by Philip St. Raymond for The American Mercury THE PROSECUTION in the Leo Frank case never mentioned the word “Jew” until it was brought up by the defense — and lead prosecutor Hugh Dorsey had a long history of friendly relations and close collaboration with Jews throughout his life and career. So the accusation, common today among pro-Frank partisans, that the Continue Reading →

by Philip St. Raymond for The American Mercury WE HEAR A LOT today about people “playing the race card” — using race unjustly in a dispute, or as a moral bludgeon to obscure the facts. In 1913 Atlanta, the Leo Frank defense team played the race card — and in a very big way. Interestingly, the pro-Frank forces used race in Continue Reading →

by Philip St. Raymond for The American Mercury PARTISANS OF Leo Frank have often tried to discredit Jim Conley’s testimony by pointing out that his account of the visit of Corinthia Hall and Emma Clark to the pencil factory where the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan took place was off by more than an hour. But these Frank partisans fail to Continue Reading →

by Philip St. Raymond for The American Mercury JIM Conley’s testimony in the Leo Frank case riveted the attention of not only all those present in the courtroom, but the entire state of Georgia and beyond hung on his words as they were reported. Despite being a member of a disparaged minority, Conley’s word was given respectful attention — and ultimately Continue Reading →

by Philip St. Raymond for The American Mercury WHEN LEO FRANK was first arrested for the murder of Mary Phagan, his and his defense team’s major focus was placing the blame on Newt Lee, the Black night watchman who discovered the murdered girl’s body. They were so eager to avoid any attention being given to another Black man, Jim Conley, the Continue Reading →