The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-20
1.-THE THIRD DEGREE

"The Third Degree r a contemporary play by Charles Klein. dealing with the theory of hypnotic suggestion With
 reference to police methods, attract encse to Jackson's theatre last even-
 ing. A remarkable reception was giv-
 en to play and players, and while few | of the company that first presented it
 are~left, a number of the notables now
 being starred in new plays, the cast
 was of a uniformly high standard, and
 the most important role. that of An
 ma" or Mrs. Howard Jeffreys, Jr."
 was spiendidiy filled by Marion Ker-
 by.
 | Mir Klein's theme Is the struggle of the untutored young wife to establish the innoncence of her college-bred hus- band cast ofr by his family because of his marriage. and thrust into prison on the strength of confession of mur- der obtained by a bullying police cap tain. The resourcefulness and untir- ing devotion of the young wife In the face of seemingly insurmountable ob- stacles finally wins over the famous civil lawyer, counsel to the obdurate father of the prisoner.
 Mir. Klein has built up a play about the memorable claim of Prof Nun sterberg the psychic authority of Har- ward university in Chicago murder case, that the prisoner was hypnotized through visual captivation. the ques-
 tioner holding his gaze riveted upon
 
 his own consciousness into his erisoner and then wringing the answers he de- sired from the helpless subject
 In this story. Robert Underwood. a note threatening suicide. to Mrs. Howard Jeffries Sr. former sweet heart, threatening suicide unless she reciprocates his affection Before her arrival. her stepson calls on, Under wood, seeking to borrow money. He has married beneath his social position and cast or by his family. has been unable to obtain employment. The fol- lowing day his young wife was going to work against his wishes, to better their condition
 Falling asleep, he Is concealed until the elder Mrs Jeffrfes leaves Under wood after a stormy interview. Un- derwood makes good his threat while young Jeffries, in a drunken stupor, sleeps in his apartments. Seven hours of police inquisition terminate in his making the confession, in an intense ly dramatic scene
 office of Richard Brewster. famous lawyer, the young wife securesAan i'm terview In which she impresses him with. the probability of young Jef- taunts him with fearing his client. the elder Jeffries and therefore dar- ing not to handle the case, he bursts into enthusiastic denial. and accepts the CnATSc-
 The third act shows a meeting of Brewster the elder Jeffries, Dr. Bern stein who has suggested the hypnotic theory, Captain Clinton who secured the confession, and both the Mrs. Jeff fries. Here the young wife obtains the letter Underwood wrote. and in order to protect the step-mother from sean dal, she volunteers to sacrifice herself and claims the letter as addressed to her. The suicide theory is then fore ed upon the police and the next act discloses the younger Jeffries almost wreck as a result of his experiences, in a little home uptown in New York
 Still unreconciled to the marriage, the elder Jeffries plans to take his son abroad, and start divorce proceedings on the strength of the young wife's admissions as to Underwood. Always a weakling, the youth consents without knowledge of the extent of his fathers plans and things look black for Anna until the intervention of Mfr. Brewster. He skaters the divorce plans, and sets Jeffries to work in his office.
 While ''The Third Degree" was not written to exploit any individual star it affords several striking roles. not ably those of the young wife, the law yer, the police captain. the elde~ Jeff fries and Mrs. Jeffries. ST. The gen. uine art of Marion Kerby in the role of Anna Jcffries is a vital element in | The character of the young wife as personated by her, unschooled save in her hard struggle with life, fighter | by inheritance. yet possessing the fin- CT instincts of womanhood. rang true | from beginning to end. If Anna ever | regretted linking her life to the weak |