Georgia Governor. He served as speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives for four years from 1896 until he was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1908, becoming its president in 1909. He became governor of Georgia when then governor Hoke Smith resigned to run for United States Senate. He was then elected to a full term. He found himself a figure in one of Georgia's most shameful moments. Despite threats against his life, he commuted the death sentence of Leo Frank when evidence showed that the Jewish businessman was innocent of murder. The sentence was changed to life imprisonment. Georgia militia had to protect the Governor's mansion from a mob of thousands. Days later Slaton wrote, “Two thousand years ago another governor washed his hands and turned over a Jew to a mob. For two thousand years that governor's name has been accursed. If today another Jew were lying in his grave because I had failed to do my duty, I would all through life find his blood on my hands and would consider myself an assassin through cowardice.” (Despite his efforts, weeks later, Frank was taken from prison by a lynch mob and hanged.) President John Kennedy honored Governor Slaton by including him in his Pulitzer prize winning book, "Profiles in Courage." He was portrayed by Jack Lemmon in the movie "The Murder of Mary Phagan."
Georgia Governor. He served as speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives for four years from 1896 until he was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1908, becoming its president in 1909. He became governor of Georgia when then governor Hoke Smith resigned to run for United States Senate. He was then elected to a full term. He found himself a figure in one of Georgia's most shameful moments. Despite threats against his life, he commuted the death sentence of Leo Frank when evidence showed that the Jewish businessman was innocent of murder. The sentence was changed to life imprisonment. Georgia militia had to protect the Governor's mansion from a mob of thousands. Days later Slaton wrote, “Two thousand years ago another governor washed his hands and turned over a Jew to a mob. For two thousand years that governor's name has been accursed. If today another Jew were lying in his grave because I had failed to do my duty, I would all through life find his blood on my hands and would consider myself an assassin through cowardice.” (Despite his efforts, weeks later, Frank was taken from prison by a lynch mob and hanged.) President John Kennedy honored Governor Slaton by including him in his Pulitzer prize winning book, "Profiles in Courage." He was portrayed by Jack Lemmon in the movie "The Murder of Mary Phagan."
Bio by: Evening Blues
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