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

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648 X. AMERICAN STATE TRIALS.

No, he makes the woman do all the dirty work—while he occupies the proud position of a friend of her husband's. Cook and Mrs. Hirsch had made all arrangements. Cook wanted them to "get her out of town," did he? Cook would surely have joined her later. Suppose she had gotten as much as $100,000. What a time they would have had! And poor Hirsch. What a doormat they have made of him. Then Cook would have denied ever knowing Mrs. Hirsch, if it hadn't been for Al Martin's visit to the jail. When Martin recognized Mrs. Hirsch as the woman who had accompanied Cook to his cafe, the story had to be changed. So Cook admitted his previous acquaintanceship with Mrs. Hirsch. And he claims to be a friend of Hirsch's. Poor Hirsch. What can we not expect husbands to be called upon to stand if this thing is overlooked? Cook, the saintly friend of the husband. I dare state right here, gentlemen, that he was a much closer friend of Mrs. Hirsch than he was of Mr. Hirsch. Cook was a casual friend, was he? Daily visits to the hospital look like it, don't they? A husband could not have done more.

Mr. Candler is deserving of the thanks of the community for having the bravery to prosecute this case openly and without fear. Many a man, no matter how innocent, would have paid the price the blackmailer demanded. Blackmail, morally, is worse than burglary. It is a shame that the laws of Georgia make the penalty so light. They treat it as the smallest of crimes and yet it is the meanest, dirtiest crime I know of. Then look at the remarkable coincidences in the statement of the defendant. He just happened to pass and overheard the conversation. Remarkable coincidence. She walked out from Thrower's office. Another coincidence. They have the same lawyers. Another remarkable coincidence. Gentlemen, this is a cruel case. It is cruel on the poor husband and cruel on Mr. Candler. It is cruel to see the poor woman used as a tool by a man like Cook. A man who admits that he has committed every crime on the calendar except murder, and if abortion is murder, he has committed that.

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