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

Here is the translated text as follows:

W. J. COOK. 647

Honorable Mayor! You are a nice pair! I saw this bundle lying on the floor with her coat and hat, and I reached down and got it, and walked out and went by her husband's office and left him a note to see me before he went home or to call me. I didn't hear anything from him, but I heard from Mr. Forrest Adair. I went over to Mr. Thrower's office, and Mrs. Hirsch called me up from Mr. Candler's office, and said, "Mr. Cook, won't you please come back up here—Mr. Candler wants to talk with you." I said, "I have no business up there," and hung the phone up in her face. It wasn't long until Mr. Forrest Adair called me. He said, "Cook, can you come over to my office?" I said, "Why, certainly!" I went over there. When I saw what he wanted, I said, "I refuse to discuss another man's wife with you or any other man." He asked if I would talk to Mr. Candler, and I finally told him I would. I met Mr. Candler over there. I met Mr. Forrest Adair twice after that. Every time that I met either one of them was at Mr. Forrest Adair's solicitation. I never at any time, in any place, in any way tried to communicate with them or made any demand on them for anything whatsoever; and, gentlemen, I am not asking for mercy, but strict justice. I thank you.

THE SPEECHES TO THE JURY.

Mr. Arnold: Gentlemen of the Jury, you are trying now the man responsible for this sad affair. The woman is almost as much of a victim as is Mayor Candler—for she was simply a tool in the hands of the prisoner, and for that she deserves our sympathy. It would have been ridiculous for a man to have committed the act the defense accused Mr. Candler of, with both blinds to his office up and an open mail slot in his door. Although Cook had named two mysterious men as witnesses in his statement to the jury, the defense has not placed these men on the stand as witnesses, or produced them at all. Where are this Lee and Smith, who went with him to climb outside of an office building window and watch and eavesdrop? Even Mrs. Hirsch does not take the stand to sustain him. There she sits, with not a word to say.

This man Cook claims to be so tender with "his friend" Hirsch, yet he arranged an audience for two strangers for the violation of his friend's wife. The truth is, the plot is yet on. Mrs. Hirsch is wildly infatuated with this man Cook, and this, gentlemen, is the use he has been making of her. Selling her purity to make money. Of course, she was the one who made the demands. Cook is too wise to make them himself.