanta Georgian

Monday, April 28th, 1913

The Georgian will pay $500 reward for EXCLUSIVE information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer of Mary Phagan.

J. M. Gant [sic], accused of the strangling of Mary Phagan, was brought to Atlanta this afternoon at 4 o’clock from Marietta, where he had been under arrest in the Sheriff’s office since forenoon.

Fearing a demonstration from the crowd that had been waiting at the Walton Street station for several hours, Detective Hazlett transferred his prisoner from a Marietta car to a Decatur car and had him locked up in the police station before many were aware that he was in town.

Gant, trembling and nervous, refused to talk at first.

“I have nothing to say, nothing to say,” he repeated to the interrogations of the reporters.

As Hazlett led them to the police station, Gant glanced apprehensively around as though he were in fear of being taken away from the officer.

When no demonstration occurred, Gant, recovering his poise in a measure, turned to the reporters and declared his absolute innocence of any connection with the gruesome affair.

Makes Complete Denial

“I know nothing about it,” he declared. Continue Reading →

Gant [sic] Was Infatuated With Girl; at Factory Saturday

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gant_infatuated

At the right is Miss Ruth Phagan, aunt of Mary Phagan, and in her arms is Miss Ollie Phagan, sister of the victim, whom she is trying to comfort.

Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.

Atlanta Georgian

Monday, April 28th, 1913

Gant [sic] was arrested on a warrant sworn out, in Judge Powers’ court, charging him with murder.

Gant was last seen before his arrest at 8:45 this morning by Herbert Schiff, assistant superintendent of the factory. A few minutes later he was on a car bound for Marietta.

The officers in Marietta were notified by telephone and were on the watch for a man answering Gant’s description.

The detectives began to spread their nets for Gant on significant stories coming from half a dozen different sources.

All were to the effect that Gant had tried on many occasions to pay attentions to the little girl, and that his infatuation for her was evident even in the factory.

Continue Reading →

Arrested as Girl’s Slayer

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John_M_Gant_Accused_of

Photograph of Mary Phagan showing her in street dress. [The almost fourteen-year-old girl was found slain in the dingy basement of her work establishment, beaten and strangled to death. — Ed.]

Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.

JOHN M. GANT [sic] ACCUSED OF THE CRIME; FORMER BOOKKEEPER TAKEN BY POLICE

Atlanta Georgian

Monday, April 28th, 1913

J. M. Gant [sic], arrested in Marietta for the murder of Mary Phagan, gave to a reporter for The Georgian his story of his actions that led to his arrest. He protested his innocence, and declared he was home in bed at the time the crime is supposed to have been committed.

In striking contradiction to this statement is the assertion of Mrs. F. C. Terrell, of 284 East Linden Street, where Gant said he slept Saturday night, that she had not seen Gant in three weeks.

“I watched the Memorial Day parade in Atlanta,” said Gant, as he sat in the Marietta police station, “and after the parade was mostly over I went out to the ball game. After the game I remembered that I had left some old shoes at the pencil factory, and decided to go over and get them. I went over there at 6 o’clock and Superintendent Frank let me in.

“He told the negro watchman to help me find my shoes, and both of them saw me get them and also saw me leave the building.

Continue Reading →