The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-05-27
HYPNOT|SM MADE
PO|SONE:R Of BABES
CONFESS, SHE SAYS
Thirty Hours of "Third De-
gree" Wrung Admissions
From Her, Is Her Defense.

That the chief defense Of w.nifred
Ankers, charged with killing nine babies
u shs Brooklyn Nursery and Infan, g
Sfospitar Of Brooklyn, will be that she
was practically hypnot and forced
y superior mental processes to coniess
~ snit, was made apparent to-day.
Wnen Detect!ve-Lieut. John McKirdy
vas ON the stand Attorney Edward ].
AsNley. for the defense. forced the adj.
osssaon that McKirdy had questioned
sns sari Internationally for more than
enrty hours. and that when she finally
confessed to Assistant District-Attorn, ~
Warbssse. Mckirdy was facing n.r,
ead that she constantly looked at nim
seeore she answered questions.
The instant Mckirdy left the room
ehs young woman repudiated her con-
lGo0lon.
A. on the previous days Of the trial.
Mss Anksrs gave little heed to the
testimony. spending the morning play
~ with her thirteen months-old baby.
'Johnny Bull" love for whom. the
state charges. led her TO kill the nine
babies In the hospital, where she. was
oGTEcrivE TELLS HOW GIRL
CONFESSED CRIME TO HIM.
On direct examination. McKirdy said
~ giri had confessed to him volun-
enoliy.
SOn Friday. Feb. g." said McKirdy,
Miss Anksrs sent for me. She was
0o,ding her baby In her arms. her head
Anx Il 4 a. ~
put the oxallc acid in the milk to get
square With some OF the nurses. did
not mean to kill them, but 1 wanted to
make those babies cry all night, and
then the nurses. VINO had sighted me
and Ferdinand. would have to work all
day and night. / put three or four
drops Of the acid In about twelve of the
bottles Mine Of the babies died.) 1
would have put 1t In more OF the bottles.
bot heard Miss Howard, the superin-
tSndent. come In from the theatre, and
had to run back to my ROOM
Mckirdy declared the girl herself
hod sent for him to make the confess
sion. and had done SO voluntarily. with
out . word or threat from him. Later,
whom she dictated tho confession to
Assistant District-Attorney warbasse.
NcKirdy said. she was fully warned OF
her tegar rights. but expressed a de.
sire to, sign the confession. neverthe-
lees. Ten minutes later. after she was
paaced under arrest. she dictated a
second statement. absolutely denying
her guilt.
Attorney Kelley attacked McKirdy
savaSely In an effort to show he had
u0ed third degree tactics to force
Miss Ankers to confess. This the de-
tective strenuously denied. maintaining
the confession was purely voluntary.
LAWYER DRILLS DETECTIVE HE
ACCUSES OF HYPNoTIZINe GIRL.
once she told me Of her life on the
streets" said McKirdy. She said that
when her baby was born she felt she
wsa not living right. She came to Brook
lyn and in an effort to reform herself
she haG herself placed In the Wayside
Houe. SO she could keep Off the streets.
She said she had tried to liee better
because she wanted to do nothing to
shame the baby. She told me the father
of the child was a street car conductor
and that. after the oaby was born, she
learned he was a married man. and
she Threatened to kill herself and her
baby"
On cross-examination. McKirdy ad-
mittsd he had had numerous talks WITH
Miss Ankers before she confessed nd
that he had told her no though; shr
was guilty. but that on all occasiun-
until she actually confessed. sna had
declared she knew nothing of the crime
Attorney Kelley cross-examined Ne
Kirby at great length, as to whore Ne
was standing when Miss Ankers signed
the confession. in an apparent effort to
show ne had practically hypnotizsd the
Young woman and had compelled her {,
sign the confession by the mere strength
OF mental suggestion.
You had had numerous talks with