The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-11-22
BRUTAL METHODS
TO GET CONFESSION
ARE UNDER THE BAN.
Il Usually Did Sweating,
Asserts Witness Before
Senate Committee.
NEVER A CASE HERE.
ADDS SYLVESTER
Chief of Police and Attorney Gen
eTal Heard by Investi-
eating Board.

The use Of brutal methods to obtain
confessions from prisoners is not only
tabOOed, but no instances Of it's use have
been reported in the prosecution Of Fed
eral cases under the Secret Service. or
IN criminal cases in the District Of Co.
Iumbia
This was the substance Of testimony
given this morning before n special
committee Of the Senate. appointed 10
investigate the pTevalencs of sO-caIIed
Third Degree" methods and the sweat
ing process.
The facts were presented to the COM
mlItSe by Attorney General George W.
Wickershan, of the Department Of JUS
lice and by John Z WiIkfe, chief Of the
United States Secret service, who talked
also from twenty-five years experience
as police reporter, and by Richard
Sylvester, major and superintendent Of
the Metropolitan police OF the District
OF Columbia.
Fearing Enlivened.
The session vas enIivened by Mr.
whites TeCitsis Of instances where ne
had obtained confessions from counter
feiters by the use OF methods which he
said newspapers next day had de-
scTibed as Third Degree" sweating
The words Third Degree make a
comfortable newspaper headline" Chief
Vikie said and IL is capable Of about
as wide an application as the mention
OF q piece OF cheese Since nave been
In the service ] have read in uCVTSpap pers
that I sweated criminals but II was
generally I VINO did the sweating
When asked By senator Frank 3
Brandegee, chairman OF the CCmuli-sses
exactly what ne understood the terzis
Third Degree and Sweating 70
mean. Chief Wukie replied
Il have never heard them used Of
1icially- Generally they are applied by
special writer's and dTamaIisIS, and
others who do not know any thing about
police methods. 70 any means used 10
That there must be some foundation
for these newspaper reports was the
opinion Of Senator William E BOrah,
Who questioned al the witnesses at
length
= want 20 ask whether IN your ex-
ptTience Of twenty-five years as pO-
ice reporter N Chicago YOU gained
any knowledge OF the use Of brutal
methods 10 force q confession Chief
W1lkie was asked
There were sporadic Instances when
brutality was charged, but I was never
present nor have I any personal knOWl-
edge of anything Of the kind going on"
answered the secret Service Chief
Proves His Point
THAT proves my point" retorted Sen
atCr BOrah. that men may be sub
jected 20 the most indignant Outrages,
and no way OF proving whether these
G1lrEeS are true or not Is now pro
Ttced- Here Is q. man with twenty-five
years experience in closely scrUtiniz-
inE 2 great pOIice department. and YET
he has no personal knowledge Of Wheth-
e. the numerous charges made agains-
tnaJ department a-e true OF not. This
shows how hard Il would be for q pris-
ouer who is mistreated either TO prove
he has been threatened OF put under
dUreSS-"
Chief Wilkie caused considerable laugh
ter when he remarked IT has bee
charged against me that I administerel
the sweating process
Chief WiIkie said this sweating
LASTED four hours, and while the prisOne
sat IN a chair smoking q cigar he di
most Of the sweating"
In this case, as in most cases wheT
confessions are extracted Chief Wiki
said, 1T was 10 the prisoners aGVan-
rage, for the fact that he Confessei
led the judge TO sentence him but If
teen years instead Of thirty"
Sylvester Testifes.
According TO Major sylvester. not f1
twelve years has II been CHARGED +Ha-
member OF the Washington Police De
Dartment abused prisoner for the pur-
pose of obtaining q confession
Our rules specifically provide The
Police Chief said that humane and
considerate treatment must be accorded
an prisoners in this jurisdiction
u regret 10 say that there Is so much
smoke Of newspaper criticism aimed at
police methods il other cities, I can
blaze As President OF the international
Police Association of this country, I
have taken occasion at our annual con
veutiOuS to condemn as tOrciDiy as L
knew how brutality IN any form. PO-
lice departments everywhere are
awakening TO realize that their dealings
with prisoners must be a case OF wit
against wit