The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-04
THE TRUTHFUL SEX.
MIN OF LONG EXPE RIENCH STATE
THEIR VIEWS.

Women-Recorder Smyth Sees Lit
tie Ditference-A Police Justice
Finds No Truth in the Gentler Sex.
(Copyrightl
NEW YORK, April 3O.-Which is the
truthful sex9
That is what the question came to at last.
The discussion began in the lawyers club,
and turned at first upon the relative YER
acity Of men and women when uestifying
under oath. 1t became apparent at once
that there was great diversity of opinion
among the disputants, although the major
ity were inclined to rate the average man
as more truthful than the average woman.
The discussion was pursued with consi der
able spirit and eaTnestness, and, or course,
many instances were cited on each side to
support one or the other contention. Special
instances, however, prove nothing, and the
result was that the disputation closed with
the convictions OF each man IN statu quo,
nothing having been said from which a
general conclusion as to the comparative
veracity of the sexes could be deduced and
agreed upon.
The matter was 50 interesting that the
discussion was removed from time to time
in private offices and court lobbies, wher-
ever lawyers CHANGED to meet. Thus it hap
pened that the writer became a party to
one of the disputes and learned to what ex-
tent the question had been debated through
out the profession. 1t was OF such general
interest that he undertook to secure the
opinions Of representative men whose ex-
perience would be of value with the idea
of publishing them and so discover what
may be the general public view.
One result of the quest has been the
arousing of quaint smile upon the faces of
the parties interviewed, and in so far as it
has doubtless been the means Of contribut-
ing mite TO the sum OF human JOY.
Judges, lawyers AMI policemen-and tnese
three classes OF men have the most direct
opportunities for observation upon the mat
ter-all found some measure Of amusement
aud interest in the consideration Of the
problem. But they took it seriously, and
the opinions set forth below were carefully,
if not prayerfully thought out and ex-
pressed.
1t should be said that the writer. with due
regard to the limitation OF space, did not at
tempt to see everybody who was great in
his respective vocation; the aim was rather
to cover the ground by speaking with men
in different classes of practice and with
somewhat different experiences. One gen.
eral conclusion upon which all except one
agree is that there is less deliberate perjury
committed in our courts than seems to pre-
vail in the opinion of the general public.
That most people mean to speak the truth is
the conviction Of professional men. This
will surprise many readers, aud should
crafty all.
The question which served TO draw forth
the following opinions was substantially
this:
What, in your opinion, is the relative
veraclty Of witnesses as between men and
womenp
Every man was asked to consider the
question in the light of bis own expe fence,
and to discuss it from two points of view
witnesses who were directly interested in
the issue, and witnesses wdo would not be
affected whichever way the case might re-
suit; aud, further, whether experience in
courts led to conclusion as to veracity
generally IN comparison OF the sexes.
sUPr. BYRNEs.
One Of the hardest men in the world to
| deceive with lie is Police Supt. Thomas
Byrnes. He should understand the ques-
| tion if anybody does.
at is most interesting" he said, cal
though it never occurred to me in just this
way. 1t would take considerable time to
formulate a correct answer, because
should have to go carefully over all my ex-
perience in questioning persons-au expert
ence which, as you know, has been
rather long. But / will say this,
that if man and woman
were brought to me and their state-
ments conficted | should believe the wo-
man. This has been an inviolabIe rule with
me since l became connected with the
police force and l see no reason to change
it. expect to follow that rule as long as l
am connected with the department, and,
lu hat I ha
lieve q woman more readily than would
believe a man."
This was an interesting answer, coming,
as it did, from the most famous of Ameri-
can detectives-a man who has infinite
occasion to ferret the truth from unwilling
witnesses, and to CLEAN 1t as best he might
from volunteers.
JUSTICE -.
In striking contrast with the great
detectives opinion are the following
vigorous expressions from man who has
occupied seat in the New York courts for
many years. His name is known every
where, but he insists that it shall not be
used here. Hundreds, doubtless, will at once
recognize him by his WORDS
you may say that probably more ac-
cused persons appear before me in the
course of the year than before any other
judge in the world" said he. They
amount TO many thousands annually with
also the usual train OF witnesses"
Then, falling into the line of the argu-
ment, be continued:
at does seem to me as if a woman were
incapable of telling the truth, except by &C
cident. | have been utterly discouraged
when attempting to extract an item Of
truth from their testimony. If women wit
nesses were opposed to men l shouldn't
credit the women for any more than was
corroborated by the men. If two women
were opposed to each other | shouldn't be-
lieve either, for in that case they cannot tell
the truth.
"You can talk as much as you please
about the truer moral caliber Of a woman's
character; it is all nonsense, They may be
fascinating, charming and all that and
their inferiority in physical stamina may
rightly command a mans Difference and
support, but that gives no reason to think
them more capable than men Of telling the
truth. Even il they were conscientious and
wished to be veracious their excitable emo
tions and their loose imaginations would in
capacitate them for giving correct version
of the affair at issue.
This conclusion has nothing to do with
their character viewed from any other point
than that of truthfulness. | cannot see that
it makes any difference whether they are
high or low by birth. ignorant or cultivated.
fortunate or unfortunate. / should credit
the man. The fact is that in most instances
where women have testified before me they
were interested parties. For that matter a
woman, through the constant exercise OF
her emotions and affections. or what not
can hardly fail to be swayed by interest, on