Evening star., 1924-07-29
TH|NKSG0DAMYTH,
BUT DEATH IS ONLY
PROOF TOLEOPOLD
, Told Questioners Dying
Would Be End, With Passing
Sole Sure Test.
STATEMENTS AT EARLY
EXAMINATION REVEALED
Grove and Defense Attorney Help
Each Other in Reading
Long Transcript.
BY the Associa ted Press.

pold, jr., and Richard Loeb, who
pleaded guilty to the kidnapping and
murder of 14-year-old Robert Franks,
today heard read in open court first
their denials and then their confess
sions of the crime.
Benjamin Bachrach, one of the at
torneys for the boys, helped get into
the record this final stage of the
States presentation of evidence by
relieving Robert f. Grove, States at
torney, of the task of reading the
prosecutions transcription of the
boys admissions. Mr.. Groves voice
was worn, but after 80 minutes of
,reading Mr.. Bachrach said he was
getting a little hoarse." The States
attorney, however, declined to take
up the vocal burden at that time.
Ideas on God.
The boys listened with little
change of expression until MIR. Bach
rach reached a passage in which
Leopold quoted a profane exclama-
tion made to his brother when he
.learned that his spectacles had been
found near the culvert in which he
and Loeb had hidden the body of
the Franks boy.
At one point in the reading Leo
pold's ideas on religion were worked
into the record.
There is no God" he was quoted
as saying. Il do not believe in a ru-
ture life When 1 die / die all over.
OF course, that is only an opinion
and it can be demonstrated only by
dying"
Leopold was busy talking to Mr..
Darrow when this occurred and ap-
parently did not hear it.
Loeb Seems Interested.
Loeb, however, leaned far forward
to catch it, then turned-to his COM
panion's conference with the at
torney.
Mr.. Darrow was handed a tele-
gram a few moments later. Leo
pold read it. over the attorneys
shoulder and whispered to Loeb.
Accused Each Other.
Reading in court today of Nathan
Leopold, jr's, confession to the kidnap-
ing and murder of Robert Franks
showed him accusing Richard Loeb
of having struck the boy on the head
and of gagging the victim.
Il stepped on the gas" said Leo
polds confession, in which he depict
ed himself as driver of the car.
Neither defendant glanced at each
other as this was read.
The court proceedings in the Franks
case recessed for the noon interval
xx-ith hn
Leopold unfinished.
Room Fills Slowly.
The courtroom was slow in filing
today for the sixth day of the trial
of Nathahn Leopold, jr., and Richard
Loeb, kidnapers and slayers Of young
Bobby Franks. 1t was intensely hot
and the court visitors faced the pros
poets of listening to the routine
reading of preliminary statements
and confessions of the two youths by
stenographer.
Women as usual predominated in
the courtroom, and Is minutes before
Judge John r. Caverly ascended the
bench virtually every courtroom seat
was taken. Very few stood about the
entrance, however, as the sun BEAM
ed vigorously.
Confer With Judge.
Attorneys Clarence Darrow and
BENJAMIN Bachrach of the defense
and Robert E. Grove, States attor-
ney, conferred with Judge Caverly
when court opened. Samuel Ettleson,
the Franks family lawyer, joined them.
A negro accused of murder was
brought in and pleaded not guilty.
On the way out he brushed shoulders
with Leopold and Loeb. who have
taken the opposite course.
Ebert Allen, expert stenographer
from Groves Office, resumed reading
of the questions and answers that
passed between the prosecutor and
the defendants just before they broke
down the night of Decoration day.
The reading was resumed with
Leopold's account of the "one week
aIibi," which he and Loeb agreed
upon to account for their activities
on May 81.
} AS the account reached references
TO the forest preserve and the
swampy lakes south of the city near
where Robert Franks body was
found the State introduced a large
diagram Of the region.
Read Notes in Turn.
Grove and Bachrach took turns
reading the transcript of Aliens
notes, which. it was explained, were
.cold" after nearly two months Some
of the questions and answers were
given in a tone audible only to the
court stenographers and Judge Cav
erly.
Mr.. Grove read that Leopold had
said that he was acquainted with
the culvert in which the body of
Bobby Franks was found " He said
he knew there was drain there.
but said he did not notice 1t par
ticularly' when at the spot ION
birding. trips.
Mr.. Bachrach read from tho state.
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