The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-24
FRON OTHER PENS
THE THIRD DEGREE.

Persons who watch the course OF leg
islation believe they see in a measure
recently passed by the legislature an
effort to restore to more general use
the so-called third degree" and sweat
box" methods. If that be the purpose
of the act in question, humane persons
will hope for the governors veto on it.
The third degree" is a brutal relic Of
barbarism.' No doubt it is very effec-
tive in fixing a given crime on some
person whom the police have arrested.
Neurotic persons, confronted with tor
lures that would have given credit to
the Inquisition, it is alleged, have con-
fessed crimes they did not commit. But
the third degree has afforded too
jealous Lecoqs and Holmeses the OPP
portunity to make records. 1t gives
them an opportunity to attach to some
poor, quaking, quailing suspect the mo-
tive for a crime and to weave about him
a circumstanIial web. which seems to
drive away all doubt when, by word or
act, the suspect, in mental or even
physical agony, acknowledges guilt that
belongs to another. Such coercion is
not in accord with the prineiple of law
which presupposes the prisoners inno-
cence until proved to be guilty before
a jury of his peers. 1t does more harm
than good.-Pittsburg Post.
PARDONING RUSSIAN VETERANS.
| 1t is hardly surprising to learn that
| Russia has pardoned Rear Admiral
l L.
| two veterans of the japanese war who
| were originally sentenced to death for
| surrendering their commands, but
! were eventually ordered to prison on
! a 10-year sentence instead. A sa1u-
| tary example has been made of them
| but it is difficult to think that any
good would come from their further
| incarceration The war has been over
several years, and Russia needs all her
old soldiers and sailors to help in the
task of military and naval raviVifioo-
| ton. st. Petersburg hints at the early
| pardoning of General Stoessel and Ad-
miral Negbogatoff also. Doubtless
| they have suffered enough, consider
lease will work no harm. Discipline,
| from the Russian point of view, re-
| quired that they should be condemned
| but the modern code of humanity
would scarcely countenance their cap
| ital punishment or even their pro1ong-
| ed imprisonment.-Pro Jour
nal.
BY WAY OF THE AIR
Fortunately this country is not
1 much concerned in the troubles the
progress made with flying machines is
| bringing upon the military powers of
| Europe. In this country we have had
| to appropriate large sums of money
| for experiments with airships; but We
have not much solicitude about guard
| ing our frontiers, for we have little to
/ hide. The descent of three myster-
| ious balloonists near Paris proves that
1 things are otherwise in Europe.
These three mysterious visitors land
| ed on Friday about 20 miles from
Paris They were questioned and
| found to be Germans, and were ar
rested. Maps and a camera were
| found in the balloon. and the suspi-
cion arose that the voyagers were
| German military officers. What would
| be easier than to gain information
| about forts and strongholds by study
ing from balloons2 No wonder the
| French were suspicious.-Buffalo Elk
! press