River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-05-03


terical sObs, sentenced her as his duty
and the law required. And thus with
out any inquiry into the character of
the influences which had been brought
TO bear upon her, and the Tendencies
Of her disposition while in the religious
institution, the sanity or insanity of
her mind, her antccedents. her hereli-
tary predispositiOn or any other point
which might have served to throw
light upon the case. 10 lesson her GRIM
inality if really guilty, or to weaken
the force of her plea if innocent, Con-
stance Kent left the court convicted of
the highest crime known to the laws
of man. If innocent, her case is one
more added TO the long list of others
mOnOmaniacs. ecstatics. enthusiasts.
hysterical persons and liars-who
have confessed to the commission of
offenses which they did not perpe-
rate If guilty. she is. so far
rs | know. the solitary instance
If an individual coafessing TO a
crime and being sentenced to death
upon no evidence than that of admis-
sion.
Men and women before this. in the
face of overwhelming testimony
against them. or while in drunken
debauch. or on their death-beds, or
standing on the scaffOld with no hope
Of escape. or Internationally. like the
robbers in the Cranes of Ibycus, con-
fessed their crimes; but if any crimi-
nal or sane mind has ever yet volun-
tarily supplied all the evidence that
could cOnsign him or her to an igno-
miniOus grave the case has escap ed
my observation. 1t can not be doubt
ed that during her sojOurn in the semi
cOnventuai house in which she re-
manned nearly five years Constance
Kent was subjected TO influences cal
culated to act with morbid force upon
a mind already of abnormal charac-
ter. She knew that her father and
others had been accused of the murder
Of her brother. and that even 10 that
day the suspicion was not altogether
removed. She had been taught that
self-sacrificc was a glorious thing. and
she knew that she had only TO come
forward and accuse herself of the
crime in order to free her father and
at the same time immediate herself
That these were sufficient motives
can not be questioned; that
they were potential with her
is. think, reasonable
suppOsition. At any rate SO doubtful
did the authorities feel in regard to
her guilt that her sentence was com.
muted to Imprisonment for life. aud
three or four years ago she received a
full pardon
i suppose that in this country such
a case could not possibly occur with
out the verdict of a jury in confrma-
ton of the plea But no instance
could, l think. more effectually ex-
hibit the wrong of acting solely upon
a confession than this one Of Constance
Kent
1t sometimes happens that persons
and this Is especially true of young
children-are unable to disassociate
their dreams from realities. / have
known children TO be punished for
telling lies when full inquiry showed
that they were relating circumstances
of which they had dreamed.
s patient. lady. informed me up
on one occasion that she had risen in
the night and gone to visit a gentle
man of her acquaintance who lived in
a distant part of the city and had
stayed in his house until morning.
thorough inquiry showed beyond the
possibility Of dOub. that there was not
a word of truth in her story; that she
had not left the house at all. and that
the gentleman in question was not at
the time in the city.
A desire for notOriety will some
times be the predominant force in
causing false confession. A few
years ago / was requested by Colonel
Whitley. the chief detective officer of
the Government, TO visit i'm the TOmbs
prison a man who had confessed him
self 10 be a member of a gang of coun-
terfeiterS This individual had writ
ten n letter to the Secretary of the
Treasury in which he detailed in the
most consistent and minute manner
the organization of the band and as
members of which he gave the names
# the most eminent and respectable
citizens Of the United States of both
political parties. His statements were
believed and Colonel Whitley was d.
rected TO investigate the whole affair
with the utmost secrcsy and complete
ness. Colonel Whitley. with the per-
spicuity for which he is noted. soon
had his suspicious excited that the
mans story was a fabrication. Never
thelesS. the evidence the fellow had
sent to Washington was so far
credited that il was under con-
sideration TO arrest the alleged
members of the band. embracing Gov
ernors IF States, Senators. Repre-
sentatives aud high officers of the
army. found the man to be insane.
but it was a form of insanity that only
one skilled in diseases of the mind
would be enabled to detect.
Frequently the only motive for a
confession is the hope of some person.
al advantage TO the confessor. who
knows full well that when the time
comes to proceed TO extremities with
him he will be able to show his in
nocence.. A railway journey, the desire
to shield friend accused of crime.
or to obtain for himself or others re-
ward that may have been offered. and
even the wish to perpetrate Joke at
the expense of the officers of justice.
have all been causes of false self ac-
cusation- When so many incentives
and predispOsitions exist it is not go
ing too far to say that confession
without supporting evidence of an
affirmative character is not entitled to
the slightest consideration = William
A. Hammond. fR s. Louis Post Dis.
pateh
Whoppers From Texas.