The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-10

No subject Is more difficult to- in
vestigate with satisfa ctory results than
the so-callee third degree. This
Is the mysterious process by which
the police are supposed To wiring the
truth from criminals, or at least, come
az near 1t as possible without submit
ting the suspects to the tender merctes
of the rack and thumb screw. .Ac~
cording to the popular notion, the
police do not hesitate to maltreat,
-hroWbe.lt- and otherwise mentally and
physically torture victim until a.
yields the desired information. Ac~
cording to the police themselves, sucT
talk is mere twaddie--they would as
soon cut off their right hands AS even
raise IA finger against IA prisoner.
Seffke~ hefe-bet~eea- these extreme
views Is the real truth.
The rule of law and the instruction
in all police manuals in English speak
ing countries Is that when a person
under arrest displays symptoms OF
alking about his case In way than
may be used against him at his trial,
the officer shall warn htm that any
thing he says viii be repeated by the
officer In court, Were this rule strict
~ complied with. the number OF con-
fessions would be vastly decreased.
and with them the number Of con-
yictions. AS a matter of fact. all
police officials assume "A wide latitude
in getting a confession. for the altru-
istio theory of kindly warning the
criminal on all occasions clashes with
the necessity of seeing that the gully
are punished lar the benefit Of HE
community 1t is the varying degree
in which the police apply the third
degree that has given that instftu-
ton such an elusive character.
When the third degree is applied it
IL almost invariably done in the pres
ence OF none but police officials o,
others intensely interested In obtain
Ing conviction. III the prisoner signs
confession, then repudiates it in
open court on the ground that he
was bullied into making 1t. he finds
the policemen lined up soiidiy agatns.
him, ready TO swear that the confes-
sion vas voluntary--and he has no
witness to disproye their statements.
If he shows bruises and Commissions,
they are offset by the testimony THAI
he was unruly while imprisoned ana
was injured by being suhdued
An interesting case illustrative of
the alleged third degree methods, and
subsequent reputation. was that of
Henry Mas. Sc was a New forh
croow. who was convicted some years
ago OF having been an accomplice in
a Baltimore robbery. Several prone
against Mass when he was put IN
trial. They offered what purporteu
10 be voluntary confession from
him, admitting his guilt and desCrib-
ing the crime. Mas employed emf
nent counsel and entered a vigorous
defense. He said that when he de-
MED his guilt the man in charge Of
the investigation grabbed him by the
throat and threatened to opoke ana
Kick him to death IL he did not de-
clare himself guilty. When he pro-
tested, he was given more of the Wig
orous treatment until, in fear OF his
life. he concocted the story in order
to escape his tormentors. In rebuff
tai, the four detectiVeso---ne of them
a stenographer. who took down the
confession-~-told straightforward
story Of Mas making his admissions
without serious objection. The Jury
believed the detectives, and Mas got
ten years.
That the police OF large cities have
used such methods as those charged
by Mas Is hardly denied, but no po-
licaman win admit that they are in
use now. Talk II out OF them the
best way you can" Was the terse de-
scrlption of the third degree by de-
tectiTe of twenty years' experience In
Washington. ID. G. This is the mod
ern theory, and physical nlaItreat-
ment Is supposed To be rapidly dis
app saring, but there are other schemes
for perwglading ~ suspect to con-
fs.ka FOR example:
Several years ago a well-to-du resi-
dent In IL large ctty was followed
into his home by "a negro thug and
stabbed to death II, the hiatt ON fnsI
lower noor. The mans two daughters