Reading Time: 3 minutes, [388 words]
The Atlanta Constitution,
Sunday, 17th August 1913,
PAGE 16, COLUMN 6.
The most fluent and probably the most ardent witness as to the good character of Frank was Mrs. Cora Barnes, who when placed on the stand Saturday morning, proceeded into such an impassioned enumeration of his virtues that Mr. Dorsey waived the asking of the legal set questions by the defense. She is a slender little woman with auburn hair.
No sooner had Arnold asked her where she worked than she took the bit in her teeth and entered into a lengthy eulogy on Frank.
"Where do you work?" asked Arnold.
"At the National Pencil factory. I have worked there four years and four months. Mr. Frank is one of the best men I or any one else has ever seen. I would be willing to die in his place for his innocence. I would fight for him and die for him if I could."
Arnold interrupted her and told her that she must answer certain set questions before she could testify to Frank's character. Dorsey waived these questions, but Arnold insisted upon asking them.
When she was turned over to the prosecution for cross-examination, Dorsey asked her:
"Who talked to you about what you were going to swear to?"
"Nobody," she replied.
"Nobody at all?"
"Nobody. I just believe he is innocent," once more said the witness. "I wish that I could make everybody believe it."
Mrs. Barnes made this remark with such vehemence that it brought laughter from the spectators. Plennie Miner rapped for order and declared that he would expel from the courtroom the next person who laughed or created any disorder.
"Who discussed this case with you?" continued Dorsey.
"Nobody," insisted the witness.
"Who subpoenaed you?"
"I haven't been subpoenaed."
"How, then, did you get into the courtroom and on the witness stand?"
"Mr. Arnold came down to Mr. Frank's office one day last week and asked me whether I knew anything good or bad about Mr. Frank, and I told him that I thought he was innocent. Then he told me he would want me here."
"Then somebody did talk to you about the case?"
"I hadn't thought about that?"
The witness was dismissed.
Other women employees of the National Pencil factory who testified that Frank's character was good were Mrs. Sarah Barnes, Miss Mollie Blair and Miss Ethel Stewart.