MELL STANFORD, Sworn In For The State, 14th To Testify

Mell Stanford, witness for the State, at the Trial of Leo Frank in the Fulton County Superior Court of Atlanta, Georgia, in 1913 (Testimony Portion From July 28 - August 21, 1913; Closing Arguments August 21-25, 1913)
Mell Stanford, metal-room sweeper for over 2 years, testified:
Friday, April 25

9:00–12:00 noon: Swept entire metal-room floor—moved everything, under Phagan & Barrett machines, to toilet doors, paint shop.
No blood spots; paint spots common.

Monday, April 28

Near dressing room: Quarter-sized spot + scattered dark spots—white haskoline over, cane-broom scratches.
Big cane broom6 feet away—not there Friday.

Cross-examination

Negro sweeper absent—Stanford filled in.
Storage: Paints, barrels, boxes near dressing room.
Spots: Led to dressing-room door—routine paint area.

Stanford’s Friday clean sweep and Monday “new” spots gutted Barrett’s “fresh blood”.
Cane-broom scratches + haskoline smear turned State’s “murder stain” into post-weekend cover-up.