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Frank Leo's death sentence is commuted by the governor... the angry mob...
Frank Leo's death sentence is commuted by the governor... the angry mob...
Item # 619218
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June 22, 1915
THE NEW YORK TIMES, June 22, 1915 The Leo Frank case has become well known in American history for several reasons, not the least of which being the several film and television depictions of the trial, but also because Frank was a Jewish-American businessman, his case turning the spotlight on antisemitism in the United States and led to the founding of the Anti-Defamation League. There was also the element of Frank being cast as a representative of Yankee capitalism, a rich northern Jew lording it over vulnerable working women in the South.
Leo Frank was the superintendent of the National Pencil Company in Atlanta, convicted on Aug. 26, 1913 of the murder of one of the factory workers, 13 year-old Mary Phagan. He would be found guilty and in 1915 sentenced to death, but the governor commuted the sentence to life imprisonment, to the great outrage of the citizenry. A mob of some 25 armed men kidnapped Frank from prison and hanged him.
This issue is significant as it reports on the events immediately following Governor Slaton commuting Frank's sentence and the response of the angry mob. The text begins: "The death sentence imposed on Leo M. Frank for the murder of Mary Phagan has been commuted to one of the life imprisonment by Governor John M. Slaton, and Frank is now in the State Prison at Milledgeville...". The headlines are "Slaton Commutes Frank's Sentence; Proclaim's Martial Law at His Home When Menaced By Mob of Georgians" with subheads "Soldiers Now Guard Him" "Crowd of 10,000 Marches Upon the Governor's Country Home" "Mob Attacks the Troops" "Brick Thrown and One Officer Hurt - Governor Hanged in Effigy" and more. The lengthy coverage begins on the front page, fills all of page 6 and nearly all of page 7 as well. We have sold many issues with Leo Frank content, but this issue contains more content than any others.
Other news, sports and advertisements of the day are within.
Complete in 24 pages, slight irregular left spine, some small edges tears and chipping, some archival mending to the edge tears. This should be handled with care.
Category: The 20th Century
No Longer Available
