On Monday, April 28th, 1913, thousands flocked to the morgue to see the body of a young girl

About six thousand people, according to reliable estimates, visited P. J. Bloomfield’s funeral parlor Monday morning to see Mary Phagan’s body. Police say it was the largest crowd ever to view a murder victim in Atlanta. Friends, co-workers from the pencil factory, and thousands of curious onlookers filed past between 7 a.m. and noon. No relatives were seen; Mary’s mother was ill at home from the shock, with other family members at her side. The steady stream of visitors included people of all ages—men, women, parents with children, and many girls from the factory. “It’s Mary, oh, it’s Mary,” sobbed one girl, holding the face of her former companion. She had known of her friend’s death but broke down upon seeing the lifeless fourteen-year-old. Most visitors, however, showed little emotion, seemingly there out of curiosity.