Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1893-12-23
THE THIRD DEGREE.
HOW GT WAS WORKED ON SUSPECTS
~ INSPECTOR eYRNeS.

Way - Aaking sAs 0ailty Oass C1esss.
New asclsln was BrsagAt - Tlos -
decreased shs Aeps Csllectssa.
Scenes-intense. dramatic, horrible
beyond conception to the men who are
compelled BY . subtle force. moral
magnetism, 10 convict themselves with
their own uncoutrollable words-are not
infrequcnt At police headquarters.
An interesting case was that Of Nc.
GlOin, q tough who killed . French
man. There was little positive evidence
against him. Everything was suppose
titious, hut Thomas Byrnes' suppose
lions in matters Of that kind are likely
to 10 not far from right. He was
reasonably certain that McGloin was
guilty, and that there had been three
witnesses Of the crime. The names and
whereabouts Of these probable witnesses
he knew. McGloin had also pawned
pistol. Byrncs guessed tat il was the
pistol with which the ci.!.,c had been
committed. But he had not n particle
Of proof Of any ono Of these things.
Ono day, however, he had McGloin
and the three other men arrested, tax
ing caro- that no ono of the quartet
should know that the others had been
captured, giving no one Of them IN in
king Of why he had been taken into Gus
tody. This also occurred during Byrnes'
term as inspector. He occupied the
room now used by Inspector McLaugh-
lin, and around its walls in those days
were the cases Of implements and me-
mentOes Of crime now on exhibition in
the museum across the hall. Into this
room, where. ms he entered. q tall glass
case full Of the ropes and black caps
which had figured in the city's execu-
tons stared him in the face, McGloin
was led. Neither the surroundings nor
the fact that he was to be closeted with
the famous police official worried him,
however. He was full Of the bravado
Of tho tough"
One Of the windows Of this room
looks out upon the courtyard in the Gen.
ter Of the building. Inspector Byrnes
placed q chair SO that its back was
close aginst this window, and another
facing it, with only room for knees be-
tween it and the casing. To the latter
chair McGlo:n was led. As he sat
there he had full view of the court
yard. Byrnes sat in the other chair,
| with his back to il. Close ON Byrnes'
right was desk.
Thus arranged, the plot began to un-
fold. For 10 minutes the inspector
talked earnestly to the prisoner without
| good result. Then he touched bell.
The door Of the room opened, and IN
obsequious Jew entered, and approach
ing the desk laid on it = pistol. Nc
Gloin's attention was attracted by the
noise of the newcomer, and he turned
to see--the pistol with which he had
killed the Frenchman and the pawn
broker to whom he had pledged it.
Without n word, but keeping his eyes
on McGloin's, the Jew backed out Of
the room. 1t was q good deal Of q
shock to McGloin, but not enough to
break down his bravado.
what in -d does this mean?" he
demanded boldly.
"Oh, nothing, replied the inspector
nonchalantly. 1T is merely pistol ]
wanted to see." Then he picked it up.
| dauusoaue WedIUu, lSu II, MC0lOlus
Might kill q man. eh!''
Then, laying the pistol down again,
tho inspector went On calmly talking
about the crime. McGloin, beginning
to feel the mystery, the dramatic force
Of 1t all, was getting nervous. He looked
for moment at the inspector, but one
long, steady, searching glance from
&I<Sa .~.e. -, Il. I,;,v, II,
!y turn away and direct his gaze cut Of
the window into the courtyard again.
Thus relieved Of the strain Of seeing
disagreeable things, he began to regain
his self possession. "A man named
Barber saw that crime committed u
said the inspector quietly. McGloin
started q trifle 1t hearing the name.
Then Byrnes saw his face pale, and his
mouth twitch, and knew that Barber
was being led across the yard between
two of{ic rs, and that McGloin was
watching them. Even this did moi
break McGloin Gown, however. Five
minutes later. though, when Flint, the
second witness, was marched between
two bluecoats across the court. he start.
cd almost from his chair. ''Sit still,
McGloin," said Byrnes impassively.
Another Of those witnesses I spoke
about was named Flint" From that
time ON McGloin weakened. Then. hav.
ing spoken about Flint's connection
with the crime, Byrnes said, few min.
utes later, "And the third witness. Nc.
Gloin, was Henry Farley" As the
words left Byrnes' lips Farley began q
slow progress across the yard. Byrnes
had worked the third degree. McGloiu
yielded all at once. With q cry Of ter.
ror, he literally sprang from his chair,
and falling to his knees clasped Byrnes
about his legs, crying like child, con.
Tossing and begging the inspector not t.
have him hanged. His prayer was MOI
granted, however. He was executed q
year later In the Tombs yard, and tht
three witnesses were sent to state prison
for - years each. Among those rop,
ends and black caps In that glass cas-
v.uvup q ns>o 1,o~ vss,s, -. . IA - ~9I~~