New-York tribune., 1912-02-25
AVE- Won been dictographed? ?

AVE you been photographed!
- THE scientific eavesdropper, un-
IL IL known six months ago, has come
into sensational prominence as the means
% undoing dynamiters, legislative bribe
,aters and crooks of high and low degree
frou Frisco TO New York. 1t has tapped
the secrets of prison cells, revealed con-
sniracies in hotel rooms and ofhces' pro-
claimed in loud tones the whispered woros
az cunning malefactors. Under sofa ana
chair. behind desk and beside window thls
tiny eavesdropper and ultra modern ear
Of Dionysus has played It's part ana
struck terror into scores OF criminal
bosoms What use TO lock doors and
lower voices. when the dictograph, con-
cealed i'm furniture or wall, may reproduce
the faintest sound to distant listeners?
The latest use reported Of this internal
machine was in the office of President
Ryan Of the iron workers union at Indian
apolis, where 1t had been attached TO
desk since last October. 1t is said dc
tograph was concealed in the office or the
McNamaras' legal defenders at Los An
geles. Ii was employed in McManlgaFs
cell, in the Columbus Ohio, bribery case
the Loriner case and at Gary, Ind. 1T IS
working now on a number of matters that
will soon provide the public with sensa-
tions.
W. T. Burns was regarded as wizard
n super-Sherlock Holmes, before his en-
oloyment of the dictograph became known.
His acumen as a detective is not lessened
nv the fact that ne was the first here
abouts TO see the immense possibilities OF
the machine in detective work and that
IL of
subjects" became aware Of its existence
Burns is so much attached TO the dicto-
graph that he always carries one around
with him In his pocket He may not carry
a pistol or pair Of handcuffs, like the
classical detective. but he always has
dictograph-the great confessional instru-
ment of modern times. which might other
wise be called the automatic third de-
gree"
The Tribune writer wanted to find out
all about it, so he went TO see the in
ventor and maker Of the dictograph, h
NJ. Turner. II was in a Broadway office
building within the theatrical district that
Mr.. Turner was found His factory Is
out on Long Island, but he had plenty of
instruments in his office to demonstrate
with. He is a stocky man who resembles
Thomas A. Edison--the Edison of twenty
years ago. He has the big brow and the
dreamy, farseeing eyes and the frank
homely STYLE Of the inventor who cares
more for an idea than for dollar. He
smokes cigars and pipes. In the drawers
Of his desk is n large collection Of old
pipes and old models Of dictograph sound
collectors. For an hour he talked and de-
Inonstrated and discussed general scien-
tific theories in connection with his inven-
\ tion
n Mr.. Turner is the inventor of the acous-
ticon. the interior telephone and the die,
tograph The acousticon has been used
Tor some years in churches and theatres
to enable the deaf to hear All these de-
vices are nearly related They might be
called merely superlative telephones. They
magnify sound and transmit it over a wire
The so-called microphone is a sound mag
nifer for laboratory use; it makes the
scraping Of a ny's legs audible to human
ears To use the ordinary telephone one
must he close to the mouthpiece with the
Turner telephones it is sufficient to speak
within a dozen feet or more Of the trans
mtting disk
II was an ceric experience to stand in
corner of Mr. Turner's Office far from a
small wooden box which was covered with
heavy overcoat. and whisper: do YOU
hear me-" and receive distinct, full
toned answer emanating from the box. the
voice Of some one in another part of the
building:
Yes. of course, 1 hear you.
The investigator whispered still lower: