The daily Alaskan., 1906-01-09
The Inspector $ Story

we should be extremely careful as to evidence in criminal cases. During the carly part of my police career I was much affected by those mediaeyal mctGoIs in vogue, especially with the Frcuch. of working the nerves of guilty people. Indeed, I was well adapted to apply such methods, for I have an eye that can look a man through and through and an impress i've manner. Besides, consider my. self as possessing a good deal of inge- uuity in laying traps for the guilty to fall into.
 One of my first cases after having been appointed an inspector was the Atherton murder. Howard Atherton, a bachelor and well known man about town, was found dead in his rooms in an apartment house shot through the heart by pistol ball. His own revolver, with one chamber emp tied, lay on the floor beside him.
 The last person seen coming out of Atherton's rooms some fifteen or twen. ty minutes before the murder was his friend, George Bronson. Atherton and Bronson were inseparable. The lat ter'S mother and sisters were very much opposed to the intimacy, cousid. ering Atherton's influence over BrOn- son deleteriOus. They knew that Ath. erton was indebted to Bronson for borrowed money which was slowly growing in amount. Money matters are the cause of many murders, and formed theory that Bronson in trying to collect from his friend had got into a quarrel with him and shot him.
 I was at Atherton's rooms soon aft CT the murder was discovered and be- fore anything was moved. 1 made up my mind that the murderer had en' tered the sitting room from the hall, Atherton having entered the room from his bedroom, revolver In hand. Ather ton had fired a shot at his asSailantr which had lodged in the door by which the murderer had entered. This was theory, but well supported by the con- ditions.
 I did not arrest Bronson, but sent TOT him to come to my office, Ostensibly to get his assistance in ferreting out the guilty person. He came and while he answered all my questions did so as If studying to say no more than was ab- solutely necessary. I asked him if he would oblige me by going over to the rooms where his friend had been shot and he complied, but with great re- lrctance. AS soon as we were in the sitting room 1 began to picture the scene of the murder as had conceived it. Fixing my eye on Bronson, said:
 "Atherton was doubtless taking an afternoon snooze in his bedroom when he heard the sitting room door open, He got up from his bed and saw through the bedroom door what was in the wind. Do you follow mel?
 Yes" .sThere were hot words about his in- debtedness."
 "Yes."
 Turning again to his bedroom, he seized his pistol and advanced upon you. You started back for moment irresolute."
 q did"
 .'Your friend fired, you sprang aside, and the ball entered the door. There, do you see the holey'
 'Yes."
 You then fired and"-
 "Shot him through the heart" l led Bronson out of the room docile as a lamb and when in the street called to the first policeman I met to go with us to the station, where a charge of murder was entered. Bronson looked like one in a dream. Never had seen such decided effect in getting con fession by acting on the nerves. My first arrest in the case was the self confessed murderer. Bronson spent the night in cell, and I visited him the next morning. l eX- pected he would deny having made confession, and he did. Indeed, he pre- tended not to remember having the conversation with me. was disap- pointed at this, for it would compel me to prove him the guilty one. In most cases of confession the confessor is too broken down to recant. In his case it seemed probable to me that over night he had remembered that the chances were I had drawn his admis' sions without evidence and that had no witness to them.
 I worked hard on the case, followed a number of clews, only to be bRfied. The sole proof had against him was his confession, which unfortunately was unwritten. On this confession held him for months, while his health was gradually breaking down. was in a quandary. The man had con