Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-11-23
DETECTIVES "REMINISCENCES.
More Truth Than Poetry in the Belief
Thnt Murderer, Can Not SIeen.

More Truth Than Poetry in the Belief
That Murderer> Can Not sleep.
One of the most experienced members of
the detective force of New York was talk
ing day or two ago about murderers. THE
old superstition" he said, about murderers
being unable to sleep in the night has more
truth in it than people may imagine. I've
had good deal OF experience in murder
cases during the past thirty years. and |
know what I'm talking about With
ut-and-out-murderers the ability to
sleep comes. strangely enough, as soon a.
they have been tried and found guilty.
am inclined To think that the fear of being
caught has more To do i'll preventing them
from enjoying repose at night than their
disturbing conscience.
Il once caught a clue that lesi to the con-
viction of woman in Brooklyn named
Allen, who had never been suspected of the
murder of her husband until chanced Ia
get on to il. The old man had been dead
two years when the woman first began 10
attract my attention. l was a patrolman
then. on the Brooklyn police force. and
got home al 3 OF o'clock in the morning.
NV room was the fourth story back of a
house in Henry street, and | noticed that
the lights were always burning when | got
in in solitary window in the back of the
house on the next street At daylight the
gas was turned out and the shade raised
This went on for long time. until the sum
mer months came. By this time had grown
in the habit of watching the window care
fully. The programme was never varied until
the hot weather set in. Then the light went
out with the same regularity As soon "a
dawn appeared. \ woman slept in the
room. and after she had turned out the gas
she always raised the shade and opened
both the upper and lower sash. She ALWAYS
looked heavy-eyed. and after daylight got
thoroughly into the room she would throw
herself on the bed and fall asleep in an in
slant. as though from sheer exhaustion.
That's the way | came 10 get at the points
in a poisoning ease that earned me my first
promotion. Leave murderers out of the
question and take men who have killed
other men. either i'll Self-defense, during a
sudden spaSm of insanity OF as a means of
justitiable revenge. DO You think they
sleep well at hight. Not bit of il. I
know an officer who was standing one day
on the corner of a streetSyith his brother
when saloon-keeper came out and shot the
brother through the back of the head. Nv
friend whipped out his own revolver and
killed the murderer before he could fire
second shot. That justified the homicide.
of course. Well sir, that man is now only
thirty-six years old and he looks fifty. He
can't get up before 10 o'clock to save him,
because he never sleeps until daylight.
Take case like that of Ed. Stokes. Isn't
he the latest of the late FOUNDERS? He
doesn't seem to enjoy standing up to bar
and drinking, and yet at or 4 O'Clock in |
the morning he is always to be found in
some public place with friend or two. He
hoes not seem happy, and he moves rest
essly al the time. There's more in the old
rsdtttons than the know-it-all young men
9 ne yesr Is are willing to admit.