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

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Reading Time: 4 minutes [533 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

550

AMERICAN STATE TRIALS

THE TESTIMONY FOR THE DEFENSE

**Ruth Willard:** I was in Stiles' family for about a fortnight, six years ago last December. While there, Stiles was sent to Worcester one morning on business and was brought home at night apparently helpless. We got him into the room where his wife was, and at last she got him to bed and said if he went to sleep he would be fine. All at once, he jumped out of bed and went to the secretary and seized some razors. She took them away and got him back to bed. He soon grasped his throat with his hands—we unclenched them with difficulty and he seemed almost lifeless. There were marks on his throat the next morning, as if his fingers had slipped while he was gripping it. He was frequently intoxicated, and when he was, he was very violent and wished to kill himself. I knew Stiles for 15 or 20 years—he always complained of poor health and shortness of breath.

**Gideon Harlow:** I was acquainted with Stiles and used to see him frequently. He used to come home deranged and very noisy. At one time, I was called in to assist his mother—he tried to get hold of his throat and I assisted his mother to prevent him—he said repeatedly that he wanted to die. I was with him three times in similar turns—at each time he was very violent; I never saw Stiles drink anything stronger than water, but should judge from appearances that he was intoxicated.

**Rudolphus C. Edwards:** We told De Wolf that he had better not tell the doctor that he had been on a spree with Stiles, because it wouldn’t sound well, but that he found him outdoors somewhere, drunk, and took him in to get him sober. Nathaniel Watson and a Boston man were both with us at the time—Mr. Watson joined in this advice.

**Nathaniel Watson:** I joined in Edwards' advice—I think I did not merely give my assent to it, but repeated it myself.

**Thomas B. Eaton:** I live in Worcester—I was sexton from 1821 to 1836—I have frequently, almost always, observed dark blood settled on the neck after decease.

**Dr. Rufus Woodward:** I am a physician. I saw the body of Stiles about twelve days after death, at the tomb, in company with Dr. Benj. Heywood. The coffin was removed to the door, and the door left open; I looked at the neck carefully, but saw no red mark. We took out part of the trachea and the larynx—I observed no indentation or wound. There was a redness on the back of the neck extending behind the ear, but I thought it nothing unusual.

**Dr. Joseph Sargent:** I have been in practice most of the time since the fall of 1837; I have been accustomed to making post-mortem examinations. I have never seen a case of strangulation, and can speak of the symptoms only as they are represented in medical works. In strangulation, the blood is said to be congested on the lungs—it is my opinion that the amount of congestion depends upon the amount of force applied, and the length of time it is applied.

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