581 Sheet – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

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Here is the translated text as follows:

ORRIN DE WOLF

549

"You had better make it to the sheriff," he said to me. I promised to see him in the afternoon. In the afternoon, I took him into the sitting room with Mr. Matthews, where his conversation was put to writing and signed by him, as well as by Mr. Matthews and myself as witnesses. I never gave him any encouragement to hope for escape or commutation of punishment; I told him he had no right to hope for anything but death. I told him that any confession he could make would do no good, except by making some atonement to society. He said afterwards that his statements respecting Mrs. Stiles' innocence were not true. She had said she wished Stiles was dead and wished somebody would put him out of the way, but she wanted it delayed until the will was made. At one time, she proposed doing it herself, and he procured some arsenic for her, but she had been afraid to use it. After the will was made, she frequently urged him to do it, and it was understood that Stiles should be killed the next time he went out to Cobleigh's. He said he got some arsenic and carried it out with him, but was afraid to use it. It would be found in his chest or trunk at Whipple’s stable.

Isaac Davis knew Mr. and Mrs. Stiles and De Wolf. He first knew Stiles in the fall of '43 and was sent to appear for him as counsel while he was in prison for a small debt. He took a deed of trust for Stiles’ property. The selectmen of Shrewsbury, where he formerly resided, were desirous of having him put under guardianship, but Davis took the trust as a compromise. The deed provided that all his property should go, at his death, to his heirs and legal representatives, or to such persons as he should by will or otherwise lawfully appoint to receive the same. Stiles was about 40 years old; his wife was married at 16 and is now about 23. The property, by appraisal since his death, is about $1000. Davis did not hear of the will until after Stiles’ death. The signature is Stiles’. Davis notified the selectmen of Shrewsbury of the will and provisions; they decided to oppose Mrs. Stiles, and the guardian of Edwin consented that the will should not be established, and an administrator was appointed.

James Howard witnessed Stiles’ will at the request of Mrs. Stiles. He thinks De Wolf boarded there at the time. He does not know who wrote the will. Mr. Stiles appeared to be of sound mind when the will was made; his health was not very good.

James Prentiss was called upon by De Wolf to witness Mr. Stiles’ will in October last. Mrs. Howard called for him about an hour afterwards. Mr. Howard and De Wolf were present. Stiles was on a bed. Mr. Howard asked if he wished them to witness his will—he said he did. Mrs. Stiles produced the will, and they signed it. Prentiss had frequently seen De Wolf at Stiles’.

Luther G. Moore saw De Wolf and Stiles at Bartlett’s tavern about 8 o'clock on the night of Stiles’ death. He did not notice whether they had anything to drink.

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