411 Sheet – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

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Reading Time: 3 minutes [392 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

LEO M. FRANK. 370

When the incident occurred, the first question asked was not, "Has there been a fire?" but "Has there been a tragedy?" Starnes, the man who initially suspected Newt Lee, the negro night watchman, because he pointed his finger of suspicion at him, and who later went after Gantt because this defendant pointed the finger of suspicion at him, is a perjurer and a liar. Starnes, who has been a detective on the police force for many years, did this simply to gratify his ambition and place a noose around the neck of this man, Frank. He could have gone after Newt Lee or Gantt or Conley if the circumstances had warranted it, or if he had been a rascal and wanted to travel along the line of least resistance.

Another point to consider is what Newt Lee said about the defendant calling him on Saturday night, something he had never done during the time he had been serving as night watchman at the pencil factory. Newt Lee tells you that although the defendant says he asked about Gantt, Gantt's name was never mentioned, and the inquiry was, "Has anything happened at the factory?"

Gentlemen of the jury, you tell me that with all these circumstances and all these incriminating circumstances piling up against this man, we have nothing in this case but prejudice and perjury?

Newt says he never mentioned Gantt. In his statement, Frank says, "I succeeded in getting Newt Lee, and asked him if Mr. Gantt had gone." He instructed Newt Lee to go with Gantt, to watch him, to stay with him, and old Newt Lee wouldn't even let Gantt into the factory unless Frank said that he might go up. He had instructed Lee previously not to let him in for the simple reason that he didn't want Gantt coming down there. Why? Because he didn't want him to come down and see and talk with little Mary for some reason, I know not why. Old Newt Lee stopped this man Gantt on the threshold and refused to let him go up, and this man Frank said, "You go up with him and see that he gets what he wants and usher him out." And yet, he had never done any such thing during the time Newt Lee had been working there.