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

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Reading Time: 4 minutes [601 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

The office had one public phone, and I had no private phone there. The next morning, which was Thursday, around 11 o'clock, I received a message that a lady wanted to speak with me. I went down and called Mr. Adair’s number, and he asked me to come over to his office.

The next morning, I went to Mr. Adair’s office before noon. I had been invited to a bridge party that afternoon at a friend's home. They took me back into the private office, where Forrest and George Adair were present. They informed me that they had been in conference with Mr. Cook that morning. Mr. Cook demanded that I leave my home and my husband, stating that no woman like me should live with a man like Mr. Hirsch. I asked, “Well, did he ask that Mr. Candler leave his wife also?” He said, “No, all of his feelings and anger seem to be directed against you and not against Mr. Candler.”

Forrest Adair said, “Mrs. Hirsch, we are in the same boat, and Cook is steering it. If he were to say that Mr. Candler would have to go, he would have to go to avoid exposure, and Mr. Candler couldn’t stand to be exposed.” I replied, “Well, it doesn’t seem fair that I should suffer all the consequences of this.” He said, “No, but from time immemorial”—these are his exact words—“women have been made the scapegoat for men’s behavior. At times, I’m ashamed that I am a man because everything a man does, a woman has to suffer for.”

Mr. Adair then asked me about Mr. Hirsch’s salary. I told him how much he made and what little income he had. He said, “Well, if we were to provide you with an amount equivalent to Mr. Hirsch’s salary and give you this much, would you be willing to leave here, not let anyone know where you are”—he suggested Denver as the place to go—“and leave a note to your husband suggesting that you are tired of him or something like that, so that he won’t follow you, absolutely severing associations with your husband? Would you be willing to do that?” I responded, “Mr. Adair, I don’t see how I could. For all I may have done wrong, my home has been a happy one. Mr. Hirsch and I have never had a cross word. I’ve heard people say they have been married for certain lengths of time and never had a cross word, and I could hardly believe it, but it is entirely true in my case. Mr. Hirsch has a fine disposition. He never gets mad, and everything I do seems to be alright with him. He lets me go my own way, do as I like; we have never had any trouble at all, and it seems unreasonable to me that I should leave my home like that.”

He mentioned during this talk that the money they wanted to give me would be in the form of an annuity. They would provide me with $250 on the first of every month, either by sending me a check or depositing it to my credit. I said, “Well, if I considered doing such a thing, I would have to be assured that I was going to receive that money. I might leave here, and you could pay me a check the first month, and then after that, you might not pay it anymore.” Mr. Adair said, “Mrs. Hirsch, the word of Forrest Adair is good; the firm of Forrest and George Adair keeps their promises.”

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