308 Page – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

Here is the translated text as follows:

276 AMERICAN STATE TRIALS.

For that statement he put in Frank's mouth, it so happened, though, that Frank really did not have rich relatives in Brooklyn. His mother testified that his father was in ill health and had but moderate means, and that his sister worked in New York for her living.

Gentlemen, am I living or dreaming that I have to argue such points as these? This is what you've got to do: You've got to swallow every word that Conley has said—feathers and all, or you've got to believe none of it. How are you going to pick out of such a pack of lies as these what you will believe and what you will not? Yet, this is what the prosecution has based the case upon. If this fails, all fails.

And do you remember about the watch, where Conley said that Frank asked him, "Why do you want to buy a watch for your wife? My big, fat wife wanted me to buy her an automobile, but I wouldn't do it!" Do you believe that, gentlemen of the jury?

I tell you that they have mistreated this poor woman terribly. They have insinuated that she would not come to the tower to see Frank—had deserted him. When we know that she stayed away from the jail at Frank's own request because he did not want to submit her to the humiliation of seeing him locked up and to the vulgar gaze of the morbid and to the cameras of the newspaper men. The most awful thing in the whole case is the way this family has been mistreated! The way they invaded Frank's home and manipulated his servants, I deny that the people who did this are representative of the 175,000 people of Fulton County! We are a fair people, and we are a chivalrous people. Such acts as these are not in our natures.

Conley next changes the time of the writing of the notes to Saturday but denies knowledge of the murder. That, of course, did not satisfy these gentlemen, and they went back to him. They knew he was dodging incrimination. So they had him change the statement again. Scott and other detectives spent six hours at a time with Conley on occasions.