Author Archives: Chief Curator

New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Dorsey’s Closing Arguments, part 6

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Leo Frank

THIS WEEK we present the sixth and last audio book installment of prosecutor Hugh Dorsey’s closing arguments in the 1913 trial of Leo M. Frank (pictured) for the strangling and sex murder of his 13-year-old sweatshop employee Mary Phagan. In this dramatic conclusion, you hear the words that the jury heard, the words that would lead them, a short time later, to find Leo Frank guilty of murder.

Even more than 100 years later, we are still feeling the repercussions of this case — which led to the founding of the prominent Jewish pressure group, the ADL, and which profoundly influenced the course of Jewish-Gentile relations in the United States.

This new audio book series encompasses the American Mercury’s extensive coverage of the 1913 Frank trial. We are presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today’s presentation is the sixth and last section of Hugh Dorsey’s final statement.

Click on the “play” button to listen to the audio book, read by Vanessa Neubauer.

Mr. Dorsey powerfully recounts all the evidence in the case that sustains Jim Conley’s version of events (the Frank forces were, by this time, attempting to frame Conley for the crime):

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Dorsey’s Closing Arguments, part 5

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The jury listens attentively in the Leo Frank trial

THIS WEEK we present the fifth and next-to-last audio book installment of prosecutor Hugh Dorsey’s closing arguments in the 1913 trial of Leo M. Frank for the strangling and sex murder of his 13-year-old sweatshop employee Mary Phagan. Even more than 100 years later, we are still feeling the repercussions of this case — which led to the founding of the prominent Jewish pressure group, the ADL, and which profoundly influenced the course of Jewish-Gentile relations in the United States.

This new audio book series encompasses the American Mercury’s extensive coverage of the 1913 Frank trial. We are presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today’s presentation is the fifth section (of six) of Hugh Dorsey’s final statement.

Click on the “play” button to listen to the audio book, read by Vanessa Neubauer.

Mr. Dorsey argues that the proposition of the defense (after they gave up on framing night watchman Newt Lee) that Jim Conley was the real murderer was a preposterous one, and one tainted with the fake “bloody club” that someone among the pro-Frank forces had planted — weeks after the murder — near the place where Conley was keeping watch for Frank on the fatal day:

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Dorsey’s Closing Arguments, part 4

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Lucille Selig and Leo Frank

VANESSA NEUBAUER’S audio book reading from the 1913 Leo Frank case this week is the fourth part of prosecutor Hugh Dorsey’s closing arguments. Leo Max Frank (pictured with his wife Lucille in happier times) was ultimately convicted of murdering his 13-year-old pencil factory employee, Mary Phagan, in a case which set the stage for Jewish-Gentile distrust and recriminations for a century and more afterward. Frank was the president of the Atlanta, Georgia B’nai B’rith and the Frank case was a major factor in the establishment of the Jewish pressure group, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), over 100 years ago.

This new audio book series encompasses the American Mercury’s extensive coverage of the 1913 Frank trial. We are presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today’s presentation is the fourth section (of six) of Hugh Dorsey’s final statement.

Click on the “play” button to listen to the audio book, read by Vanessa Neubauer.

Mr. Dorsey argues that there was something strange about the fact that Mrs. Leo Frank didn’t visit her husband in jail for some time after his arrest:

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Dorsey’s Closing Arguments, part 3

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Solicitor Dorsey in his office; a snapshot of the Phagan case prosecutor taken by a Georgian photographer.

THIS WEEK’S audio book presentation on the 1913 Leo Frank case is the third (of six) parts of prosecutor Hugh Dorsey’s closing arguments. His arguments, along with the evidence in this case, were ultimately successful — and Jewish pencil factory superintendent Leo Frank was convicted of murdering 13-year-old Mary Phagan, his sweatshop employee.

Frank was the president of the Atlanta, Georgia B’nai B’rith and the Frank case was a major factor in the establishment of the Jewish “anti-hate” group, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), over 100 years ago.

This new audio book series encompasses the American Mercury’s extensive coverage of the 1913 Frank trial. We are presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today’s presentation is the second section (of six) of Hugh Dorsey’s final statement.

Click on the “play” button to listen to the audio book, read by Vanessa Neubauer.

