Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-14
YOUR own DETECTIVE.
BY Frederic J. Haskin.

BY Frederic J. Haskin. II
How do you wear your hat? Do you
jam 1t on the back of your head. wear
1t selately straight up and down. or
tilt it over one ear? This detail OF
daily demeanor has become worth
watching. along with number of
other minor matters. because one or
the new class of investigators they are
developing in Europe is likely to read
your past and your character in It,
The new European experts have been
combining the application of their work
largely to criminal science so Tar, but
their methods can be used by any In
telligent man in his daily business.
They tell you how to read what the
other fellow is thinking and feeling,
especially when he wants you to be-
lieve he is thinking and feeling some
thing else. When you put price on a
piece of land and the buyer almost
falls out of his chair in surprise, you
can tell, if you know what to look
for, whether that surprise is real or
not. When you strike the head of your
department for a raise, and he is hor-
'rified, you want to know whether the
horror Is genuine or assumed.
The new methods are based on the thu
fact that there is part of us-the
subconscious part-that is largely be-
yond our control. The more we are
interested in something else. the more
way. And for every emotion. the sub
conscious mind sets in motion some
little gesture, some apparently unimport-
ant little twitch Of the face. turn Of the
head: change Of the eye; The real per Der.
nothing to say about those little ges-
lures He can't stop them. If you
know what to look for, you can come
pretty close to the truth about John
Smith.
In Europe this new science of ges-
lures has been applied to the court
room. Expert
Gesture Science ence has proved
Applied in Courts. tirely beyon d
describe a thing the way he actually
saw 1t. Days are spent in hearing testi-
mony which Is absolutely, untrust-
worthy. Lawyers are now able to save
great deal of time by employing
their knowledge Of typical gestures.
When a man makes a resolution he
suddenly congresses his lips and
makes a slight backward motion Of the
body. When you resolve that you are
going to perform certain action you
set your lips and perhaps push back
your chair. Then you begin to think
it out. You cannot imagine yourself
making an important resolution with
your mouth open. The lawyer. then.
watching the prisoner. detects sud
den compression Of the lips and an al
most imperceptible backward move
ment Of the body as the man moves in
his chair. The last piece Of evidence
brought forward by witness declared
that the prisoner was seen At certain
place at a certain time. The lawyer
solved to deny 1t.
The same thing is noticeable with the
jury. When 3uryman sits back In
his chair with his lips closely set. it
his opinion and that thereafter nothing
can change it. By the nature Of the
evidence preceding this attitude the
that opinion is II condemnatory. the
verdict will be guilty; II favorable.
he will vote for acquittai.
The eyes are always infallible barom-
eters of the emotions. especially the
pupil Of the
Eye Infallible eye which
Barometer of Emotion. g ontra cts
under great mental stress. A man may
be weak with pent-up anger and out
wardly serene with the exception of
his eyes. the pupils Of which will be
contracted and have an unnatural gilt
ter. Sparkling eyes always are an In
dication of inward hysteria. the sparkle
in reality being an intensified secre-
ton Of tears.
The quick closing Of the eyes is in
dicative Of unpleasant shock; The
cused, which was found near the scene
Of the murder. The man in the dock
instantly wells his eyes and slightly
lifts his hand as II to shrink from 1t.
that the knife does not belong to him
and he has never seen It before.
The stimulation Of various emoeions.
person be peculiarly gifted. is next to
Impossible in courtroom: IN cases
where 1t has been attempted the et-
fort was easily discernible and de-
ceived no one. Astonishment. for ex-
ample. IL expressed by raising the
hands in the air. often covering the
mouth with the palm. This gesture II
SO entirely inadvertent that any de-
liberate stimulation Of 1t would be per-
fectly obvious.
One OF the hardest emotions to de-
tsct is that Of scorn. for 1t Is one which
| people go ia
Scorn Is Hardest tho most pain,
Emotion to Detect. r 70 a..
many persons for whom you may feel
contempt. but out OF q sense Of po-
illness or expediency you cannot show
It. The keen observer. however. car
always detect the presence Of scoTn
It IL characterized by an artificial tone
Of the voice almost nasal. and q dila.
ton Of the nostrils. The shoulders are
also raised. as IL the person were try.
ing by main force to lift himself into
another atmosphere. Sometimes tht
breath 10 rapidly inhaled through the
nostrils. producing q sort Of sniff.
RHI