Joel C Hunter Sworn In For The Defendant 39th To Testify

Herbert G. Schiff, 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)
Herbert G. Schiff, assistant superintendent for five years, testified that the financial sheet required data he left Friday night—packing reports, payroll, slat/lead/tip records—all compiled Thursday. Frank could not start until Saturday afternoon; 3 hours minimum with interruptions.

April 26: Schiff overslept; Frank phoned twice for data.
Financial sheet (Defendant’s Exhibit 2): Frank’s handwriting, accurate—two trivial errors (1.5 gross, 50¢) from prior weeks.
11 orders (Exhibits 14–24): entered, requisitioned, acknowledged Saturday—not Friday.
No women in office after hours; no bed/cot.
Conley: unreliable, frequent chain-gang, borrowed money, never trusted.
Factory: open doors, salesmen/draymen Saturdays; elevator noisy.

Schiff never saw Frank with Mary Phagan or immorality. Payroll $1,100; $25–50 petty cash. Montag Bros. handled all finances—Frank no check-signing power.
On cross-examination, Schiff confirmed:

$2 loan to Arthur White Saturday—deducted next week.
Clocks accurate; injured workers bandaged in outer office.
No locked doors; basement filthy.

Schiff’s ledger-proof timeline—3-hour sheet, 11 orders, no Friday data—shredded the State’s “quick murder”.
His Conley character and open-factory Saturdays buried the “secret crime” lie.