Another in our series of new transcriptions of contemporary articles on the Leo Frank case.
Atlanta Constitution
August 21st, 1913
Several employees of the Georgia Railway and Power company were introduced by the prosecution Wednesday to testify as to the time of the arrival of the English avenue street car at Broad and Marietta streets on the day of the murder and to the fact that cars occasionally did arrive ahead of time.
A witness was also introduced to show that Mary Phagan was not on the English avenue car after it turned into Broad street from Marietta, although the men in charge of the car had testified that she got off the car at Broad and Hunter streets. He stated that the car arrived at Broad and Marietta streets at 12:03 o’clock.
Henry A. Hoffman, an inspector for the Georgia Railway and Power company, testified that while he did not know the time of the arrival of the car that Mary Phagan was on on the day of the murder, he did know that the same car on other occasions had come in ahead of scheduled time.
Motorman Mathews of the English avenue car, hand testified that the car was due to arrive at Broad and Marietta streets at 12:07½. Inspector Hoffman testified that there was no such schedule and that the car was due to arrive at 12:07 sharp.
Inspector Hoffman, against the objection of Rosser, testified that he had seen the English avenue car arrive at Broad and Marietta streets ahead of the Fair street car, which was contrary to the schedule, the Fair street car being due at 12:05. This testimony was admitted.
The inspector also said that he had on occasions compared watches with Matthews and found the latter’s to be as much as 10 Seconds behind time.
He stated that he had seen Matthews come into Broad and Marietta streets as much as 1½ minutes ahead of time and had on several occasions called his attention to this infraction of the rules of the company.
He stated that he remembered two specific instances when Matthews was ahead of schedule.
Four Minutes Ahead of Time.
W. D. Owen, a motorman on the Fair street line, testified that he had known the English avenue car to arrive at Broad and Marietta streets as much as two minutes ahead of the Fair street car, which placed the English avenue car four minutes ahead of scheduled time.
L. F. Ingram, a conductor for the Georgia Railway and Power company, stated that he had come to town on the English avenue car on which Mary Phagan is supposed to have come on the day of the murder, but that he did not remember what time the ear arrived. He stated, however, that he had known the English avenue car to be as much as four minutes ahead of time.
Probably the most important witness to testify on this point was N. Kelley, also an employee of the Georgia Railway and Electric company.
Says Car Arrived at 12:03.
Kelley stated that he was at the corner of Broad and Marietta streets on the day of the murder and that he looked at his watch and saw that the time of day was 12:03 o’clock. At this time, he said, the English avenue car arrived, and that he boarded it and rode to Broad and Alabama streets from where he walked to Forsyth and Alabama streets lo catch a car for College Park.
Kelley swore that he knew Mary Phagan by sight and that she was not on the car when it started from Broad and Marietta streets. He stated that a number of passengers had alighted at Brood and Marietta streets, but could not say whether Mary Phagan was among the number.
Rosser made a determined effort to break down the witness’ testimony, but failed to hurt it materially.
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