The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-01-10
COMMISSION 0E MLRDER

In an article on Untrue Confessions
in The January Times magazine by Prof.
Hugo Munsterberg of Harvard universe
ty, the startling statement is made that
confession is by no means conclusive
evidence of the guilt of the person max
ing it. Especially true is THE in the case
of person charged with the crime OF
murder. Prof Munsterberg goes so far
rs to say that in his scientific opinion,
Richard q. -----, who was hanged in
Chicago last June on his own confession
of the murder of II woman, was an
innocent man. Boston Globe
Prof. Munsterberg's views are most
assuredly correct. This will be admitted
by any intelligent person who has made
a thorough study of "Hudson's Psychic
Phenomena The principle ofsuggestion
by an agent to percipient when the
latter is about to enter "a state Of hypno.
sis is so completely elucidated-so fully
demonstrated in the work referred TO
that work could justify n doubt on his
part as to the correctness Of the views
expressed by the professor mentioned in
the above quoted paragraph
The objective mind, whose physical
organ is the cerebrum assisted by minor
executive" centers TO which routine
work is delegated by the physical center
of intelligence, enters state of abey.
ance the moment II person enters state
of hypnosis, the mesmerc condition, or
that stimulation Of death known as
catalepsy or trance. The cataleptic sleep
or trance, in the case of u highly sus-
ceptible percipient whose subjective
mind, through the in-trumentality of
his objective faith, il easily caused to
rise above the threshold Of conscious
ness, may supervene as a symptom of
disease Though catalepsy is no disease
pa Sc; it may be induced by auto.
suggestion with the semi objective ex-
erciae Of the concomltant power to cause
TIE ego or subjective entity to acquire
temporary ascendency over the obieC.
tive mind, thus suspending all the
powers of the objective mind during the
continuance Of the abnormal state in
question; or the trance, cataleptiC sleep,
hypnosis, mesmeric state, or ultra
telepathic subjectivity, may be induced
by external suggestion emanating from
an agent-a hypnotist, mesmerist ultra
telepathist, or psy chometrist supple
mented by suitable objective means, in
Guiding the simultaneous concentration
Of the objective minds Of the agent and
the percipient upon a bright object, the
making of passes by the agent, and other
suitable, seemingly mysterou- manip
ulation- by the latter and including u
ready co operation Of the percipeut with
the agent
Now, if it is remembered that the
sui jectiye mind Of person is during
his natural life totally Incapable Of IN
ductbt reasoning, but that its power Of
deductve or syllogjstic reasoning is in
fallible when supplied with any starting
point or suggestions, and, when it is
further remembered that il has been
couclusiyely demonstrated that no sug.
ges,ion, no matter how absurd it may
be, or rightly appear, TO the objective
mind will ever seem incOngruous to the
subjective entity while that entity con
Times associated with the objective
mind even when the powers Of the
latter are for the time being ~ Il state
of abeyancel, when these facts are re-
membered, 1t cannot but be realized that
confession is by no means conclusive
evidence Of the guilt If the person max
ing it, The idea Of guilt, az well IA
any other idea, may, under favorable
conditions, be successfully uggested to
the subjective mind OF the percipieut,
the suggestion, during state Of hyp.
nosls, being 50 thoroughly taken up 10y
the subjective entity Of the percipient
and subsequently, so powerfully re.en-
forced by auto-suggpstion as TO rise
above the threshold Of consciousness"
aud be projected into the objective in.
telligence.