Sunday, 12th October 1913 Henslee Confers With Hugh Dorsey
The Atlanta Constitution,
Sunday, 12th October 1913,
PAGE 21, COLUMN 1.
Solicitor General Is Now Preparing for Leo M. Frank's Hearing on Retrial Petition.
Valdosta, Ga., October 11."(Special.) Juror A. H. Henslee,
who has been the storm center in the Frank case during the last
ten days, and who is so bitterly assailed by the defense in the
motion for a new trial, was in the city today in conference with
Solicitor Hugh Dorsey, who is here preparing the state's answers
to the motion. Mr. Henslee was closeted last this afternoon with
Messrs. Dorsey, E. A. Stephens and Spurlin, the latter official court
reporter in this circuit, who was taking depositions from the ex-
juror. These depositions, it is understood, related to the
statements regarding the case made by the ex-juror and covered
the affidavits against him filed by citizens of Sparta.
Many of the alleged facts in these affidavits are denied
outright by Mr. Henslee. Previously Mr. Henslee had stated that
he was merely making his usual ninety days' trip through this
section as representative of a Barnesville buggy company, and
had stopped over to transact business for his house and
incidentally to visit his brother-in-law. O. W. Franklin United States
commissioner here.
Henslee reiterated his former statements as to his impartial
state of mind when he went to the Frank jury, and again claimed
that the Sparta citizens and others who had attacked him in their
affidavits were mistaken as to the time of the alleged
conversations. He said he had not discussed Frank's guilt or
innocence until after the trial. He claims that the only statements
he made about the case before the trial which could possibly be
construed as inimical to Frank, was that the man who would
commit such a crime should be hanged, but that he went into the
jury box entirely unprejudiced.
Solicitor Dorsey and his assistant, Attorney Stephens, do not
hope to complete their answer to the motion for a new trial before
next Saturday and say that it is doubtful if they can be ready by
that time. They have been working every day from an early hour
in the morning until long after dark. But do not expect to
complete their work under the two weeks originally contemplated
by the solicitor.
An order postponing, at Solicitor Hugh Dorsey's request, the
hearing of the motion for a new trial for Leo M. Frank, was filed
yesterday with Deputy Clerk John H. Jones. It was signed by Judge
L. S. Roan, and set the hearing for next Saturday.
Solicitor Dorsey and E. A. Stephens, his assistant, are still in
Valdosta, where they expect to spend the greater part of the
week continuing their work on the answer to the petition of the
defense.
The solicitor and Mr. Stephens were given an entertainment
last week by several prominent Valdosta attorneys. The affair,
which was a stag supper, was held at Ocean Grove club, about 15
miles from Valdosta.