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

Here is the translated text as follows:

Mr. Child expressed himself very strongly in relation to the officer for the government and the court. He said he had never witnessed such an exercise of the power of the powerful against the weak and stated that, from the most careful examination, he had become convinced of the innocence of the prisoners and believed them to be victims of one of the vilest plots ever invented.

Mr. Dunlap said he should not let personal feelings influence him in this matter. It had been his desire, as on all other occasions, to give the prisoners a fair trial. He left it to the counsel for the prisoners to say whether, if he had been disposed to take advantage against them, he had not had an opportunity to do so. He did not deny the right of counsel to question the witness or even to lay traps to catch him—to see if he had spoken falsely. However, he wished the witness to understand that this was not done by the government, which had pledged itself to bear him harmless. If the impressions under which the witness was laboring were not cleared up, he would believe that he was dealing with a faithless government; the anchor which bound him to the government would be broken, and he would act and speak accordingly.

After much further discussion, it was agreed that the witness should be apprised of the true state of the case, which was accordingly done, and the cross-examination then proceeded.

The witness left the brig at 11 or 12 o'clock, having first gone aboard around 8. Nothing was said of the money taken from her until after the English took the schooner. The money was then carried away from the place where it was first buried. There were only $11,000 of the remainder; the captain had $4,000 in his trunk, and the rest had been spent on provisions and other articles.

The captain brought from Prince's Island a patent lever watch and a dressing case, which together cost $800. The dressing case contained a silver wash basin. He also brought two bales of tobacco; all was bought with the money taken from the Mexican.

When the Panda left Havana, she did not have on board so much as a quarter of a cent. I was the captain’s servant and thoroughly overhauled everything belonging to him. The mate had $15, which he kept in his own hands. Capt. Gibert also brought from Prince's Island two bales of handkerchiefs, two frock coats, which cost $26 each, a piece of Guinea cloth, and some blue and green paint. The paint, cloth, and one of the frock coats were intended as a present for the African king. The $4,000 in the captain’s trunk were buried in the yard of the negro interpreter when the English came up in their boats and took the schooner. Castillo helped me carry it. Boyga, Castillo, Guzman, and I later went to Cape Lopez for the $11,000, which we had carried there and buried when the English came up the river Nazareth in their boats. We took the bags out, and the others counted the money. We made as much haste as possible, as the mosquitoes were biting my hands. $5,000 were buried for the captain. Boyga and Guzman buried the $5,000. The money was in canvas bags and buried about half a yard deep. The money was dug up.