The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1909-07-24
That Third Decree

~ hh'f
ious thing to which newspapers at
times so frequently allude and
which the police and the habitues
OF the underworld call THE third
degree1" Often in the last few
days the accounts OF the inquisi-
ton OF Chung Sin, the New York
Chinese from whom the police
sought to wiring a confession rela.
tive TO the murder oil Elsie Sigel,
have darkly limited at what Chung
Sin was compelled to undergo in
his star chamber examination.
He was given the third de.
gree" the wires said, and then
were silent. That the obdurate
witness, who has made several,
varying confessions, all OF which
hold truth and none OF which is
wholly believed, knew much OF this
now notorious crime was evident
in the first instance. But his con.
LESSONS did not suit the police.
They wanted further admissions.
They kept their captive awake Tor
so hours under a fire Of merciless
questioning, threatening. cajoling,
promising, terrifying him. until
his nerves were a tangle OF quiz.
ering responsibility.
Then they gave him the third
degree" II is a well known meth.
cd OF police procedure.
Under the persuasive urgings Of
the boot, the rack and the funnel
OF the torture chambers OF the dark
ages men have denied everything
they had professed, have admitted
everything they had denied, have
damned their souls and sacrificed
their loved ONES. So will they
when in u enlightened times,
the third degree" is applied.
The third degree" has its Use.
Its application may often have dis
covered hidden crime. More often
1t has created new crimes, has TAX
en- away mems lives through per.
lured testimony wrung from shink.
ing and terrified and helpless ar
rested men, whose endurance TO tell
the truth had vanished under terri.
BILE ordeal.
Administration OF the third de.
gree" is forbidden by every law we
have, from the Constitution down.
ward. Yet it is administered every
day, some where. in some secluded
room, by officials whose first duty
is to maintain the law.
The above editorial appeared in
a recent addition OF the St. Louis
Times and Is a very striking COM
ment. Its assertions are correct
in every particular, and there APP
pears to be no method by which
such brutality can be prevented.
Such a thing is not resorted to by
the local police. the only third
degree" being employed by local
officers consisting OF a severe
cross examination OF a prisoner in
an effort TO force him to reveal
desired information Tor procuring
evidence, recovering stolen prop
erty or arresting an accomplice.
To those unfamiliar with the
methods resorted to by the officers
in practically all OF the larger
cities the following brief extract
from a recent story in the Satur-
day Evening Post will convey a
slight idea OF what the third de-
gree" really means, although the
Post puts II very mildly.
As a last resort they called in
Bixby and Tressler, the two men
from the central Office, big, brawny
fellows, who we're laughable OPP
posites TO the popular conception
oil q sleuth, their tactics being al
ways and only TO bully a suspect,
whether guilty or not, into ad-
mission.
Bixby was the man who now
took the initiative in the delicate
cross examening oil Kelsey.
Look here, Kelsey" he
hoarsely raped out. We got
the goods on you, and this thing
has gone lar enough. We know
you leaked, but we want to know
how you leaked. My partener
and | have been tracing you, and
we know all about you. We
know your record. Now give up"
Kelsey turned with flaming eyes
to this new evaporation.
Where did you get in on thisr"
he demanded.
We'll show you where we yet
in, you" interposed Tressler,
calling a name SO viciously that it
Brought the little lrishman to his
feet with %frothing lips.
Just as he was about to make a
lunge, Bixby, ready and anxious
Tor just such a demonstration,
grabbed him from behind, pinion.
ing his arms. and forced him
struggling back into his seat.
Let me loosel" shrieked KEEL
sey. II won't stand a name like
that from any mat on EARTH.
With a cry OF positive agony,
Kelsey struggled to turn Upon
this new tormentor, and Tressler,
as an ingenious distraction heap
ed upon him a new, unbearable
insult. The admirable intention
OF all this merciIess batting was