10 Chapter VI Leo Frank is Arrested Leo Frank Case 1913

⁣⁣Leo M. Frank, a supervisor at the National Pencil Factory, was taken to the police station early Tuesday morning, April 29, and arrested for the murder of Mary Phagan. From that day he was never free.

He was no more suspicious than silly old Lee, young giant Gantt, or ex-conductor Arthur Mullinax. He was a thin, childish, weak and frail man. The best way to understand who he is is what he himself said before the jury that decided his fate nearly four months later. "I was born in Paris, Texas, on April 17, 1884," he said. "When I was three months old, my parents moved me to Brooklyn, New York, where I stayed until I moved south to Atlanta. I attended Brooklyn Public Schools and Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and settled here after college. I entered Cornell University for a mechanical engineering course in the fall of 1902 and studied there for four years until graduating in June, 1906. Then I agreed to work at the B.F. Sturdevant as a draftsman. This is a solid company based in High Park, Massachusetts. The National Meter Company in Brooklyn, New York hired me as a test engineer and draftsman after about six months with the company. Then I moved back to Brooklyn.


I continued in this position until the middle of October, 1907, when I was invited by the citizens of Atlanta to discuss the establishment and operation of a pencil factory to be located there. After spending about two weeks here, I left for New York, where I booked a ticket to Europe. Nine months later I was in Europe. Traveling abroad. I researched the pencil industry and oversaw the installation and testing of previously contracted equipment. I returned to the United States early in August, 1908, and went direct to Atlanta, which has since been my home."

I got married in Atlanta. She is a woman from Atlanta. Mrs. Lucille Selig. My wife's in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Dot E, have been our guests for most of our married life. 68 East Georgia Ave., Selig. On Tuesday morning, before noon, Frank was arrested by the police at the pencil factory. Less than 10 minutes later, Frank was taken into custody and escorted from the police station by Pinkerton Bureau Detective Harry Scott and City Detective John Black.


Newport Police Chief A. Lanford announced that he would be arrested pending the completion of the investigation. News of this arrest spread quickly. There has been much speculation about Frank's involvement in this incident. Many friends came to help him. Many people who never met him argued that he must be guilty.

By his own admission, Frank was the last person known to have seen Mary Phagan alive and made the following disparaging comments about what was known at the time: When Nutri arrived at the factory in the afternoon, he was nervous, and that evening he called Nutri to let him know that he had called. Gant felt anxious when he arrived at the factory on Saturday afternoon. When the police took him to the factory on Sunday morning, he felt uncomfortable. After his arrest, Frank's friends were outraged. They immediately called Luther Z. Rosser is one of the best attorneys in Atlanta. While Frank was being questioned by detectives, Rosser immediately called the station and spoke to his client. Frank had a long conversation with Harry Scott, Pinkerton's investigator who, in addition to his lawyers, was employed by the factory workers. The Tuesday before the inquest in which four suspects were found guilty of murder saw the highest level of public protest since then. Opinions differed as to who was the culprit. Although many blamed the company's white manager, Leo Frank, or Newt Lee, the pencil factory's most common black employee.

Suspicions against Gants and Mullinax were soon raised. The factory, the suspect's home and the entire town were searched by city detectives and Pinkerton units.