The Murders of Mary Phagan and Leo Frank

In the early morning hours of April 27, 1913, a night watchman at the National Pencil Company in Atlanta, GA, found the body of thirteen-year-old former factory worker Mary Phagan in a basement room of the factory. Mary had been sexually assaulted and strangled, a strip of fabric from her coat still around her neck when she was discovered, and there were two cryptic notes found near the body. Given where Mary was discovered, it was assumed the killer was familiar with the layout of the factory and was either a current or former employee.

Just one day later, suspicion fell on two factory employees, a night watchman, Newt Lee, and the factory’s superintendent, twenty-nine-year-old Leo Frank. In time, investigators ruled Lee out, leaving Leo frank as the sole suspect in the girl’s murder. To many, the arrest, prosecution, and failed appeals of Leo Frank had more to do with him being Jewish than they did his being the most likely suspect, but the real outrage was yet to come. Indeed, two years after Phagan’s death and Leo Frank’s conviction, the people of Atlanta would commit an act of extrajudicial violence that would forever stain the conscience of Georgia.

RESOURCES

Atlanta Constituion . 1913. "Frank and Lee ordered held by coroner's jury for Mary Phagan murder." Atlanta Constitution , May 9: 1.

Atlanta Constitution. 1915. "Mob's own story in detail." Atlanta Constitution, August 18: 1.

Atlanta Journal. 1915. "Leo Frank forcibly taken from prison." Atlanta Journal , August 17: 1.

—. 1913. "Arnold's motion for a mistrial is denied by Judge Roan." Atlanta Journal, August 25: 5.

—. 1913. "Detectives building case on theory that Frank and negro can clear mystery." Atlanta Journal, April 29: 1.

—. 1913. "Dorsey will finish his speech in few hours." Atlanta Journal, August 24: 1.

—. 1913. "Factory girls eager to testify for Frank." Atlanta Journal, July 29: 1.

—. 1913. "Frank Receives sentence like stoic, asserting his innocence of the crime." Atlanta Journal, August 26: 1.

—. 1913. "Negro sweeper tells officer Frank asked him to write some notes day before tragedy." Atlanta Journal, May 24: 1.

—. 1913. "Phagan case will go to grand jury in present form." Atlanta Journal, May 17: 1.

—. 1913. "Phagan inquest in session." Atlanta Journal, May 8: 1.

Berman, Sandra, and Jane Leavey. n.d. Seeking Justice: The Leo Frank Case Revisited. Atlanta, GA: The Breman Jewish Heritage and Holocaust Museum.

Jewish Advocate. 1913. "Is Leo M. Frank of Atlanta GA., guilty of murder." Jewish Advocate, December 12: 1.

New York Times. 1914. "Appeal for Frank in murder case." New York Times, February 25: 6.

—. 1914. "Frank convicted by public clamor." New York Times, March 2: 1.

—. 1914. "Split court denies new trial to Frank." New York Times, February 18: 3.

—. 1915. "Took Frank's life in resentment." New York Times, August 18: 3.

Oney, Steve. 2003. And the Dead Shall Rise: The Murder of Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo Frank. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.

Slaton, John. 1915. "Gov. Slaton's statement." New York Times, June 22: 6.

United Press International. 1982. "Alonzo mann, 83, Sunday made public a secret." United Press International, March 7.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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