Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-29
NEW PUZZLE FOR THE PSYCHOLOGISTS.
INNOCENT MEN AVOW FIENDISH CRIMES.
Copyright, 1907, by John Elfreth watkins.)

Copyright 1907 by John Elfreth watkins.)
| Application of hypnotic suggestion to sus-
| pected criminals for the enforcement of
| true confessions has been recommended by
many students of criminal psychology. The
| consensus Of such scientific opinion has been
| that any human being, however unscrupu-
lous, cunning deceitful will. under this
stimulus become suddenly unsophisticated
and ingenious. uttering the unauthorized
truth even more readily than when. in the
normal state, he gave voice to lies.
But three recent murder cases. which have
had the country very much 'by the ears"
appear to reveal phenomena quite antipodal
to this alleged law. In short. they seem to
prove that the suspect, hypnotized by an
emotional shock and acted upon by force
full suggestion of his guilt. i'm
parted during a rigorous sweating" such
as administered by the police to practically
all murder suspects, may make detailed con-
fession Of a crime of which he is utterly
innocent The scientist who now comes for
ward as, apparently, the first exponent of
this strange mental law is Hugo Munster
In a recent paper he announces his opinion
that Richard g. Ivens-who. upon the
strength Of his own confession sweated
out of him by the Chicago police. was some
months ago hanged for the murder Of Mrs.
HOLSTER of that city-went to the gallows
an innocent man, the victim Of a sugges-
u
degree" Closely following Prof. Munster
burgs announcement there has occurred in
Greater New York q murder case whose
details seem to strongly corroborate his
theories. Another, now under investigation
in Philadelphia, is, perhaps, even more Sig
nificant.
The Case of Becker.
The New York case in point is the Elm
hurst murder. Amelia Stafreidt the If
teen-year- old daughter Of wel-to-do
farmer Of that Long Island town was on
May q cruelty choked, assaulted and
stabbed in the neck with the knife which
she was at the time using to gather dande-
lions in field. The only major clue was
given by Mrs. Simonson. living near by,
who saw two strange men wash their hands
at her pump at about the time OF the crime.
Henry Becker. twenty-five years old. was
arrested shortly afterward while lettering
in the neighborhood. He answered the de-
scription of one of the men seen at the
pump He at first denied any part in the
crime But under one of the most nerve
wearing "third-degree' ordeals ever devised
by minions of American law and order
Becker exhibited the phenomena which
tend to corroborate Prof. Munsterburg in
his theory as to the unfortunate 1vens.
Surprised by Face Of the Dead.
To dismal and melancholy room over a
| livery stable in Winfield Becker was
brought by the detectives without any fore
warning as to what would there confront
him. While the group stood in this shad-
owy space detective suddenly stripped
| back a cloth and revealed to Becker the
| pale face Of the murder victim. The sus-
| pect appeared at first stunned, then trem-
| bled violently and fell upon his knees be-
side the coffin, muttering incoherently.
| When sharply commanded to tell whether
he ever saw the face before Becker an