Mr. Dorsey dismisses the defense’s contention that the blood stains found were not Mary Phagan’s blood:

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Dorsey’s Closing Arguments, part 2

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Jim Conley on the witness stand; prosecutor Hugh Dorsey; ladies in the audience

THIS WEEK WE present the second part of the closing arguments of Solicitor Hugh Dorsey (pictured in a  contemporary newspaper illustration), the prosecutor in the 1913 murder trial of Leo Frank for the slaying of his sweatshop employee Mary Phagan. This prosecution has been presented in the major media as a case of “anti-Semitism” — but a reading of the evidence and Dorsey’s closing arguments casts that allegation into the realm of the ridiculous. The Frank case was a major factor in the establishment of the Jewish “anti-hate” group, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), over 100 years ago.

This new audio book series encompasses the American Mercury’s extensive coverage of the 1913 Frank trial. We are presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today’s presentation is the second section (of six) of Hugh Dorsey’s final statement.


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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Dorsey’s Closing Arguments, part 1

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Hugh M. Dorsey

TODAY WE present the closing arguments of Solicitor Hugh Dorsey (pictured), which were the very last arguments heard by the jury, in the 1913 murder trial of Leo Max Frank for the murder of Mary Phagan. These powerful, successful, and historic arguments span some six hours, and they will be presented here over the next six weeks beginning today. They give the lie to the common media narrative — often the only one presented to students today — that the state had a “weak case” against Frank.

This series encompasses the American Mercury’s coverage of the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank — a case which was one of the inspirations for the establishment of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

We are presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today’s presentation is the first section of Hugh Dorsey’s final statement.

Mr. Dorsey states that prejudice against Jews had nothing to do with the prosecution of Frank:

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Rosser’s Closing Arguments, part 2

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Leo Frank posing for Collier’s Weekly. The photo would later become the front cover for the book The Truth About the Frank Case by C.P. Connolly.

THIS WEEK in our audio book series we present part 2, the final part, of the powerful, skillful closing arguments of Luther Z. Rosser for the defense of Leo Frank (pictured) in his trial for the murder of Mary Phagan, read by Vanessa Neubauer. Rosser, possibly the most feared lawyer in Atlanta in his day, was a mouthpiece and “fixer” for the rich and powerful.

This series encompasses the American Mercury’s coverage of the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank — a case which was one of the inspirations for the establishment of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). We will be presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today we present the concluding arguments of Luther Z. Rosser for the defense.

Mr. Rosser denies in his speech that the pro-Frank forces planted false evidence to implicate the Black night watchman, Newt Lee, in the murder:

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Rosser’s Closing Arguments, part 1

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Luther Rosser

THIS WEEK in our audio book series we present part 1 of the powerful, skillful closing arguments of Luther Z. Rosser (pictured) for the defense of Leo Frank in his trial for the murder of Mary Phagan, read by Vanessa Neubauer. Rosser was respected — and feared — as one of the best attorneys of his generation. He was the “go to” man for the wealthy and powerful in early 20th-century Georgia who found themselves in legal difficulty and needed their troubles “swept away.”

This series encompasses the American Mercury’s coverage of the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank — a case which was one of the inspirations for the establishment of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). We will be presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today we present the arguments of Luther Z. Rosser for the defense.

Mr. Rosser states in his speech, about the factory girls who testified that Frank had a bad character for lasciviousness:

Well, gentlemen, the older I get the gentler I get and I wouldn’t think or say anything wrong about those misleading little girls who swore Frank was a bad man. I guess they thought they were telling the truth. Well, did Miss Maggie Griffin really think Frank was a vicious man and yet work there three years with him! Don’t you think she heard things against him after the crime was committed and that when she got up here and looked through the heated atmosphere of this trial, she did not see the real truth! And Miss Maggie Griffin, she was there two months. I wonder what she could know about Frank in that time. There was Mrs. Donegan and Miss Johnson and another girl there about two months, and Nellie Potts, who never worked there at all, and Mary Wallace, there three days, and Estelle Wallace, there a week and Carrie Smith, who like Miss Cato, worked there three years. These are the only ones in the hundreds who have worked there since 1908 who will say that Frank has a had character. Why, you could find more people to say that the Bishop of Atlanta, I believe, had a bad character, than have been brought against Frank.

You can follow along with the original text here.

