The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-18
Second Conviction in 100000
Blackmail Case.
Mrs. HirSch Gets Year i'm Jail
and $1,000 Fine.
JURY OUT ONLY 26 MINUTES
Mrs. HirSch Tells SOrdid Story
in BlackmaiI Case.
Saw Man at Window; Another
Peeping Thru Door Slot.

Atlanta, Ga, March 1S.-The jury
in the case of Mrs. Margaret A.
Hirsch. charged with attempted
blackmail OF Mayor Asa G. Gambler,
returned :. verdict of guilty late Sat
u"day. The jury was out only twenty
six minutes.
The court at once imposed SEN
tence of twelve months in Jail and a
fine of $1,000. the maximum penalty
IN a misdemeanor case.
a verbatim transcript of what pur-
ported to be the testimony given be-
hinL closed doors by Mrs. Margaret
A. Hirsch Friday has been made;
public The alleged transcript de-
scribes in detail the circumstances
leading up to Mrs. Hirschs acquaint-
ance with Mayor Gambler; of her
visits to his office, and of their al
ieged imprope- relations in Mr..
Gamblers private office on February
1t was on that date that J. w.
Cook, alleged accomplice of Mrs.
Hirscn swore he had seen Mrs. Hirsch
and the mayor "in compromising
position" in the mayors office. Mrs.
H:rsch began her statement with de-
tails of ne meetings with Mr.. Gambler
in connection with the rattle of an
automobile for the benefit of the
Red Cross.
After reciting details of the visit
to Mr.. Gamblers office and the secur-
ing of his approval of the scheme.
Mrs. Hirsch's statement went into the
details of her acquaintance with j.
w. Cook. Continuing, the statement
described incidents leading up to the
alleged occurrences in Mayor Can
dlers private office on February 6.
ITO the best of my recollection"
the statement said, Il met Mr.. Can
dler on Forsythe street on Tuesday.
February 5. He walked up and shook
hands with me, patted me on the
shoulder and asked me about a fever
blister on my lip.
Called at Office Next Day.
1--WE talked about that and he then
asked, When are you coming up to
see me again. I replied, I don't
know. Mr.. Gambler. Mr.. Hirsch is in
town today
"Mr. Hirsch left town the next
morning, and at o'clock that after
noon I went to Mr.. Gamblers office.
He met me at the door. put his arm
around me practically before the door
was closed and finally locked the door
One demonstration followed another
until I finally consented to do what
Mr. Gambler wanted me to do
IKE windows had double shades on
them. and the shades were about a
foot from the bottom of each sash
When L saw a man looking thru the
window at us it frightened me so ]
started to run out of the door. Mr.
CaEdler said, Don't do that just hide
your face I turned around and saw
the man again, and threw discretion
to the Winds ! became so alarmed
AS I opened the door Mr.. Cook raised
himself up and said, There's some one
at the door, too
Il threw up my hands and dropped
what L had in my arms. He made a
grab for them, and SO did 1. He got
them and put them in his pocket, and
made some remark have forgotten
just how it was-'our honorable
mayor and then walked out and
slammed the door shut.
Mayor VIKINGS His Hands.
MIR. Gambler began wringing hi.
hands and said, We are just caught
we will have to confess it; it mean.
ruination.'
Her statement described her con-
ferences with Forrest Adair, who told
| her, she said, that Mr.. Gambler hao
| made a complete confession to him
and that he was working III Gamblers
! Interests. In these conferences. the
| statement says, he inquired concern.
ing her husbands salary AND Other
matters pertaining to his income after
which he remarked:
well, if we were to provide for YOU
with an amount equivalent to Mr.
Hirsch's salary and give you this
much would you be wiling to leave
here Che even suggested Denver as the
place to which L should go)-ant
leave a note to your husband suggest.
ing to him that you are tired of hin
or something like that p
Mrs. Hirsch declined to accept the
proposal, according to the statement
1t was alleged that Mrs. Hirsch wa:
| told in a subsequent conference with
| the Adairs that 1.-The best thing 1 could
| do would be to go away; that if
stayed here longer. Cook would ex
pose Mr.. Gambler; th;t Mr.. Candles
meant SO much to the city,of Atlanta
and to everybody else and to his fam
lily. while it seemed 1 did not matter
very much to anybody-only to m,