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Stenographer in Factory Office on Witness Stand

Atlanta Georgian

Thursday, May 8th, 1913

Miss Hattie Hall, the stenographer who worked at the National Pencil Factory Saturday morning, April 26, testified as follows:

She lives at 69 Luckie Street and works for the National Pencil Company, in Montag Bros.' office. Saturday morning, April 26, she went to Montag Bros.' office on Nelson Street, arriving there at approximately 8 o'clock. She left there between 10:30 and 11. She had talked with Frank over the phone several times during the morning.

"The regular stenographer at the plant was off, I think on account of sickness," she said, "and I went over to the pencil factory to help Frank out. My work there consisted of acknowledging orders and writing some letters."

Q. How long would it take to acknowledge one order?—A. I don't know exactly.

Q. Would it take as long as a minute?—A. Not over that, if that long.

Q. Did you do any other work?—A. Wrote some letters, about ten or twelve, I think.

Q. Did you see Holloway there Saturday morning?—A. I don't remember.

Q. Would you have seen him by the clock?—A. I don't know; I am nearsighted.

Tells of Callers at Office.

Q. Were there any people there during the morning?—A. Yes.

Q. Who were they?—A. Two men came in to see about some trouble their boys, who worked there, had gotten in. A woman, who was the wife of one of the employees, came up to see her husband, who was up there, and two young ladies, one who had just been married a few days, came up and drew their pay.

Q. How long did it take you to write the letters?—A. I don't remember.

Q. How long does it take you to write a page on a typewriter?—A. I don't know.

Q. Did you make carbons of those letters?—A. Yes.

Q. Can they be identified?—A. Yes, they have my initials on them.

Q. What time did you leave the office?—A. About 12 o'clock. I remember that I forgot my umbrella and went back to get it. As I was going out again I heard the 12 o'clock whistle blow.

Frank Busy When She Left.

Q. Was Frank busy?—A. Yes, the work was behind.

Q. Were you in the inner office with Mr. Frank except when he was dictating to you?—A. I don't remember.

Q. Was he working in there?—A. He was quiet, and I judged that he was busy.

Q. Did Frank make any remark that some of the employees had failed to get their pay on Friday?—A. I do not recall him making any such remark.

Q. Did you hear him talk to anyone about the amount of pay due?—A. No. I heard him talking to the office boy about the amount of postage Frank thought was due him.

Q. Did you see him working on the financial sheet?—A. I do not remember.

Q. Did he say anything about his work?—A. Yes; he said he had lots of work to do.

Q. Was Darley there at all?—A. No.

The witness was then excused, and told to return at 2:30 o'clock.

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Atlanta Georgian, May 8th 1913, "Stenographer in Factory Office on Witness Stand," Leo Frank case newspaper article series
atlanta-georgian-050813-may-08-1913

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