The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-09-14
And viii Tell If You Tell
a Lie
TEST MADE
Noted Harvard Man Inyents Apparatus
Declares It win Aid in Getting
the Truth Out Of
Criminals.

Boston, Sept Machines to record
the innermost movements Of the mind
through its effect on the heart, the
lungs, and the muscles are the latest
achievements Of Professor Hugo Mum
sterberg, the great Harvard psyeholo-
gist
By their use, be declares, the exaHiiTa-
tion Of criminals win be 70 sTstematized
that the knowledge Of the truth viii Be
reduced to an exact science, and no
guilty man win be able to escape, I'M
less he possesses such unbeard Of self.
control as To bold even his aeart action
and his breath III check.
During the recent trial at Boise Harry
Orchard was examined by Prof. Mum
sterberg with the aid Of these new in,
struments, and the results OF the various
tests were 10 salient that the psyclioio-
Eist il now preparing treatise Oh them.
In justification Of bis experiments be
says:
TO deny that the experimental psy-
biologist has possibilities OF determine
ing the truth telling powers IL as alb.
surd as To deny that the chemical es-
pert can find out whether there Il
arsenic IL the stomach
With ali these instruments attached
to sane person at once, and def.
mite charted knowledge Of every emo
ton at hand, ii is declared, an taat
will be necessary, when examining q
suspect, viii be 10 compare the irYol-
untary records be has made under ex.
animation with the records Of an in
nocent man under similar examinations.
ANY suspicion on the part Of the sus-
pect would assist rather than hinder the
investigation. Hesitaney il trying to
avoid discriminating answers would make
a significant sign on the records.
Tie simplest OF the machines is called
the @automautograph,H aBd consists
merely Of a wooden sling suspended
from the ceiling upon which rests the
arm Of the person being examined, 4
pencil is gTasped lightly in the fingers
the point Of the pencil just reaching a
smooth sheet Of paper, which records
the involuntary writings OF the suspect.
1t has been learned that the arm mus
Giles and finger muscles thus used con.
stantly twiteh under the stress 81 any
passing emotion. Tests upon different
persons have disclosed the fact that the
same general outline Is made by any
person under the stress Of the same
emotion
Another instrument, much more deli
cate in construction, is the pneumo-
graph" which records the normal
breathing and any variation in breath
ing caused b. on emotional suggestion.
The recording Of these emotions Is done
electrically and in another room far re-
moved from tne suspect.
The effect Of emotional stress upon
the rate Of breathing Is a matter Of
common knowledge but the reduction
Of the character Of each breath il \
matter Of very recent scientific research.
and thoughts OF the mind are easily
uncovered by reference to the chart.
Perhaps the most delicate Of the in
struments Is the 'spaygmagTaph. z
which Is attached to tie wrist and re-
cords the action Of the heart beats. OF
the three kinds Of emotion. that 0f
the heart is the most sensitive and the
least Influenced by the viii. For this
very reason it l. the surest test The
record Of its halts. juu1pa. and rapid
beating Is the most significant Of Ill.
What these machines may 20 for the
enlightenment Of the legal world in its
dealings with criminals or suspects Is
still IN tie future, but there seems
little doubt that such -truth.compellingH
instruments win make Justice surer and
swifter. and save many an innocent man
from prison or the Callows "A triumph
for practical psychology when exercised
by sane and sound thinker Is the
way one man characterized the jnyen-
ton Of Prof Mmserherg
An inquiry among other scientists
and psychologists reveals the fact that
one Of the machines used By Prof Nun
sterberg n not unknown to science, bat
ar opportunity mas never before been
offered ior making such remarkable
tests Rs he completed ia hts examination
Of Orchard. The scientific and legal
world await with interest the appear.
ance Of his tests on the subject.