C B DALTON, Sworn In For The State, 32nd To Testify

C. B. Dalton, witness for the State, 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)
C. B. Dalton, chain-gang veteran and self-confessed thief, testified he visited the National Pencil Company 3–5 times—all before Christmas 1912.

Introduced by Daisy Hopkins (quit June 1912).
Frank’s office: 2–3 times, ladies present (sometimes 2+), evenings.
Basement: Once with Hopkins—cot, stretcher near trash pile.
Conley: Gave quarters, saw him multiple Saturdays.
Drinks: Coca-Cola, beer in office.

Cross-examination

Convictions:
1894 Walton Co.: Chain-gang for stealing hammer/plow with Dalton cousins.
1899: Cotton theft.
Gwinnett Co.: Corn theft—acquitted.
1906?: Liquor sales—uncertain.

Last visit: Saturday 1913—Frank absent.
No writing by ladies; office bright, no curtains.

Re-direct

18–20 years since trouble—drunk during 1894 crimes.
Hopkins knew Frank—told Dalton.

Dalton’s chain-gang rap sheet, vague dates, and missing Frank on his last visit turned the State’s “immoral factory” witness into defense gold.
A convicted thief’s basement cot became comic proof of nothing.