An unexpected turn came to the coroner's inquest Thursday afternoon when Harry Scott, assistant superintendent of the Atlanta Pinkerton agency, was called to the stand. Scott had been present in the room when the coroner summoned him, and his testimony proved among the most revealing of the entire proceeding.
Scott testified that he lives at 52 Cherry Street and that his agency was retained by the National Pencil Company to locate the party responsible for the murder of Mary Phagan. The engagement began Monday afternoon, April 28th, when around 4 o'clock he received a telephone call from Leo M. Frank. He went to the factory and found a group of men gathered around the time clock. After introducing himself, Scott asked to speak privately with whoever was most directly involved in the matter. He, Frank, and one or two others withdrew to a private office, where Frank telephoned Sig Montag, the company treasurer, to authorize hiring the detectives.
Asked how Frank had broached the subject, Scott recalled the superintendent's words: "I guess you've read of the horrible murder committed? We feel that the company ought to make some investigation to show the public we are interested in clearing up the crime. We want the Pinkertons to locate the murderer."
Frank's Account That First Day
Frank then described his movements on Saturday, April 26th, the day of the murder. Scott quoted him from memory, the same account Frank has since elaborated on the stand himself. Frank said he left the factory around 6:15 that Saturday evening. As he went out the front door, he saw Lee sitting on a packing box outside, talking with Gantt, a former bookkeeper at the factory. Frank later telephoned the night watchman, failed to reach him the first time, then succeeded on a second attempt and was told everything was all right. After that, Frank told Scott, he prepared to go to bed around 9 o'clock.
Scott said he asked Frank very few questions during that first meeting, taking notes as Frank talked. The two then went through the building together, accompanied by Darley, examining the elevator, the time clock, and the machine room, where Frank pointed out a machine on which human hair had reportedly been found that morning, as well as what appeared to be bloodstains on the floor. They also went down to the basement, where Scott saw the trash pile where Mary Phagan's hat and shoe had been found, the spot where her body had lain, and the rear door from which a staple and lock had been wrenched free.
Frank, Scott noted, advanced no theory about the crime and offered no suggestions of his own.
Attorney's Request Refused
Scott then disclosed what he called one of the more striking developments in the case.
