davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09
kk SENdR MEn1JM
C4SE AaTI11EeD TIE
., M0N22Y-

at Atlantic City some months ago. The
brutality of the detectives OF that re-
sort in applying the insomnia test and
other mental tOrtureS to Seyler were eX-
posed just at the psychological moment.
and Senator Borah, after vainly striving
to have the investigation authorized, had
little difficulty in having the motion car
ried.
Little aid from police ofncials of cities
wherein our worst third-degree scandals
have been stirred up can be counted on
by the committee.
The sweating or third degree system
is an imaginary something derived from
the brain of some bright news writer"
was the answer of William F. Baker. po-
lice commissioner of New York when he
was asked concerning the extent Of the
system And his predecessor, Gen. Theo-
dore A. Bingham, defined the practice in
these terms:
There is notion in some quarters
that this (third degreeD is d carefully
concealed dreadful method Of torture. like
some forgotten device of the Inquisition.
This idea has been nourished and spread
and exaggerated by the newspapers. So
far as New York is concerned il Is an
entirely false idea
But note what two college professors,
who have been studying the subject, have
to say concerning it. Let Prof. Munster
berg speak first:
There are no longer any thumbscrews
but the lower orders of the police have
still uncounted means to make the pris-
Oner's life uncomfortable and perhaps in
tolerable, and to break down his energy
"A rat put secretly in a womans cell
may exhaust her nervous system and her
inner strength until she is unable to stick
to her story. The dazzling light and cold
water hose and the secret blow seem
still to serve. even if nine-tenths of the
newspaper stories of the third degree are
exaggerated Worst of all are the brutal
shocks given with fiendiSh cruelty TO the
terrified imagination of the suspect. At
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

we keep within the confines of civiliza :
ton. Our own state gives us such a
variety of pleasure and of infinite change
that my family. at least. seldom seek
enjoyment outside OF it,
Senator and Mrs. Jones spent the past
season at the Gordon Hotel with their
little daughter, Hazel. who is a pupil of
the Force School. The baby of whom
Mrs. Jones speaks in such affectionate
terms as her principal stock of household
furniture is now handsome young man
of twenty, who has just graduated with
high honors from Ann Arbor University.
He will enter Harvard Law School in the
autumn.
K =
Young Mr. Jones Joined his parents in
Washington before the close of the ses-
sion. and spent several weeks with them.
He accompanied his mother to New York
when she wen. on shopping trip before
leaving for her western home. He in
tends to take up law in his home city
just as soon as he has finished his course
Mrs. Jones' devotion to her children IS
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

describe third degree" ordeals, more
modern. but often quite as brutal
Following the discovery of Elsie Siegel's
body in a trunk placed in room over
Chinese restaurant in New York, a
Chinaman suspected of knowledge OF the
crime was arrested. and chief of de-
tectives was quoted as giving his men
the following instructions for the treat
ment of the prisoner:
Turn the strong light on him. Souse
him with the cold-water hose Starve
him a couple of days. Deal him blow
from an unseen hand Give him no wa
ter to drink for a day. Give him the
third degree in it's most strenuous form,
and maybe he will tell a story
So the terrified celestial. it is alleged.
was deprived of food and sleep for thirty
six hours. during which he told three
distinct and contradictory stories. each
given that his tortureS might be ended,
and none of which threw any light upon
the case.
Lying confessions are the frequent
fruits of such diabolical methods. ac-
Cording to penal reformerS and psycnolo-
gists. who are now giving the third de-
gree" their attention. And here Is an
other case in point:
A few weeks ago Annie Slakus. six
teen-yedT-Olu cIlllO Vi loTelSH pdIeHtdSt,
was arrested in Wilkesbarre, Pa, on
the charge of robbery. and after coming
out of .the third degree" ordeal a ply
steal and nervous wreck was accused by
the police of having confessed to numer
GUS theftS. Then after langushing in
Jail for time sufficient to partly restore
her poise she gave the details Of the
fortunes to which she had been sub
jected. Detectives visiting her cell in
lays dragged her about by her bare arms.
called her vile names and threatened to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

