Thursday, 14th August 1913 Lemmie Quinn is Severely Grilled by Solicitor Dorsey

Atlanta Constitution
August 14th, 1913

Bending his efforts to break down the testimony of Lemmie Quinn, foreman of the metal room, Solicitor Dorsey subjected the witness to a severe grilling when court reconvened at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon.

When Quinn resumed the stand he was still under direct examination by the defense. In answer to Attorney Arnold he declared that he was still an employee of the National Pencil factory.

Solicitor Dorsey began cross-examination.

"When was it these men bled on the floor of the metal room?"

"About a year ago," Quinn replied.

"What were their names?"

"I remember that C. P. Gilbert, who lives on Jones street, was one. I don't remember the name of the other."

"You noticed the spots on the floor of the dressing room on Monday after the murder?"
"Yes, it looked like blood."

"What is the difference between those spots and the spots made by Gilbert's bleeding?"
"The spots by the dressing room were darker."

"Could gasoline have caused that."

"I don't know."

"Where were you at noon on April 26?"
"At the factory."

"Didn't you tell Officer Payne that you were not at the factory, and that you were glad you were not there?"
"No."

"Didn't you tell Detective Starnes that you were not at the factory?"
"No, sir."

Reminded Frank of Visit.

"Didn't you tell Frank and didn't he tell you not to say anything about it until he told his lawyer?"
"No, sir."

"Tell us how you reminded Frank of your visit to the factory?"
"I told him that I had been to the factory on Saturday and he replied that he knew that I had."

"What did he say?"

"He said he would tell his lawyer."
"Didn't you go to see Frank and didn't you say, ‘Why Mister Frank, I was there Saturday,' and didn't he say, ‘That's right, you were there?'"

"The first time I mentioned it to Frank he said that he would tell his lawyer and the next time I mentioned it to him he said that he had told his lawyer."

"Didn't you say to him, ‘I don't want to be mixed up in this thing but if it will help you, Mister Frank, I'll do whatever you say for me to do?'"

"I think it was like that."

"What was it you said to Officer Payne?"
"I don't remember saying anything to him."

Tells of Conversation.

"Didn't you testify at the inquest that you walked into a Greek stand Sunday and that Payne and the Greek were talking about the murder, and you said, ‘What? Another Jack-the-Ripper?' And didn't Payne say, ‘No, a white girl has been murdered at the pencil factory,' and didn't you say, ‘Who was it?' And didn't Payne say she worked next to Boot Roger's sister in law? And didn't you say, ‘Why it must be Helen Ferguson?' And didn't the Greek say, ‘No, it was Mary Phagan?'"

"Yes, that was about the way of it."

"It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the Saturday following the murder that you told Chief Lanford or any of the officers about being in the factory Saturday, April 26, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"What time was it you spoke to Frank about your being in the factory?"
"I think it was Tuesday. It was about 2 o'clock Tuesday."

Witness Makes Denial.

"Didn't you make the statement before the coroner's jury that Frank said that he was going to mention the fact that you were in the factory to his lawyers and if favorable he would call you?"
"I did not make the statement that Frank said he would see his lawyer and find out whether or not is [sic] was favorable."

"What has come into your mind to make you say at the coroner's inquest that you went to the factory between 12 and 12:20 and now you state that it was between 12:20 and 12:25?"
"I have given the matter more careful study since that time."

Not After 12 O'clock.

"You are positive that it was not after 12 when you left home?"
"No, sir."

"How long does it take you to walk from home to the factory?"

"From ten to fifteen minutes."

On redirect examination by Attorney Arnold, Quinn explained that at the time he made the statements to Solicitor Dorsey and before the inquest he had not remembered that he had been to Wolfsheimer's meat market.

"I mentioned the matter to my father and my wife and my wife reminded me that I had been to the meat market."

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