Historic Trial Transcripts

Mr. Wilentz: I desire to ask permission of the Court to read the note.

The Court: You may read it.

Mr. Wilentz: “Dear Sir: Have—”

Mr. Pope: Have you got a copy of the note for us, or anything that we can follow?

Mr. Wilentz: If there is a copy I would like to have counsel give it to Mr. Pope. I did present a complete copy to former counsel for the defense and it was the only copy I had, but there must be some copy here and we will get it for you.

“Have 50,000 (and the dollar mark after it) dollars ready, 25,000 (and then the dollar mark) in 20 (then dollar mark) bills, 15,000 (dollar mark) in 10 (dollar mark) bills, and 10,000 (in each case the dollar mark is after the numbers and I will just refer to them) dollars in 5 dollar bills. After 2-4 days we will inform you where to deliver the money (m-o-n-y). We warn you making anything (a-n-y-d-i-n-g) public or for notify the police. The child is in gut (g-u-t) care. Instruction (or indication) (I don’t know which it is) for the letters are singnature (not signature singnature, s-i-n-g, singnature—I want you please to remember that). Then you find these two circles and as indicated there, somewhere within them, as you see them better than I can describe it, this red fire ball or blotch and at these distances three holes. Singnature three holes. That is his signature—singnature.