excellent clubs. though I approve Of all
they undertake and am a member of
many. We have all the advantages
which literary ard musical clubs give and
are generous supporters of all worthy
philanthropic causes. Poverty is not
frequent In our vicinity. We are that
ideal community possessing neither many
m1ilionaires nor any paupers / think
people breathe self-reiance and independ-
ence in the air of the west, and unless
overtaken by some calamity unusual
conjunction of misfortunes few fail to
wrest at least a living from the soil or in
the numerous industrial opportunities Of
fered For this reason ! never attempt
to make our conditions fit in with those
of the east. Take suffrage for instance:
1t might be excellent in the broad open
country Of the plains where women have
been and are factors in the success of
their communities. Whereas it might re-
suit disastrOusly in the crowded cities of
the east, where an alien population brings
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

CHE Represents in an
- Eminent Degree the Vir-
tues Exalted in the Valiant
Woman - Has the Unique
Distinction of Figuring in
the Official Biography of Her
Husband as Being the Prime
Factor of His Success in Life
Mrs. Jones Was, Before
Her Marriage, Miss Minda
Nelson of Enfield, ILL.,, and
Possesses Broad Sympathies
and Unusually Strong Char
acteristics.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

pany 3 OF the fist Illinois Volunteers in
the Union service: that his mother sup
ported herself and her three children by
her own labors and that when ten wears
or age he hired ont a farm hand and
attended school only in winter. The
story IS one Of the most pathetic TO he
found in political records but the portion
which has placed the laurel crown of
chivalry on the brow Of the Washington
statesman IS that after telling of his
success in getting an education. and work
sufticient to support himself and aid in
supporting his mother, is the forcibIe
statement: Il was married in the fall of
1885 TO Minda Nelson at Enfield Ill. and
whatever success / have attained is due
To her earnest. faithful help and cheerful
Seif-denial.''
Discussing this interesting portion of
her husbands biography. Mrs. Jones dis
CANNED that he is a wife-made man,
though she admitted that his words OF
praise were sufficient recompense for all
the sacrifices of the early struggle
GU see our life story is entirely diff
ferent from all that hear al the capital
j always tell my friends that Mr. Jones
ard began housekeeping when we moved
out 10 North Yakima. Wash. two years
A1tsr our marriage, with our baby as our
sole possession toward furnishing q. home
Itcneer life in 1889 does not seem far re-
moved. but compared to conditions as
they progress under normal circum-
stances. 1T was century back / know
all about the trials which come to the
pathfinder and the explorer. and one re-
suit Il that i have never suffered from
the servant problem nor the woes of those
VINO places their hopes in modistes and
mllliners- | emo all the comforts and
blessings OF life in the refined civilization
which we now have in North Yakima. but
deprived of them / should be able TO
shift for my self.
Since coming to Washington | have
been rather bewildered by the elastic
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

Nov to Be Investigated
~ by the Brandegee Com
mittee Will Divide Into
subcommittee. One Sitting
in East and Other in West
Some Startling Abuses of the
System-Premature and lille
gal Trials of Helpless Youths
and Ignorant Aliens Denied
the Right of Counsel-False
Confessions Wrung Out of
Terrified Victims Hypno-
tized by Police Ofhcials-In-
nocent Youth Believed to
Have Been Lately Hanged
Through Methods - The In
somnia Test and Starvation
Ordeal-Food Highly Sailed
to Produce Unquenched
Thirst-Live Rats Placed in
Women's Cells and Blows
Struck by Unseen Hands
Police Deny, But Psycholo-
gists Affirm the Iniquity.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

make man do his best like having re-
sponsibilities. The young wife has hers
also, in saving every penny. in being
cheerful and helpful and provident. The
happiness which comes to a woman when
she feels that she has done her share in
making her husbands career successful
is one which cannot be expressed. 1t
makes you feel that your life has indeed
been crowned and that you have fulfilled
those most solemn vows when you
promised at the altar to take each other
through sickness and health and for bet
ter and for worse
Senator and Mrs. Jones are enjoying
their first season as members of the
senatorial set. But they have lived at
the capital for the past twelve years, and
are thoroughly identified with the con-
gressional contingent of the northwest
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09
Copyright. 1910. by John Eltreth Watkins,

