Leo M. Frank, speaking to a reporter from his cell at the Tower, was unwavering in his denial of any involvement in the murder of Mary Phagan.
"I swear I am not guilty," he stated. "I could not conceive of such a hideous murder, much less commit one. I am accused unjustly. The report that I have made a confession is totally and completely false. I have no confession to make."
Newt Lee, the night watchman also held in connection with the case, was equally firm in his denial.
"I am not guilty," he said. "If those detectives are any good, they will find out I had nothing to do with killing that little girl. I do not know anything except that I found her body. That was all. I swear before God it was."
Solicitor General Pushes Forward With Independent Inquiry
Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey has been conducting his own independent investigation into the Phagan mystery, conferring with several detectives from police headquarters who briefed him on the progress of the case. It has been announced that Dorsey has deployed a number of investigators from his own office to pursue the matter. While little has been uncovered so far, his team is said to be following several promising leads.
Grand Jury Action Expected Monday
It has been confirmed that the Grand Jury will take no action before Monday. The jury convened Friday and addressed several other matters but left the Phagan case untouched. It is expected they will turn their attention to it Monday morning.
Pinkerton Agency Addresses Public Concern
The involvement of the Pinkerton detective agency has drawn considerable public attention, given that they were hired by the National Pencil Company through Frank himself. To clarify their position, Detective Harry Scott issued a statement to the press.
"We do not care who our investigation implicates," Scott said. "We were engaged to find the guilty man, and that is exactly what we intend to do. Every piece of evidence we gather will be turned over to the state authorities, and we will commit our full energy to seeing this case through. We have added two men to the investigation and will not stop until the guilty party is caught and brought to justice. We are confident we will succeed."
A Witness Comes Forward With a Strange Account
W. I. Smith, a resident of Eagan, Georgia, arrived at police headquarters and requested a meeting with Chief Lanford. Once inside, he recounted an unusual story. He claimed to have seen a young girl on Mitchell Street shortly after noon the previous Saturday, accompanied by a middle-aged woman and followed by two men. The girl appeared disoriented, staggering as though she had been drugged, and repeatedly had to be steadied by one of the men when she drifted toward the street. She appeared to resist his assistance.
