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

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Reading Time: 3 minutes [327 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

THOMAS COOPER

United States, you must acquit him; if he has proved the truth of the facts asserted by him, you must find him not guilty.

THE VERDICT AND SENTENCE

The jury retired and returned with a verdict of guilty.

Judge Chase: Mr. Cooper, as the jury has found you guilty, we wish to hear any circumstances you have to offer in mitigation of the fine the court may think proper to impose on you, and also in extenuation of your punishment. We would therefore like to know your situation in life, particularly regarding your circumstances. It will be proper for you to consider this: as you are under recognizance, you will attend the court sometime towards the latter end of the week—(the court appointed Wednesday).

April 30.

Judge Chase: Mr. Cooper, do you have anything to offer to the court before we pass sentence?

Mr. Cooper: The court has asked me to offer anything relating to my circumstances in mitigation of the fine, or any observation that occurs to me in extenuation of the offense. I have thought it my duty—not for the purpose of deprecating any punishment which the court may deem proper to inflict, but to prevent any accidental or apparent harshness of punishment on the part of the court, for want of information which it is in my power to give. For this reason, therefore, and so that the court may not be misled, I think it right to say that my property in this country is moderate. Some resources I had in England have been recently cut off due to commercial failures there. I depend practically on my practice, which imprisonment will annihilate. Be it so. I have been accustomed to making sacrifices to opinion, and I can make this one. As for circumstances in extenuation, not being conscious that I have set down anything in malice, I have nothing to extenuate.

Judge Chase: I have heard what you have to say. I am...

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