Mr. Rosser also makes light of the claim by the prosecution that Frank’s nervousness on the day after the murder was an indication of guilt:

Now, what else have they put up against this man! They say he was nervous. We admit he was. Black says it, Darley says it, Sig. Montag says it — others say it! The handsome Mr. Darley was nervous and our friend Schiff was nervous. Why not hang them if you’re hanging men for nervousness! Isaac Haas — old man Isaac — openly admits he was nervous. The girls — why don’t you hang them, these sweet little girls in the factory — all of whom were so nervous they couldn’t work on the following day! If you had seen this little child, crushed, mangled, mutilated, with the sawdust crumbled in her eyes and her tongue protruding; staring up from that stinking, smelling basement, you’d have been nervous, too, every mother’s son of you. Gentlemen, I don’t profess to be chicken-hearted. I can see grown men hurt and suffering and I can stand a lot of things without growing hysterical, but I never walked along the street and heard the pitiful cry of a girl or woman without becoming nervous. God grant I will always be so. Frank looked at the mangled form and crushed virginity of Mary Phagan and his nerves fluttered. Hang him! Hang him!

Rosser made no mention, however, of Frank’s extreme nervousness the day before, after the murder had taken place but before the body had been discovered.

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Arnold’s Closing Arguments, part 2

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Reuben Arnold

REUBEN ARNOLD’S closing arguments (part 2) for the defense of Leo Frank — on the charge of murdering his sweatshop employee Mary Phagan — are our presentation this week in our new audio book series, read by Vanessa Neubauer.

This series encompasses the American Mercury’s coverage of the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank — a case which was one of the inspirations for the establishment of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). We will be presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today we present the second section of the arguments for the defense, the words of one of the most skilled and formidable Georgia attorneys of his time, Mr. Reuben Arnold.

Mr. Arnold states in his speech:

This case has been made up of just two things — prejudice and perjury. I’ve never seen such malice, such personal hatred in all my life, and I don’t think anyone ever has. The crime itself is dreadful, too horrible to talk about, and God grant that the murderer may be found out, and I think he has. I think we can point to Jim Gonley and say there is the man. But, above all, gentlemen, let’s follow the law in this matter. In circumstantial cases you can’t convict a man as long as there’s any other possible theory for the crime of which he is accused, and you can’t find Frank guilty if there’s a chance that Conley is the murderer. The state has nothing on which to base their case but Conley, and we’ve shown Conley a liar. Write your verdict of not guilty and your consciences will give your approval.

You can follow along with the original text here.

Mr. Arnold also makes a case for Frank — had he been guilty — having no need, except pure honesty, for admitting he ever saw Mary Phagan on that fatal day; adding that “hatred against his [Frank’s] race” was the real reason for Frank’s indictment. He also tries his best to convince the jury that Jim Conley was the real murderer, and a “lustful animal” — one of a thousand Black men in Atlanta “who would assault a white woman if they had the chance.”

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Arnold’s Closing Arguments, part 1

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REUBEN ARNOLD’S closing arguments (part 1) for the defense of Leo Frank — on the charge of murdering his sweatshop employee Mary Phagan — are our presentation this week in our new audio book series, read by Vanessa Neubauer.

This series encompasses the American Mercury’s coverage of the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank — a case which was one of the inspirations for the establishment of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). We will be presenting the extensive arguments, both for the defense and the prosecution, in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project. Today we present the first section of the arguments for the defense, the words of one of the most skilled and formidable Georgia attorneys of his time, Mr. Reuben Arnold.

Mr. Arnold states in his speech:

I’ll tell you right now, if Frank hadn’t been a Jew there would never have been any prosecution against him.

I’m asking my own people to turn him loose, asking them to do justice to a Jew, and I’m not a Jew, but I would rather die before doing injustice to a Jew. This case has just been built up by degrees; they have a monstrous perjurer here in the form of this Jim Conley against Frank. You know what sort of a man Conley is, and you know that up to the time the murder was committed no one ever heard a word against Frank.

You can follow along with the original text here.

Mr. Arnold also denigrates the character of the witnesses who themselves called into question the character of Leo Frank and his behavior towards some of his women and young girl employees.

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Hooper’s Closing Arguments

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THIS WEEK our new audio book of the American Mercury’s coverage of the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank moves into the closing arguments of the attorneys to the jury. We will be presenting these extensive arguments in order and in full — a monumental, book-length project that will add another sixteen weeks to the seven weeks already presented here. The closing arguments begin with the earnest, low-key, yet powerful presentation of prosecutor Hugh Dorsey’s assistant, Frank Arthur Hooper (pictured), who makes his case for Leo Frank’s guilt.

