Thursday, May 8th, 1913 Quinn, Foreman Over Slain Girl, Tells of Seeing Frank

Metal department foreman testifies he visited factory around 12:20 on day of murder and found Frank alone in office

L. A. Quinn, foreman of the metal department at the National Pencil Factory, the department in which Mary Phagan worked, was called to the stand and testified as follows.

Quinn confirmed that he knew Mary Phagan and that she worked in his department alongside other girls as well as Henry Smith and John Ramey, all working together in the same room. The last time he saw her was the Monday before the murder. He left the factory on Friday and was not due back until Monday morning.

He rose at 7 o'clock Saturday morning. He and his wife went uptown to have their baby's photograph taken, leaving home at 9:30 and reaching the photographer's at 10. They came back down Whitehall Street, stopped at the Globe Clothing store to talk with friends, continued to a meat market where they spent about five minutes, then stopped at a soda fountain before returning home at 11:15. Quinn left again at 11:45, heading to a meat market, then to a soda fountain at Benjamin's Pharmacy where he bought two cigars. It was a few minutes after noon at that point. He then walked to the National Pencil Company.

His purpose in going, he said, was to speak with Mr. Schiff. He did not see Mary Phagan. He estimated his arrival at around 12:20.

Spoke to Frank

The only person he found in the office was Mr. Frank. Quinn greeted him and stayed approximately two minutes. He placed his arrival somewhere between 12:15 and 12:30, but when asked whether it could have been as late as 12:30, he said no. Asked how he could be certain, he replied that he was somewhere else at 12:30.

Upon leaving the factory he ran into Mr. Malsby outside, who told him that the girls, meaning Mrs. Freeman and Miss Corinthia Hall, were in the Busy Bee Café at Hunter and Forsyth Streets. Quinn went to the café, found Miss Hall and Mrs. Freeman there, and stayed about two minutes before all three left together. The women went to Malsby's to use the telephone.

Went to Pool Hall Then

Quinn went to DeToro Brothers pool parlors, arriving at 12:30 and staying until 1:15. He then went to the Atlanta Theater, arriving around 1:20. He estimated the walk from his home to the factory at between twelve and fifteen minutes.

He described Frank as wearing a brown suit when he saw him at the factory. On Sunday, Quinn met with Mr. Darley and Mr. Montague at 9:30 and went with them into the basement with a lantern. He later saw Frank at Bloomfield's on Sunday afternoon, dressed in what appeared to be a black or blue suit. Frank said nothing beyond hello.

Refreshed Frank's Memory

Quinn flatly denied telling any officer that he had not been at the factory since Friday. He denied saying so to Officer Payne and denied saying it to Detective Starnes.

He told the coroner that after Frank had been locked up, he had visited him and brought up his Saturday presence at the factory. The subject arose while the two were