The Murder of “Little Mary Phagan” The Leo Frank Case

The people involved Leo Frank – Northern Jewish manager of the Atlanta Pencil Company Jim Conley – Janitor, Atlanta Pencil Company Mary Phagan – 13 year old, white worker at Atlanta Pencil Company Newt Lee – Night Watchman who discovered Mary Phagan’s body Governor John Slaton Alonzo Mann – 14 year old worker at Atlanta Pencil Company

The Story April 26, 1913 – Confederate Memorial Day Businesses were closed and there was a parade downtown 13 year old Mary Phagan leaves her home in Marietta and takes the trolley downtown She wants to pick up her $1.20 paycheck from the Pencil Factory and attend the parade Her bruised and bloodied body is found that evening in the basement of the pencil factory

The murder This is a re-created scene of how Mary’s body was found, and her clothing and other items found at the scene.

Notes found at the scene These two notes were found at the scene. They say “the night witch did it…” There were many grammatical errors, and when Conley was asked to write out what the notes said, he made the same spelling errors and grammatical errors as found in the notes.

The rest of the story… Jim Conley did serve a short jail sentence for his participation in this event. He had previously been arrested 7 times for disorderly conduct After his release, he moved up North. He was later arrested three more times, for petty theft, drinking and gambling. I cannot confirm, but I read somewhere that he had been arrested for assaulting his girlfriend