Adams was unable to withstand the awful pressure, and permitted McParland to compose a confession for him, which he signed. Mr. McParland now had two confessions, and in his mind he was already witnessing the execution of the hated Federation chiefs.
We do not know how Mr. McParland felt after Adams told his pitiful story, nor do we know how he will get around Adams' REAL CONFESSION. But we DO KNOW that if Adams had remained true to the prosecution, MANAGER McPARLAND WOULD HAVE SWORN BY ALL THE SAINTS AND EVEN BY HIS MOLLY MAGUIRE REPUTATIONi THAT THE CONFESSION OF ADAMS WAS THE GOSPEL, HANGING
220 The Pinkerton Labor Spy.
TRUTH, and on the strength of Orchard's confession and ADAMS' CORROBORATIVE STATEMENTS HE WOULD HAVE DEMANDED A CONVICTION.
Manager McParland was willing to have the world believe the word of Adams, when he thought that this word would help convict the Federation leaders.
If Adams' word was truthful enough for the prosecution, who offered him liberal rewards for his confession — it is doubly truthful and convincing when he voluntarily tells the world, without hope or prospect of reward, that he and the Federation leaders are innocent of wrong-doing, and that the confession which he signed, implicating himself and others in the assassination of Ex-Governor Steunenberg, was wrung from him by a cruel and long-continued process of mental and physical torture.