The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-02-13
THE THIRD DEGREE.

A play has been put on in New York called ''The
Third Degree 1t deals with the illegal cowardy, cruel
and un-American torture system by which police
in the habit of making accused persons bear witness
against themselves.
1t shows how innocent under the bullying and
badgerng of police officers is made to say words that
amount to confession Such play ought to do an i'm
mense amount of good in holding up to execration prac
tce which makes many of police stations dens OF
dastardism as bad as those of Russia.
la the play the making the false confession is rep
resented practically hypnozed by the repeated asser
ons of the police that he is guilty accompanied by stupe
flying and dominating assaults upon him while confined in
the station
The other day, in Newark n j. the police dragged
woman from her bed at midnight hurried her to the NOR
que and Mortified her by exhibiting the nude, disfgured
body of her murdered husband At the awful spectacle the
woman fell to her knees crying pitifuy and kissing the
dead flesh of her husband Then for two hours she
piled mercessy with questions and charges. Finally she
tainted and was taken to hospital nervous wreck The
police tried to fasten the crime upon the wife, but she
declared her innocence and answered all of the brutal
questions in manner indicating innocence.
The police officer guilty of such practices corrupted
by service in the atmosphere of Them will at the
idea
''Hypnotized!' he will scott. 'Dat's all CUFF. The
guy that says he done it, done it, that's all!
But Hugo Munsterburg professor of psychology at
Harvard in careful study of Chicago case, gave
it out his deliberate opinion that the accused limo
cent but hypnotized into confession by the will
crushing treatment of the third degree.
''You did it! You did it! You did it!'' This is the
thing hurled at the prisoner and over again by the
buecoated butes who administer this ordeal to helpless
men, general of weak minds and conscious of helpless
ness IN the grip of the mighty engine of the law.
Such assault the will is just the thing used by
the professional hypnost on the stage. ''You will seep
says he and soon the subject sleeps. ''You just killed a
mani! he asserts and the subject begins to stink and try
to ecape arrest though crime has been committed His
guilt is real to him. though imaginary to the audience.
The thing that is done every night the stage be
done in the police station If it be done in 10 minutes
with the cooperation of the subject there is reason
to doubt that it be done against his will after hours
and hours of badgering with relays of officers denying
him rest, denying him sleep scoffng at his denals of
guilt, reiterang it again and again, and quelling
him with stern looks in his eyes, and often with blows of
fists and clubs.
The old practice for the officer to his on
arresng him that anything he might say would be used
against him.
But the officer that adopts the ''third degree" meth
DDS is a coward, and himself criminal.
he is resortng to torture to wiring confession from
against whom he is detective enough to find the
evidence.
He assumes the mans guilt before trial.
He violates the sacredness of the person.
He should not be retained on any police force.