708 Slide – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

676 X. AMERICAN STATE TRIALS.

it ia not classed as such, I do not ask you to punish this
woman. The question of her sentence rests with the court
and I do not desire her punishment. Ali I want is your dis-
approval of her actions.

There is nothing as good as a good woman, and nothing
sinks as low or becomes as dangerous as a fallen woman.
When s woman once falls from virtue, how deception follows
in her wake! No matter how beautiful and charming she
may be, who does she consort with! Creatures like J. W.
Cook. This has been true at all times end is true today.
The weak spot in our judicial system is possibly the inability
of untrained men to resist the tears and acting of a smart
woman, And Mrs, Hirsch is smart. She is a good actress,
smert and bold. My opinion of this ease has changed since
she took the stand and made her statement. Before then I
thought Cook was at least as much responsible for the plot
asshe. After her statement I am convinced that most of the
blame of the partnership is hers. Cook is just a common
every-day crook. He made only a weak denial to Forrest
Adair’s statement of what he had told him. And according
to his own words he has committed every known crime, ex-
cept murder.

And this is the man—the high-toned man—who was s0
hurt to even think of the Mayor's eseapade which he says he
saw. Cook admits that he has been caught twice with the
wives of other men, And then he has a sudden conversion,
He boasts of thie lurid past, but was washed white as snow
at the Billy Sunday meeting. But he fell quickly when
Mra. Hirsch and he worked out this scheme. I do not say
anything against conversion; it is all good if they stay eon-
verted. But there ara many wolves in sheep’s clothing, and
many merely pretend conversions, It is the camouflage of
the situation, He worked out this scheme and starts by get-
ting converted. Why, while the Billy Sunday meetings were
on he asked Mr, Gordon for a letter to a wholesale whisky
house in order to start a blind tiger business and then said