PROF J E VANDERHOEF, Sworn In For The Defendant, 129th To Testify

Prof. J. E. Vanderhoef, witness for the Defendant in rebuttal, at the Trial of Leo Frank in the Fulton County Superior Court of Atlanta, Georgia, in 1913 (Testimony Portion From July 28 - August 21, 1913; Closing Arguments August 21-25, 1913)
Professor J. E. Vanderhoef, foreman of the foundry at Cornell University for 25 years, testified that he knew Leo Frank for two years while Frank studied mechanical engineering. Vanderhoef saw Frank every alternate day and declared Frank’s character was good. He emphasized his long experience with students enabled him to recognize character traits reliably.
On cross-examination, Vanderhoef admitted he could not speak to Frank’s conduct inside classrooms—only to the impeccable behavior Frank displayed in the foundry and shops.
This testimony was offered to push Frank’s good character back to his college years, far removed from Atlanta and the factory, and to present an impartial, veteran educator’s endorsement—countering the State’s portrayal of a lifelong predator by showing Frank was admired at one of America’s premier universities.