ROM now on you
will read much con-
corning the third
degree" ordeal, in
which police and
prosecuting officials
are alleged to in
f1ict mental and
physical fortunes for
the forcing of con-
LESSONS from sus-
pected criminals.
To pry into this
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

stamping would begin. We wanted EN-
TO start something. Get busy, Turn up
the lights. Hey. start something Were
here, amt We? Well then, Sh->-r-r-r-
rill. went the whistling. and b,irnp-bump-
pump went the stamping of feet! How
boys could whistle through their fingers
in those days. could make my dog, half
a mile away, hear me when I fell 10
whlstling through my fingers. And how
mandy that Whistling came In ar tn,
snow, Well. start something, Come or
Inen we'd see somebody at the peep-nole
IN the curtain-no peep-holes any more.
are there? We'd imagine the somebody
at the peep-hole to be a beauteous fgur-
ante of the performance. and we'd hand
her a great whistle for herself.
Then. about O'Clock oh joy joy. we'd
smell a powerful odor of gas-I can smell
it now, 1t was different from any other
sort o gas. that theater gss-and we
knew that the huge gas chandelier OF
crystal that hung from the ceiling right
in front OF the gallery soon wound be
bursting into light Click, The electric
spark nd snap. and presto. what a
gorgeous illumination, And how We
would stamp and howl and whistle with
pure delirium when that flood OF light
fell all over us! Hey, Jimmie, Where'd
ie get the price? Oh. Butch. Come on
over yere-there's room. Yee-owi Hey.
Pete. workin' now? Come on over here,
Pete,
Not long after the chandelier'd break
into gorgeous light, we'd see the first
man of the orchestra pop out of his
little door leading from under the stage
Great, Gr-r-r-reat, What a hand we'd
give him. Generally the first man of the
orchestra TO show was that 2reat-bearded
drum ner and kettle drummer of the
Marine Band. He was mitted and whistled
at! He was the symbol of Something
Doing! Greetings! Oh, greetings to burn.
Then all the orchestra folks 'ud pop
out. and the leader I'd rap on the edge
Of his stand. and lingo! with the over
ture from Tampa or William Tell or
joy was unconfined in
the gallery. believe u.s. Maybe. IL there
was a delay, as often there was, the
orchestra would play medley after the
Sweet vioiets." Lighthouse by the
Sea-" Wait Till the Clouds Roll BY.
Jennie Spanish Cavalier White
Wings" when the Leaves Begin to
FALL and so on-'member EN-, Mr.. Old
Timer?
Ii was to enjoy the theater then; John
Mccullough. Lawrence Barrett, Joseph
Jefferson. Dion Boucicauit. FREDERICK
Narde. Louis James, Mary Anderson.
Modjeska. Ristori, Janauschek-perished
pr forgotten figures. all, One wonders
hey were here. II is doubtful-for one
CLARENCE L. CULLEN.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09
/ HAT has become O

Hat has become OF
the gallery gods?
Are there gallery
gods any more?
The boys of the
peanut gallery, l
mean, of course.
" Peanut gallery "
would not do now
as Il descriptive
phrase, 1 think. /
doubt if the boys
who view the show
from the lofty tiers
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

Mr. Jooes. represented his state az a
membef1at- for twelve years and
was chosen last year TO succeed Senator
Ankeny i'm the upper house. He and Mrs
Jones are warm friends OF the Ankenys
and frequently visit them. People from
Washington state make small matter OF
distance when it comes to sociability
They think nothing of 300-mile ride to
attend dinner party or to visit a friend
Spokane is the city to which the Jones
family are most attached. Being loyal
easterners in their state. they patronize
the great eastern metropolis rather thai
Tacoma. Mrs. Jones is a notably well
gowned woman, and she finds all to
satisfy her desire in her own environ
ment. She visits New York to get gifts
Tor her friends. or perhaps hints from the
other side of the water, but Spokane and
her little burg are abundantly supplied
with all that modish woman could de-
sire.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