Mr. Hooper states in his speech:

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – 100 Reasons Leo Frank Is Guilty

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by Penelope Lee

THIS WEEK, as we are preparing the (very long) audio book version of the Leo Frank defense team and prosecution team closing arguments, the American Mercury is proud to present the new audio book version — never before available in its entirety — of our editor Bradford L. Huie’s 100 Reasons Leo Frank is Guilty, read by Miss Vanessa Neubauer. (ILLUSTRATION: Rare diagram/photograph showing rear of the National Pencil Company building and insets detailing where blood, hair, and body of Mary Phagan were found. Click for a large, high-resolution version.)

As you listen, you can follow along with the text of the original piece.

 

Click on the “play” button to listen to the audio book, read by Vanessa Neubauer.

Be sure to be with us next week as we continue our audio book series of all the best writing from the American Mercury on this, the greatest murder mystery — and trial — of the century.

Click here for a list of all the chapters we’ve published in audio form so far — keep checking back, they will be updated regularly!

Here is a description of the full series which will be posted as audio in future weeks; once all segments have been released, the Mercury will be offering for sale a complete, downloadable audio book of the full series.

1. Introduction

100 Years Ago Today: The Trial of Leo Frank Begins

2. WEEK 1

The Leo Frank Trial: Week One

3. WEEK 2

The Leo Frank Trial: Week Two

4. WEEK 3

The Leo Frank Trial: Week Three

5. Leo Frank mounts the witness stand by Ann Hendon

100 Years Ago Today: Leo Frank Takes the Stand

6. Week 4

The Leo Frank Trial: Week Four

7. Closing arguments of Rosser, Arnold and Hooper

The Leo Frank Trial: Closing Arguments of Hooper, Arnold, and Rosser

8. Closing arguments of Hugh Dorsey

The Leo Frank Trial: Closing Arguments, Solicitor Dorsey

Be sure to look for next week’s installment here at The American Mercury as we continue to follow the trial that changed the South — changed America — and changed the world.

via The American Mercury

New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Frank’s Trial, Week Four

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The victim, Mary Phagan

TODAY our audio book of the American Mercury’s coverage of the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank moves into the fourth exciting week of the trial, in which the defense brought forth young female witnesses who claimed that Frank had never made improper sexual advances toward them, rebutted by the defense with young female witnesses of their own who detailed their personal experiences with Frank’s lascivious behavior toward them and others among his numerous teenage girl employees. You can follow along with us by reading the original piece on which this new audio book is based.

As William Bradford Huie of the Mercury stated:

On the heels of Leo Frank’s astounding unsworn statement to the court, the defense called a number of women who stated that they had never experienced any improper sexual advances on the part of Frank. But the prosecution rebutted that testimony with several rather persuasive female witnesses of its own. These rebuttal witnesses also addressed Frank’s claims that he was so unfamiliar with Mary Phagan that he did not even know her by name.

Also covered were details of the autopsy of Mary Phagan, and the diametrically opposed affidavits made by the Frank family’s servant Minola McKnight — one made in the presence of the police and her lawyer, and another made after she had returned to work for the Franks. (The affidavit of her husband, Albert McKnight, was in substantial agreement with her first affidavit.)

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Frank Takes the Stand

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Diagram of Leo Frank’s outer and inner office: How likely is it that Monteen Stover could have missed Frank had he really been in his office as he claimed?

THIS WEEK our audio book of the American Mercury’s coverage of the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank takes a particularly exciting turn. You can follow along with us by reading the original piece on which the new audio book is based.

As William Bradford Huie of the Mercury stated:

As the defense began its parade of witnesses, few suspected that the defendant himself, Leo Frank, would soon take the stand and make an admission so astonishing that it strained belief.

Strained belief indeed! — for Leo Frank’s testimony was so bizarre and so damning as to be shocking, even to those who suspected Frank’s guilt.

Leo Max Frank spent some three hours of his four-hour unsworn testimony painstakingly detailing his accounting work, something that was barely relevant to the charges against him. (Evidently he sought to show that he simply didn’t have time to have a tryst with, or rape, or kill Mary Phagan. But  common sense tells everyone that some people can do accounting work faster than others, so that was a rather unconvincing argument.)

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Frank’s Trial, Week Three

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OUR NEW AUDIO BOOK version of the American Mercury’s centenary series on the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank, recorded by Vanessa Neubauer, continues with week three of the trial. Just click on the player below to hear our latest chapter.

