Leopold and Loeb Trial - The Clarence Darrow Collection

of life. He had earned the nickname “Honest Jake” because of his fair dealings with those
who borrowed money from him. A conservative estimate put his wealth at $4 million, an
enormous sum at that time period.
Ironically, just a few days before he was murdered, Bobby had won a debate at school on
the issue of capital punishment. He favored finding “a link between criminality and
mental illness” and believing that most criminals had some mental illness, he said it was
wrong for the state “‘to take a man, weak and mentally depraved, and coldly deprive him
of his life.’” 9 This could have been a quote from Clarence Darrow.
Wealthy Families
The wealthy backgrounds of the defendants and the victim contributed to the crime’s
notoriety. Nathan Leopold’s father was a retired millionaire box manufacturer. Richard
Loeb’s father was vice president of Sears, Roebuck & Company and also a millionaire.
There are varying estimates of their wealth. It was estimated at the time that both of the
fathers had a combined wealth total of $15,000,000. 10 Another source says that the
newspapers exaggerated the families’ wealth by a factor of three and that in reality
Leopold’s family had about $1,000,000 and Loeb’s about $4,000,000. 11 At a time when
most people had no way of attending college, both of the defendants had already
graduated from college; one was attending law school and the other was planning to do
the same. Bobby Franks’ father made a fortune in real estate and other businesses. The
families of both the victim and his murderers lived near each other in the wealthy and
exclusive Kenwood community located on the South Side of Chicago.
Leopold and Loeb Together
Although Leopold and Loeb lived in the same neighborhood it appears they did not meet
until the summer of 1920. Leopold was six months older than Loeb. They did not become
close friends until the age of fifteen when they both were attending the University of
Chicago. Loeb attended University High School next to the University of Chicago. He
graduated in 1919 and entered the University of Chicago that same year at age fourteen.
In 1920, at age fifteen, Nathan Leopold entered the University of Chicago.
Before they became two of the most notorious murderers in the country, they were
basically an odd couple. Loeb was charismatic, handsome, and fun to be around. Loeb’s
charisma made him very popular with girls, classmates and acquaintances of all ages. He
charmed many of the people that he came across during his time at Charlevoix. In
contrast, Leopold was awkward, aloof, and arrogant. His physical appearance was not
pleasing while Loeb was considered handsome. While Leopold’s face was distinct, a later
medical report would describe it as asymmetrical and he had bulging eyes. No accounts
of his appearance describe him as handsome.
9 FOR THE THRILL OF IT, supra note 3, at 5.
10 ARTHUR WEINBERG, ATTORNEY FOR THE DAMNED 17 (1957).
11 CRIME OF THE CENTURY, supra note 2, at 136.
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