hang her. she alleged, If she did not ad-
NIT all of the crimes of which they &C
cused her. Hysterical. terrified, almost
insensible from loss of sleep. she finally
answered yes to all of their charges.
simply to end the tortures of her hideous
inquisitiOn. Thereafter recovering her
normal senses she admitted that she had
committed several thefts, although she
had confessed to many more in order to
escape the third degree
A little girl picking dandelions on the
outskirts OF New York was some time
before this stabbed in the throat by an
unseen hand. The police could find no
clue to- the crime. but as a last resort
arrested Henry Becker, a poor youth,
known to have loitered in the neighbour
hood on the day of the murder. He de-
MED all knowledge of the crime. but the
detectives devised for him a special third
degree ordeal terrifying to even a normal
youth unaccustomed to death and to it's
horrible associations. They took the vic
TINS corpse to a dark loft and stretched
it where the slanting light from a small
window would illumine 1t and make it
stand out IN CHASTITY relief against the
black shadows.
The shabby lad was taken to the loft
and walked UP to the spot where the
corpse lay. He did not see it until, by
sudden jerk, the chief of the inquisition
pulled off a covering and revealed the.
dead girl in her white shroud, the red
wound gaping in her neck. At the same
time words suggesting that the boy had
the crime were shouted at him
and he fell to his knees, placing his hands
over his face Next he was dragged to
his feet and commanded to place his hand
on the forehead OF the corpse, which he
did, trembling from his anguish. He col
lapsed the second time, only to be roughly
dragged to his feet again, and while
forced to stroke the hair and cheeks of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09


confess to crimes merely read of Or heard
described at trials shows what pliable
mental material the third degree artist
often has in his grasp before commencing
to mold 1t by his suggestions. with which
ne unwittingly shapes thoughts and con-
Jures up Authorizations with the dexterity
of the hypnotist. In other words, If the
human mind is frail enough to receive
such impressions of self-guilt without the
connivance of the police, think how easy
it is for the inquisitor to help the process
along.
case of this kind cropped up some
time ago in Philadelphia at the time that
city was wrought up over the Lewis
murder mystery, which to this day has
never been solved. Mrs. Lewis. the young
and pretty wife of a travelling salesman.
was found murdered in hall closet of
her house while her husband was on a
business trip in western Pennsylvania.
The house had been opened while she was
at work inside and the sobs of her baby
attracted neighbors to the scene. prOba-
bly, some hours after the crime had been
committed. While the police were scour-
ing the city for possible clues. John G.
Price, young man. came forward with
an elaborate confession of all of the de-
tails Of the murder, but subsequent in
vestigation showed that he had had no
hand in the matter.
1t is said that when one reads he men,
tally substitutes his ego for that of the
personages depicted by the narrator.
Prices mind extended this process be-
yond normal limits and he saw himself
enacting the crime according to the
methods which the detectives described az
having been employed by the unknown
murderer.
more recent case was that Of the
young man who lately came forward with
a NIL confession q
Nine Steinheils husband and mother the
victims of Paris famous Red widow
mystery
The particular case which provoked the
Senate of the United States into passing
the legislation constituting the Branda-
gee committee was that of William Sey-
ler the man who was accused of murder
ing Miss Adams by pushing her off pier
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

long line when humping fine melodramas
like The Lights o. London and 1.-The
Romany Rye and SO on were on the bill.
But the boys and young men were
tremendously good-natured for all the
crowding and elbowing. Often it rained.
coldly, drearily, and we got wet to the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

in other problems. Economic and social
pro blemS are the same. We are in a
different world in the northwest and the
same rules which govern the east cannot
be applied
Mrs. Jones is among the handsome, we'll
equipped women In the upper congress
sional coterie. She has the cordial man
ner of the westerner and pleasant way
of discussing things There are few top
les which interest women or men which
she has not considered and on which she
has not formed an opinion. but she ex-
presses her views forcibly but so amiably
that controversy becomes impossible. She
was the daughter of Joseph Nelson of En-
field. H.. and his wife, who was Miss
Frances Little of Tennessee. She had only
limited opportunities for education, but
she embraced all that came in her way
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09
By Margaret B. Downing.
ENATOR WESLEY

