Alonzo Mann’s Testimony at the 1913 Leo Frank Trial

Alonzo Mann’s Testimony at the Leo Frank Trial August 1913, Fulton County Superior Court, Atlanta, Georgia In August 1913, 14-year-old Alonzo Mann took the stand for the defense in the sensational trial of Leo Frank, superintendent of the National Pencil Company, accused of murdering 13-year-old factory worker Mary Phagan on April 26, 1913. Presided over by Judge Leonard S. Roan, the case gripped Atlanta and became one of Georgia’s most infamous trials of the early 20th century. The multi-week proceedings featured dozens of witnesses from both sides. Mann’s short testimony helped the defense paint Frank as a diligent manager with routine habits on the day of the crime. He explained that he started at the factory on April 1, 1913, often working in the outer office or hallway. That Saturday, April 26, he left around 11:30 a.m. and saw stenographer Miss Hall from Montag’s in the office with Frank. Frank had asked him to call Mr. Schiff, but a woman answered saying Schiff hadn’t risen yet. Mann noted that Frank typically worked Saturdays without incident, and he had never seen him drink or fraternize with women at the factory. He recalled seeing several coworkers that morning but not others mentioned later in testimony. Under cross-examination, Mann reaffirmed that Frank stayed busy in his office, stepping out only briefly once. On August 25, 1913, the jury delivered a guilty verdict. Judge Roan sentenced Frank to death the next day. All appeals failed, including those to the Georgia Supreme Court, which upheld the conviction based on the trial evidence. The Atlanta Journal, a leading evening paper founded in 1883, heavily influenced public opinion with its extensive coverage. It later merged in 2001 with The Atlanta Constitution to become The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. For deeper insight, check out Mary Phagan-Kean’s 2025 revised edition of The Murder of Mary Phagan and the Leo Frank Case (updated from her 1987 original), now available on Amazon Books. WEBSITE: www.LittleMaryPhagan.com