Leo Frank was the president of the Atlanta chapter of B’nai B’rith, which became — in the immediate wake of and partly as a result of the Frank case itself — the parent organization of the organized crime-linked Jewish ADL (Anti-Defamation League). The ADL has come under fire from critics both Jewish and Gentile, but remains a powerful force in Deep State Washington. Much of today’s well-known false narrative of the Frank case (Frank as an innocent victim of Southern “anti-Semitism”) can be laid directly at the feet of the ADL. (ILLUSTRATION: prosecuting attorneys Dorsey and Hooper; Leo Frank; and defense attorneys Rosser and Arnold)

Frank was the superintendent and part owner of the National Pencil Company, a Jewish-owned sweatshop that employed over 100 locals, almost all of them underage girls. In the course of the trial, several of these girls testified to lascivious behavior of Frank toward them. He evidently exploited his position of authority to use many of these young girls for sex, and Mary Phagan’s murder is, according to the evidence, one of these trysts gone wrong.

This week’s recording is the fourth in our series, presenting Week Three of the trial itself, and you may download or play the program using the link or player below — and you may also follow along and read the text version too.

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Frank’s Trial, Week Two

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Jim Conley

TODAY we continue the new audio book version of the American Mercury’s centenary series on the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank, recorded by Vanessa Neubauer. Many have described this as the trial of the century: Not only did it forever alter Jewish-Gentile relations in the United States, but some say it profoundly changed the attitude of Jews toward their hosts from one of relatively benign interaction to one of active suspicion if not hostility. What is certain is that the founding of the powerful Jewish pressure group, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), was closely tied to the case. Leo Frank was the president of the Atlanta chapter of B’nai B’rith, the parent organization of the ADL. (ILLUSTRATION: James Conley)

Frank was a Jewish sweatshop  operator convicted of murdering his 13-year-old employee after she rejected his sexual advances.

This week’s recording is the third in our series, Week Two of the trial itself, and you may download or play the program using the link or player below, and you may also follow along and read the text version too.

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Frank’s Trial, Week One

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Newt Lee, far right, on the witness stand (click for high resolution)

THIS WEEK we continue the new audio book version of the American Mercury’s centenary series on the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank, recorded by Vanessa Neubauer. Frank was a Jewish sweatshop  operator convicted of murdering his 13-year-old employee after she rejected his sexual advances. (ILLUSTRATION: a photograph of the trial in progress, Newt Lee on the witness stand)

This week’s recording is the second of the series, Week One of the trial itself, and you may download or play the program using the link or player below, and you may also follow along and read the text version too.

This installment covers Week One of Frank’s trial, including the vitally important testimony of Newt Lee, the Black night watchman who discovered the body — and who was the victim of an attempt to frame him for the murder. We’ll hear about the fake bloody shirt planted at Lee’s residence, and the altered time card that mysteriously replaced Lee’s real one, which the police left in Frank’s custody and was never seen again.

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New Audio Book: The American Mercury on Leo Frank – Introduction

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ONE OF THE GREATEST triumphs of historical writing in the last decade was the American Mercury’s centenary series on the 1913 trial and conviction of Jewish sex killer Leo Frank. Now the entire series is being produced as an audio book for our readers, beginning today with the first installment.

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Pastor Eli James Discusses Leo Frank Case

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFOX3ZsDgwI&ytbChannel=EURO%20%C2%B7%20FOLK%20%C2%B7%20RADIO

A RECENT TWO-HOUR PROGRAM by a Christian Identity minister named Eli James, “The Restoration Hour,” gives his overview of the Leo Frank case. The position taken is highly critical of Frank, the Jewish-led campaign for his exoneration, and the Jewish establishment in general. (One of the tenets of the Christian Identity churches is that modern-day Europeans are actually descendants of ancient Hebrews, and modern-day Jews are not, making the sect’s views often in conflict with those of Jewish organizations and other Christian groups.) We present this program here so our readers can hear and evaluate Pastor James’ opinions.

Enright Archives Added to Leo Frank Case Research Library

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LEOFRANK.INFO is pleased to announce that the full book, text, and newspaper archives formerly housed at Jack Enright’s Leo Frank Library site have been added to this, the online Leo Frank Case Research Library. We are deeply grateful for Mr. Enright’s assembling and saving this valuable material. Some of the documents from his site were not previously available here, and have at times been invaluable in our transcription and research work. All of this material very much deserves to be preserved for the scholars and readers of the future.

These new additions may be accessed by going to

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