Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-03
New Way of Securing Admission Of
Guilt From Criminals.

New Way of Securing Admission Of
Guilt From Criminals.
What is believed to have been the
first demonstration in court Of jug
tice of the Munsterberg theory of
criminal detection by heart pulsations
took place not long ago In California
court. The demonstration ended IN the
discharge Of Arthur Smith, metal
worker, who had been arrested as a
suspicious character.
The officials believed that the man,
who when arrested gave the name Of
James Smithers, was an ex-conviet.
Failing in their efforts to identity him
through the regular channels. says
Case and Comment. they decided to
apply the Munsterberg theory
The theory and the proposed test
were explained to the prisoner. who
readily consented to be a party to the
experiment. The stethoseope was adj
justed ana his normal pulse was tested
anc found to be seyenty-nine beats a
minute.
Certain words were then spoken to
the prisoner, who was asked to reply
to each word with word suggested by
one asked. This was done for The pt1r-
pose of testing the claim OF Prof.
Munsterberg that words spoken TO men
under arrest, especially those pertain
ing TO the crime with which they
might be charged, would cause them
embarrassment in answering ami would
produce accelerated action of the heart.
The word San Quentin, where the
prisoner was suspected of having sery-
ed term, caused no aeceleration OF
the heart and demonstrated his inao-
cenee according to the theory
When interrogated as to his assumed
name of James Smithers his heart ac-
ton increased to ninety-one beats a
minute. On being charged with not
having told the truth in this partie-
ulsr the prisoner gave his correct name
and address.
If an actual photograph of the heart
action is desired 1t may be obtained by
the aid of a machine which DR.. E. A.
Newton, a German scientist, is said to
have invented, 1t portrays accurately
the pulsations of the heart muscles and
the action of the valves and discloses
all irregularities. however slight. Ac-
celebrated action of the heart resulting
from the emotion of fear arising from
guilt would be disclosed in a Character
lsac series of leaps and bounds which
are quite diverse from the pulsations
due to the influence of love or joy.
A New York dentist advocates laugh
ing gas as a substitute for the police
third degree. He believes that this. the
least dangerous of anaesthetics laws
open what already Is In the mind. i'm
conscious of the search for its secrets.
He believes that If man who has
committed a serious crime should be-
| questioned about 1t during a certain
stage or recovery from nitrous oxide. or
laughing gas anaesthesia, he would
not only reply and truthfully but half
a minute later he would realize fully
what he had said.
An interesting experiment upon a
prizetighter of International reputation.
VINO was one of his patients. was made
| by the physicians administering the
nitrous oxide. As the patient was re-
covering from the anaesthetic and had
| reached the point where he began to
break away from complete unconsc
| ieusness the physician began counting
| distinctly, One, two, three. and then
the patient took up the numbers. saving
i -Four. FIVE six-rm all right and
| ready acting upon the impression
| that he had been knocked down in IN.
| ring and must show that he neverthe-
less was qualified to meet the require
ments of the situation. When he had
recovered he said the experience was
most vivid.
IL Is claimed that this method can
be used to extract the truth from ner-
sons charged with serious crimes. that
tney WIZ make confession under the
nitrous oxide partial anaesthesia. ana
on recovering full control of the senses
VIII realize what they have done and
VIII give the full details. But no con
fession will be made if there is not
guilt.