Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-14
WHAT OBSERVATION WILL, DIsCI OsF
BY FREDERIC J. nAsKIN

HOW do you wear your hat? DO you
jam IT on the back OF your head wear
IT sedately straight up and down or tilt
1t over ono ear! This detail of daily
deneanor has become worth watching,
along with number of other minor
matters, because one of the new class
Of Investigators they are developing In
Europe Is likely to read your past and
your character In II.
The new European experts have
been combining the application OF their
work largely to criminal science 80
far. but their methods can be used by
any Intelligent man in his daily bust
ness. They tell you how to read what
the other fellow is thinking and feel
ing, especially when he wants you to
believe he Is thinking and feeling
something else. When you put Il price
on piece of land and the buyer al
most falls out OF his chair in sur
prise. you can tell. II you know what
10 look for. whether that surprise Is
real not. When you strike the head
OF your department for raise. and
lie is Mortified. you want to know
whether the horror is genuine or as
sumed.
Subconsclous Self Speaks.
The new methods are based on the
fact that there Is part OF us-thc
subconscious part-that is largely be-
yond our control. The more we arc
Interested Ia something else. the more
the subconsc!ous goes its own sweet
way. And for every emotion, the sub
conscious mind sets in motion some
little gesture. some apparently unIm-
portant little tw!tch OF the face. turn
of the head, change OF the eye. The
real personality. the real John Smith.
has nothing to say about those li;t!c
gestures, lie can; stop thenl. II YOU
know what TO look for. you can come
pretty close TO the truth about John
Smith
In Europe this new science OF gcs-
lures has been applied to the court
room. Experience has proved that Il
Is entirely beyond the powers OF the
average man to describe thing In"
way he actually saw IL. Days are spent
in hearing testimony which is absolute
" untrustworthy. lawyers ara now
aalc to sac great deal OF tire ~
employing their knowledge OF typical
gestures When n man makes Il rcso-
luton he suddenly congresses his ,ips
and :naEcs n slight backward motion
OF the body. When YOU resolve thai
you are going TO perform n certain
action YOU set your lips and pcrha ,.
push back vcur chair. Then Won besin
to think II out. You cannot imagine
yourself making an important reso,u-
tor with your mouth open.
Signs on Witness Stnnd.
Tho lawyer, then, watching the p:is-
nn.r detects n sudden compression o.
the lips and an almost impcrceptibie
back ward movement of the boi7 as
the man moves In his chair Tho last
piece OF evidence brought forward hv
a witness declared that the prisoner
wa- seen ~ q certain place AZ a GER
tain time. The lawyer now knows
that the accused has resolved to deny
The same thing is noticeable with
the jury When n juryman SITS back
In his chair with his lips closely set.
It. Is conclusive proof that he has
formed his opinion, and that thereafter
nothing cnn change II. BY the ma
ture Of the evidence preceding this at
titude the criminal lawyer can de,er-
mine what that opinion is. IF condem
natory, the verdict will be Guilty;
If favorable, he will vote for acquittal.
The eyes are always infallible baro-
meters OF the emotions, especially the
pupil OF the eye. which dilates and
contracts under great mental stress.
4 man may be weak with pent-up an
ger and outwardly serene with the cS-
ception Of his eyes. TIE pupils OF which
will be contracted and have an I'M
natural glitter. Sparkling eyes are
always an indication of inward hys-
terra. the sparkle in reality being an
what the Eyes Indicate.
The quick closing OF the eyes is In
dicativc of unpleasant shock. The law
yer produces the knife OF the accused
which was found near the scene of the
murder. The man in the dock instantly
wells his eyes and slightly lifts his
hand as If to shrink from 1t. uncon-
scious that he has made these typical
gestures. however, he swears that the
knife does not belong to him and he
has never seen IL before.
The stimulation OF various emotions. Mt
all times very difficult unless tho per
son he peculiarly gifted. is next to i'm
possible In Il courtroom. In cases where
il has been attempted the effort was
easily discerniblc and deceived no one.
Astonishmcnt, for example, is expressed
ny raising the hands In the air. often
covering the mouth with the palm
This gesture is so entirely lnadvertcnt
that any deliberate stimulation Of 1T
would be perfectly obvious.
One of the hardest emotions to de-
tect Is that Of .;corn. for 1t is one which
peoplc go to the most pains to conceal
There are many persons for whom you
may feel contempt, but out OF a sense
or poltcness or IXpediency you cannot
show it. Tho keen observer, however,
can always detect the presence of scorn.
1t Is characterized by an artificial tone
of the voice almost nasal, and dila-
ton Of the nostrils. The shoulders are
also raised. as If the person were try
| ing by main force to lift himself into
another atmosphere. Sometimes the
| breath Is rapidly inhaled through the
| nostrils, producing sort OF sniff.
The exhibition OF scorn in tho court
| room Is always considered a good sign
| by THO criminal lawyer. 1t is difficult