The Detroit times., 1915-01-05
81 AM INNOCENT"
is CRY OF LEO Nj.
FRANK FROM CELL
CONTINUED from Page one1

attitude of the mob which, by the
way. left nothing TO the imagination
Sitting the evidence, there was but
one witness against me, Negro, Jim
Conley. His testimony at the trial
was uncorroborated.
He made three sworn statements
| each different-before the trial, and a
| fourth statement under oath at the
trial. which differed from his other
statements
I IL was shown at the trial that Con-
| ley was a vicious criminal with bad
reputation and record. and that he
/ had not alone motive TO commit the
crime charged to me. bait had far
greater opportunity TO commit the
deed than l. or any other living being.
Lone Witness Convicted Frank.
Jim Conley Is a self-confessed liar,
With a police court record. having
served terms for disorderly conduct.
On the other hand. the book OF my
life was opened TO be scanned by the
! Jury. | showed that within human linn
itations | had lived an honora BILE. de-
cent life, had had the benefit of school
and university education, had travelled
at home and abroad extensively, and
was happily married.
4 More than a hundred witnesses tes-
titled In my behalf among them a
number Of girl employees from the pen
ell factory as we'll as from the higher
social and cultural circles.
IL good name and an honorable life
availo nothing against the unsubstan-
tiated word OF dissolute drunken
criminal, what | ask is the reward OF
decency? This Negro criminal show
ed that he had no respect for his oath
My statements in this case under oath
and not under oath, have never sue
cessfully been challenged and remain
today unshaken, because they are the
truth
What the Trial Judge Said
His honor. Judge L. 5. Roam. who
was the only Judge who has ever pass
ed upon the evidence. when overrul-
ing my motion for new trial. said:
IL have given this question long con
sideration II has given me more con.
cern than any other case I was ever
in. and I want TO say right here that,
although heard the evidence and ar
guments during those 20 days (of the
triaD do not know this morning
whether Leo Frank is innocent or
guilty
submit that this expression of
Judge Roan's is a testimonial, not
alone as 10 the uncertainty of the evi
dence, but also 70 the conditions OF
the trial How could the jury know,
If the able Judge did not?
Everybody who has fairly examined
1.-The record of this case has uncondi-
tionally said that | am innocent
Everybody who knows the conditions
prevailing at my trial admits that they
were not UP TO the standard called
for by due process OF law" that q
fair trial under such conditions was
absolutely precluded.
What United States Justice Said.
The presiding trial Judge said that
he doubted my guilt. Associate JUS
tice O. w Holmes, OF the United
States supreme court, in a written
memo. stated his grave doubts as &c
whether fair trial had been given
me.
In spite OF all these things, sit In
imy cell. and day by day the shadow
fof the gallows draws nearer. The
forms OF law, say the courts have
been followed, and a tainted death
awaits me ! am innocent, my con
science Is clear. and death Is but q
transition to the higher life.
III die the death OF criminal thu
day will come when | will be desig
mated as a martyr to the forms o
law. can greet death like man
for I know the future holds In III
bosom my complete vindication.
can die without bitterness or ranco
towards any man. My ignominiou'
death and subsequent vindication viii
some day mark a milestone in Ameri
can legal history--an example o
mans fraility. for generations e
come