Philip Chambers, age 15, was an employee
of the National Pencil Company who regularly worked Saturdays.
Examination by Reuben Arnold
Arnold: [Have
you see Frank entertain female employees in his office?]
Chambers:
"Mr. Frank never did have any women in there."
Arnold:
[Did you ever see Frank drinking at the factory?]
Chambers:
"I never saw any drinking there."
Arnold: [Did
you ever see Dalton visit Frank at the factory?]
Chambers:
"I have never seen Dalton come in there."
Arnold: [Did you ever see Conley or
anyone else watching the door for Frank?]
Chambers:
"I have never seen anybody watching the door on any
Saturday that I was there."
Arnold: [Did you ever see Frank
doing anything sexually inappropriate with any female workers?]
Chambers:
"I have never seen Mr. Frank familiar with any of
the
women in the factory. "
Arnold: [Did you ever see
Frank doing anything inappropriate with Mary Phagan?]
Chambers:
"I have never seen him talk to Mary Phagan at
all."
Cross-examination
by Hugh Dorsey:
Dorsey:
"You and Mr. Frank were
pretty friendly, weren't
you?"
Chambers:
"Just like a boss should be."
Dorsey:
"Did you ever complain to J.M. Gantt that Frank had
made improper advances to you?"
Chambers:
"No, sir."
Dorsey:
"You didn't tell Gantt that Frank had threatened to
discharge you if you did not comply with his wishes?"
Chambers:
“No.”
[Arnold
objected that this line of questioning had no support and was designed
solely to damage the reputation of the defendant. Arnold
complained: "It's the most unfair thing I've ever heard of
in a court
proceeding. It's the vilest slander that can be cast upon a man. If
Courts were
run this way it could be brought against any member of the
community-you, me or
the jury. No man can get a fair showing against such vile insinuations.
If this
comes up again, I will be tempted to move for a new trial." Judge Roan
ordered the evidence concerning Frank's sexual interest in Chambers
struck from the record.]
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