The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-03
Hypnotism and Crime.


The hypnotic feats of the Sages In
this city during the present week are
sufficiently convincing to call up the
old question whether there may not
be elements of danger to society in the
development of hypnotic influences; in
other words. whether, in the hands of
the INSCRIPTIONS, power such as the
Sages manifestly possess may not be
used for public or private injury. The
relationship of hypnotism to crime has
ELECTED voluminous discussion. but
one of the best presentments of the
subject that we have seen was recent
ly published in the bulletin of the
psychological section of the Medico-
Legal society and was from the pen Of
DR.. Sudduth, of Chicago.
This authority first considers in de-
tail the facts in several noted criminal
cases in which the hypnotic defense
has been introduced as, for example,
Harry Haywards murder of Katherine
Cling at Minneapolis, the seduction Of
Mabel Briggs and Alma Leonard at
Eau Claire, Wis. the Kalb case at CO.
lumbus, o.. and the murder at Conway,
Kansas, of Thomas Patton by Tom
MacDonald-and shows very conclu-
sively by expert testimony that the
claim of hypnotic incitement to crime,
whenever made, was merely clever
bit of legal dust throwing, on par
with what used to be called the "in-
sanity dodge" but further up to date.
Coming from this phase of the subject
to consideration of the nature Of
hypnosis. DR.. Sudduth agrees with Pro-
fessor Sage that it is simply modified
form of natural sleep. with the quail
fication that Notwithstanding the hyp-
Noticed persons apparent loss of con-
sciousness he is really perfectly con-
scious of his condition. He is pos
sessed," says DR.. Sudduth, "of what is
termed double or dual consciousness.
He knows full well that he is doing the
bidding of another, but so long as the
suggested acts do not shock his sense
of propriety, and come within the
bounds Of physical possibility, he will
attempt their performance. because he
realizes that he is playing a part in an
experiment, and is anxious to add his
mite to the sum of knowledge upon the
subject. Nevertheless" and this point
is one that all practitioners of hypnot-
ism are careful to emphasize, "he is as
free moral agent to follow the die
tates of conscience as he is in the wax
ing state. He obeys only in so far as
the suggested acts do not antagonize
the moral standard he has set up for
himself; any suggestions that serious
ly affront his moral nature, If persisted
in, will cause him to awaken. Crimi-
nal or immoral suggestions made to a
moral subject meet the auto-suggestion
arising from his own conscience and
confusion is created in his mind. His
indecision is only too apparent in the
helpless expression on his face. and his
incapacity to originate any line of pro-
cedure in the premises, and he simply
remains passive, that is. does nothing"
In DR.. Sudduth's opinion. the ques-
ton of successful hypnotic criminal
suggestion turns therefore, on a point
ing state, and with a lessened possl-
bility of success for the reason that in
the hypnotic state subject seems to
lose to q greater or less degree his
sense of material relationship, and Gu
pidity and passion are less easily ap-
pealed to. The mind is passive. not
active, and the operator must supply
the motive and the physical incentive
as well. Even when the suggested act
does not cross the subjects ideas of
right 1t many times fails of consumma-
ton by reason of this same law of in
ertia. In brief, the personality of the
individual "is not materially altered in
hypnosis; it is only modified; partially
dominated, IL you please, by the will
Of another for the time being, but only
so far as his own ideas are not serious
ly crossed. Any strong counter-current
of ideas will break the relationship
and arouse the individual from the
hypnotic state. Faith in the ability
and the good intentions of the operator
Is an essential element in hypnotism,
and the sensational stories that go the
rounds of cheap literature regarding
theft. arson and murder committed in
the hypnotic state. by reason of that
state, are the creations of diseased or
ignorant minds. Unless a person is any
or all these at heart. he can no more
be made so in the hypnotic than he
can in the waking state"
No plea of hypnotic suggestion has
ever been judicially passed upon in an
American court. Perhaps the nearest
approach to an opinion on the subject
was reached in the Hayward trial at
Minneapolis, when Judge Smith, in rul-
ing against the Introduction of testi-
mony calculated to prove that Hay
ward had his accomplice Blixt under
hypnotic control, said: "I do not think
that hypnotism should ever stand as
an excuse for the commission of
crime" For this opinion Judge Smith
will find abundant Endorsement.
Possibly Platt is going to Canton to
say he was only joking last June.