WESLEY
l.. JONES of Wash
ington in the off,
cial bi gr a p h V
which forms part
OF the Congress
sional Directory re-
lates in terse and
moving language
that he was born
three days after
his father died as
a private in Com
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

in other problems. =
problems are the
different world in I
same rules which &
be applied"
Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-09-02
DEATH OF FORMER RESIDENT
Mrs. ZilIah T. Munroe Passed AWAY Ia
Baltimore

Yesterday afternoon at o'clock,
the mortal remains of Mrs Zillah T.
Munroe were laid to rest in Druid
Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore. The fun
eral services were held at Hilton
Heights Methodist Protestant Church,
and were largely attended.
Mrs. .Munroe died on Tuesday at
the residence of her son, Mr.. Harry
r. Munroe, Wilton Heights, Pimlico.
Baltimore. She was "a years old,
and was the widow of Mr.. j. Edward
Munroe, of this city, an uncle of the
Hon. James NJ. Mnnroe.
The pallbearers were her grand
sons, Messrs. Kenneth. Donald and
Lowell Munroe and her nephews,
Messrs. George and Curtiss Medcalf.
and Mr.. Walter Jessop. Mrs. Munroe
is survived by two sons, Messrs. II.
r. and Edwards X. Munroe, and her
brother, Mr.. j. A. J.. Medcalf. Mrs.
Munroe had been active in church
work all her life.
She lived in Annapolis for many
years and was beloved by all who
knew her, While here she was an
acive member of the First Methodist
Episcopal Church, and taught large
Sunday-school class. She was before
her marriage a Miss Medcalf, and
was of Quaker descent. Her striking
personality, pleasing manner and ami
able disposition won for her a large
circle of friends here, who regretted
her removal to Baltimore after the
death of her husband.
Mrs. Munroe will be remembered as
one of the old residents of Annapolis,
who up to ten years ago, when her
husband died, had spent over sixty
years of an active life in Annapolis.
She was the sister-in-Iaw of the
late James and Grafton Munroe and
of Thomas Munroe, of Baltimore,
and is survived by brother, Mr.. J..
A. ]. Medcalf, besides two sons.
Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-09-02

ment of the Hotel Maryland, and these
young gentlemen took possession
yesterday under a lease.
1t is to be expected that the car
avansary will suffer no diminishing
of prestige or of usefulness and
success under the new firm, both
members .of which have had fine
business training. Mr.. j. Norman
Smith, after graduating from Sad
ler's Business College in Baltimore,
took up hotel work as his special
line of endeavor, and for six months
has been clerk and assistant mana
ger of the Maryland, during which
time he has manifested marked
traits of ability and fitness. He is
held in high esteem by Mr. Melvin,
who had him under his tutelage in
the hotel lopg enough to acquaint
himself thoroughly with his excel
lent moral, social and business quail
ifications. His brother, Mr.. Lester
l.. Smith, was twenty-one years
old in July last. He, also, is a
graduate of Sadler's Business Col
lege, and has been in the employ of
J. F. Solley & Co., Produce Com
mission Merchants, Baltimore, Md,
as book-keper and assistant mana
ger until yesterday, when he resigned
to enter the hotel business with his
brother.
These young men, affable, courte
Gus, capable, with a natural apti-
tude for the exacting responsibilities
of this lire of business, enter the
hotel field upon their own RESPONSE
bility with every promise of q highly
successful career. Messrs. S S.ith e.
Brother are sons of Mr.. James S.
Smith, president of the F ard of
County Commissioners of Anne Arun-
del county.
Mr. Melvin stated today that he
retired from the active management
of the Hotel Maryland with some re
luctance, but was glad to be able t.
turn over the work to two young mel
of the caliper of the Messrs. Smith,
and be free to give his entire time
to the business of the Annapolis
Banking & Trust Company, of which
he is the president. Recently
branch of the bank was established at
Curtis Bay, and for some time the
institution has been growing very
satisfactorily and more and more en-
crossing his attention as the eXecu-
tive head. Mr.. Melvin is also men,
Der of the County School Board, hav-
ing been appointed by Governor War
field in 1904 and re-appointed by
Governor Crothers, and has been
Jealous in the discharge of his du-
ties and in the cause of public
school education, a subject with
which he has been familiar since
his early manhood. when he taught
school while studying law under
the late William S. Ridgely, nearly
forty years ago.