1519 Sheet – Supreme Court Georgia Appeals of Leo Frank, 1913, 1914

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be alike, but the details of these variants were not discussed in witness's presence. It was stated, however, that it was the opinion of Dr. Harris from this comparison of hairs that the hair found on the lathe was not Mary Phagan's. His best recollection is that Dr. Harris so expressed himself, but he could not say positively.

HARLEE BRANCH, sworn for the Movant. I am a reporter on the "Atlanta Journal." On February 20, 1914, I interviewed Dr. H.F. Harris, with reference to his examination of certain hair, said to have been found on a lathe at the National Pencil Factory by one Barrett. Dr. Harris admitted having performed the autopsy on the body of Mary Phagan and stated that under the directions of Solicitor Dorsey he obtained some of the girl's hair when the body was exhumed, in order to compare it with the hair found on the lathe. He stated that the specimens of hair taken from the head, when compared with the specimens found on the lathe, were widely different and were not from the head of the same girl. He stated that he examined both samples of hair under the microscope; that the hair taken from the lathe was not of the same shade, texture or shape as that taken by him from Mary Phagan's head. He stated that he reported this fact to the Solicitor General, and the latter told him that there would be no necessity of going any further with the hair investigation. He further stated that he had never considered the matter very material one and dismissed it from his mind; that the samples of hair with the exception of the two microscopic sections were turned back to the Solicitor General and that he (Dr. Harris) now had the latter somewhere in his laboratory. He said that when he notified the Solicitor that the two specimens of hair were not the same, the Solicitor simply remarked that he would let the matter end there. Dr. Harris was quite positive in his assertions that the microscopic test was an accurate one. Dr. Harris said that the microscope would show the shade, texture and shape and that the hair of different persons differed in these particulars. He explained how the shape was examined under the microscope showing that the end sections of the hair were looked at and that it would show if it was circular or any other shape.