album-art
Reading Time: 4 minutes [599 words]

The Atlanta Constitution,

Tuesday, 10th March 1914,

PAGE 1, COLUMN 3.

Thinks the Ex-President's Speech Has Application to His Own Case Dorsey to Combat Affidavits.

It is probable that Leo Frank will issue a public statement soon in comment upon the expression of ex-President W. H. Taft, recently in Boston, in which the former executive declared that public clamor often convicts innocent men.

The prisoner will compare the demonstrations in his own trial with the expressions of the former president, and, on this basis, will endeavor to explain the necessity of a new trial, for which his attorneys will plead before Judge Ben Hill.

"It is proper for the newspapers to comment after judgement in a case," said Mr. Taft, in his Boston address, "but it is the trial of cases in the newspapers before judgement that has led to much of the criticism of modern courts.

Why, when I was president, I had to pardon two or three men who had been convicted by public clamor, when they were really innocent."

The ex-president's speech was delivered last Friday morning.

It created considerable interest in Atlanta among those who had kept in touch with developments in the Frank case, because of its application to the argument of Frank's defense that he was convicted by public clamor.

Questions Answered.

Another development Monday which attracted widespread attention was the publication exclusively by The Constitution of a series of material questions which had been submitted by The Constitution to Frank, and which had each been answered by him.

There were seventeen of these questions, each of which had occupied the public mind ever since the trial.

Their answers by the prisoner were grasped with eager interest.

Solicitor Hugh Dorsey is said to be investigating a recently developed angle of the case from La Grange, in which a negro, Ed Rosser, is said to have told of having seen Conley on the day of the tragedy while Conley was washing blood from his hands.

The solicitor is reported to have obtained some evidence attacking this new phase.

He will not talk on the subject, however.

Conferences Held.

Numerous conferences were held Monday by the solicitor with private investigators of his own staff and with detectives from police headquarters, principally John Starnes and Pat Campbells.

No one attached to the solicitor will talk of Dorsey's attitude toward new developments and the newly found evidence which has been exploited frequently through the press.

The rumor that Frank's counsel has discovered new evidence in Jacksonville, Fla., floated about Monday.

C. W. Burke, an investigator in Luther Rosser's employ, returned a day or so ago from Jacksonville, but would have nothing to say regarding his trip.

Burke has been an active figure in the investigations of the defense which have resulted in the disclosure of the fund of evidence they will submit before Judge Hill in the retrial plea.

Burns Expected Soon.

W. J. Burns is expected to return to Atlanta during the early part of the week.

Attaches to the Atlanta office of his detective agency say they are unaware of the exact date on which their chief will come back.

The retrial motion will be withheld until a short time prior to the date of execution set by Judge Hill for April 17.

This is done, it is said, to allow time for the procuring of new evidence and to permit plenty of time for Detective Burns to complete his investigation.

April 7 ten days before the hanging date is the day on which the application is expected.

Attorneys for the defense intimate this by stating that the motion will undoubtedly be put on file about ten days before the execution date.

Tuesday, 10th March 1914: Frank Will Use Address By Taft, The Atlanta Constitution

Related Posts