The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-25

THE THIRD DEGREE.
How the Sweatbox Induces Criminals
to Confess.
washington Times1

How the Sweatbox Induces Criminals
to Confess.
washington TimesO
New YOrk.-Since Albert 7. Patrick
and Charles F. Jones, the lawyer and
the valet of the late William. NJ. Rice.
were taken into custody, in order that
the police might get at the bottom of
the mystery surrounding the eccentric
millionaire's death, the prosecuting Of
hcers of the county have tried their
pest to force one Of them to tell all he
knows about the case. Patrick is now
under indictment for forgery. while
Jones is merely held as "a witness.
Jones tried to cut his throat some time
ago after a confession" which NAV
have been extorted from him. However
that may be, and whether he was at
any time treated with brutality, it is
apparent that the prosecutors, both In
previous attempts and in the one yes
terday, commonly called the third de-
gree, have been working at Jones be-
cause they could not do much with
Patrick, and because they thought
Jones sthe weaker mind
The nature of this third degree" has
always been a subject of question. De
tectives of long experience say it is not
necessarily a brutal ordeal; most of
them claim that mental rather than
physical mastery is the thing needed.
Detective Sergeant EvanhOe. now re-
tired, and living down on the south
shore Of Long Island, where he says
he has nothing to do BIZ look after his
place and worry about the public
debt" recently published a book con-
tanning some Of his experiences, and be-
cause he appeared to have a distinct
and interesting point of view he has
been asked to described the third de-
gree" as he saw it at police headquar-
tiers. Following is his reply:
q q q
I often wondered why some Of the
newspapers, or one with authority, did
not investigate what newspapers say
about the third degree by the po-
lice. I have often had people ask me
what it was; explained it to them, and
they seemed to be well satisfied with
my explanation. Now I will endeavor
to explain to you what I always under
stood by a degree as worked by the po-
lice, and, in order to do that properly,
1t Will be necessary to take a case where
it is worked on two men.
Now, the chief of detectives, If he
understands his business, and is
'master-mind,' surrounds himself with
what I call good timber, and, if a case
comes up that is an important one, he
assigns men mostly fitted for such a
Job I want to explain here that there
are men better fitted for some things
than they are for others; some men are
good on forgery cases; some on knock
out drops, some on pickpockets, some
on burgIaries, some may be all-round
good men that would -beSalble> to take
Fifth or Tenth avenue cases. and. as
we say in police language, front up Well
on either end The important case has
been assigned detectives best fitted for
the job; newspapers make mention OF
it from time to time; finally the chief
calls you in and says. Well what have
you done in this matter?' You make an
explanation, telling what you have dis
covered and whom you suspect; he viii
ask you, 'Why2' You then explain. He
puts on his thinking cap and may say:
What do you think about it2' You tell
him what you think. He then says;
You go up and see Mr.. A (the COM
plainant) at o'clock tomorrow morn
ing, and tell him to send b (the sus-
pec) out on an errand; as soon as he
gets a few blocks from the house you
bring him down here An hour after
that another detective goes in the house