Night watchman also recalled to stand; inquest expected to go to jury by 7 o'clock
Leo M. Frank, superintendent of the National Pencil Factory, and Newt Lee, the night watchman, were both recalled to the witness stand late Thursday afternoon at the coroner's inquest. Both men are being held in connection with the inquiry into the death of Mary Phagan.
Frank was subjected to a more searching examination of his movements on the day of the tragedy than he had faced during his first appearance on the stand. An apparent effort was made to demonstrate that he was not at home at the times he had stated in his earlier testimony. Frank, however, answered the questions readily, and Coroner Donehoo was unable to catch him in a contradiction.
It also emerged that in his previous testimony Frank had failed to mention several people who were at his home on Saturday night. When pressed on this point Thursday afternoon, he supplied their names without hesitation.
Frank was brought into the Commissioner's Room at the police station before the inquest began but was later excused while Rogers was called. The factory superintendent was pale but calm and composed. He whispered briefly to his counsel, Luther Z. Rosser, and managed a faint smile at a remark directed at him. He appeared to be showing the strain of the days he had spent in a cell.
Newt Lee Preceded Frank on the Stand
Lee's testimony centered on the private conversation he had with Frank following his arrest. He declared that Frank had warned him they would both "go to hell" if they were not careful. The weight of this testimony was largely undercut, however, by Frank's earlier statement that the remark, or one to the same effect, had been suggested to him by detectives in the hope of drawing information out of the night watchman.
Lee was not admitted to the hearing room at the outset but was held in a nearby office. The night watchman appeared nearly indifferent to the proceedings.
Morning Session Not Prolific
The morning session produced nothing of consequence. The principal witnesses were "Boots" Rogers, the former county policeman, and Lemmie Quinn, foreman of the tipping department at the National Pencil Factory. Neither offered testimony that pointed suspicion in any particular direction against Frank or Lee.
Rogers was questioned closely about the morning the crime was discovered and described bringing officers to the scene in his automobile. Beyond his impression that Frank appeared nervous when detectives visited him at home, he had nothing that clearly implicated anyone. He did state with certainty, however, that the time clock tape showing Newt Lee's half hour rounds had no missed punches when Frank removed it from the clock that morning. A tape later brought to police headquarters showed three such misses.
