Lyrics copied from American Folk Songs: A Regional Encyclopedia edited by Norman Cohen (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2008), page 314 (with the spelling tweaked a bit by me):


LITTLE MARY PHAGAN
Words and music by [Fiddlin’] John Carson and Rosalee Carson, ©1925.*
As recorded by Rosa Lee Carson,** June, 1925.

Little Mary Phagan she went to town one day.
She went to the pencil fact’ry to get her little pay.

She left her home at ‘leven when she kissed her mother goodbye.
Not one time did the poor child think she was going there to die.

Leo Frank met her with a brutely heart we know.
He smiled and said: “Little Mary, now you go home no more.”

He sneaked along behind her till she reached the metal room.
He laughed and said: “Little Mary, you met your fatal doom.”

She fell upon her knees; to Leo Frank she pled.
Because she was virt’ous, he hit her ‘cross the head.

The tears rolled down her rosy cheeks; the blood flowded down her back.
She remembered telling her mother what time she would be back.

He killed little Mary Phagan—‘twas on one holiday—
Then called for old Jim Conley to take her body away.

He took her to the basement, bound hand and feet.
Down in the basement, little Mary lay asleep.

Newt Lee was the watchman; when he went to wind the key,
Down in the basement little Mary he could see.

He called for the off’cers; their names I do not know.
They came to the pencil fact’ry saying: “Newt Lee, you must go.”

They took him to the jailhouse, locked him in a cell.
This poor old innocent nigger knew nothing for to tell.

I have a notion in my head when Frank comes to die,
He took examination in the courthouse in the sky.

Astonished at the questions, the angels they did say
Why he killed little Mary upon one holiday.

Come, all of you good people, wherever you may be.
Supposing little Mary belonged to you or me.

Her mother sets a-weeping; she weeps and mourns all day.
She prays to meet her baby in a better world someday.

Judge Roan passed the sentence; you bet he passed it well.
Solicitor Hugh M. Dorsey sent Leo Frank to ----.


* from Catalog of Copyright Entries, (Washington: Library of Congress, Jan.-June, 1952), “Renewals,” page 141.

** spelling from record label. Rosa Lee or Rosalee was Fiddlin’ John’s daughter, and also recorded under the name Moonshine Kate.