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

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Reading Time: 4 minutes [576 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

MRS. HERMAN H. HIRSCH

I tried to convey my intentions clearly. "Well," I said, "I have attempted to do charitable work here. I have visited the mill districts, the different nurseries, and worked through the Associated Charities. I have found that doing charitable work requires a lot of money. If you don't have money, it requires bodily strength. All the work I have done has been through bodily strength. I would have liked to ask Mr. Candler if he could help me bring good out of bad. If I wanted to dedicate the rest of my life as an atonement for what I have done, I think he would be willing to furnish the means for me to do good for the rest of my life."

I continued, "I would like for him to place an amount at my disposal so I could work on it. I would make a report to him monthly of every cent spent, letting him know exactly how I was using these funds. If he wants to make an atonement for what he has done, the same as I will do, if I give my life to the work, will he provide the money for it? I could take the interest on the money he places at my disposal and do more good than he could with his million at Emory University."

I added, "If he will place that amount at my disposal so that I can have the interest at my disposal, I will make him this report every month, showing where I spent every cent and proving that I am trying to make good come out of evil." They asked, "What amount do you think would be right?" I replied, "If one million dollars was what he gave to Emory University, I could take half that amount and do twice the good." They immediately froze up and said nothing more to me, only that they would have to confer with Judge Candler and let me know their decision. That was on Tuesday.

On Thursday, I went up to Mr. Hirsch’s office. I called Mr. Candler, Forrest Adair, George Adair, Asa Jr., and everyone I could think of connected to this, to get some information about what was expected of me. While I was sitting there, two officers came to the door and presented me with a warrant charging me with blackmail. Nothing was further from my thoughts than to expose Mr. Candler. I didn’t want it exposed; I had begged them not to even tell each other those things because every person they told and brought into this was an embarrassment to me. I didn’t want anybody else to know it.

Mr. Hirsch was notified, I think, in several ways—by the newspaper and by some of his friends. He wired to get bail for me—bond—and get me out of that place of incarceration. I didn’t accept it because I didn’t want to take it from Mr. Hirsch without him knowing how it happened. I told my minister every incident that had occurred and asked him to tell Mr. Hirsch for me when he got home, and to tell him before he saw me. He did so.

On Sunday morning around 11 o'clock, Mr. Hirsch’s nephew came to the Tower, called for me, and I went downstairs. He said, “Aunt Margaret, do you want to see Uncle Herman?” I replied, “It isn’t a question of what I want, does he?”

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