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Posted by Matthew Bowerman
on May 2, 2002, 8:07:35
Hi everyone. I am playing Leo in the Maryland/Dc Premiere of the musical. Thrilled to be doing it. Email me if you want to see it. I was away in Marietta and Atlanta researching for a month. Had dinner with Mary Phagan (grand-niece of the original) and several other people from the real story. It has been an amazing journey. Here's a tidbit for you--it is brutal but true: there are several pictures of the lynching in circulation. One has two men holding Leo's legs after the hanging--one is gesturing to his groin area. Leo, before he was hung, was castrated by the group. His waist and legs are covered but there is blood all over them. The men in the picture have positioned themselves in such a fashion as to tell what they did and send a message without being open about it. Amazing...I have five sources who have confirmed this, including lynching family members. Also, Leo was not killed from the hanging, he died a while later, after the second wave of people came and found him. They let him suffocate, even though one man checked his pulse and found him breathing. Man's inhumanity against man. This story is full of such powerful information. Another note for Parade buffs: Leo and Lucille had a typical, normal marriage with its share of debates, lots of love, and an amazing amount of hope. They never gave up on each other, and always believed things would work out. Their marriage was not arranged. I wanted to add this in memory of Robert Stern, Leo's nephew, who just died two weeks ago and communicated that information to me before he died. This was also confirmed by Leo Frank's grand-niece (name I cannot reveal). Thank you for listening, I hope you have found this as amazing as I do. Zachor...remember...never forget. Semper idem.
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God bless the sight of the old hills of Georgia...