New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-16
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The case of Charles F. Stielow, whose
innocence is now established beyond doubt
by the voluntary confession OF the real muir
derer forciby calls attention to the danger
Gus and sometimes INSCRIPTIONS methods,
commonly known as the third degree"
which the police employ in obtaining COMES
sions from persons suspected Of crime.
In my application to Governor Whitman
for a communication of sentence on August l,
1916, | submitted the following considera-
tions in relation to the subject above ad-
verted to-:
The case against Stielow depends almost
entirely upon a so-called confession wrung
from the condemned man by third degree"
methods. The methods by which the "con-
fession" was secured call for most rigid
investigation, and no time should be lost
in ascertaining by what means an ignorant,
illiterate farmland with a clean record, good
habits, a kindly, good-natured sort of fell
low, who was fonc of his young family, in
which a new arrival was soon expected, and
was comfortably situated, with no care in
the world and no i'll will toward anybody,
icaob VI Oil HiuiutA III no HN"AN
| dare say it is important to ascertain with
out delay by what means this man Stielow,
who, according to DR.. Amos o. Squire, head
physician of Sing Sing Prison, in which he
is confined, is a person of retarded mental
development, and could offer but weak re-
sistance to the great mental pressure exert
ed upon him in the ordeal of the third de-
ind foe cinu of
guilt upon which he and his brother-n law,
Nelson Green, were convicted of murder in
spite of the fact that he completely repudi-
ated the same upon the trial.
Information secured b. what known as
third degree methods, although it may be
sometimes valuable as a means of obtaining
evidence against the guilty party, is of little
or no value at all when used as confession
against the informant himself to fasten the
crime upon him. Third degree confessions
are usually unreliable and worthless, for the
reason that the methods by which they are
obtained seriously impair, if not totally de-
stroy, their value as evidence against the de-
PENDANT, and if considered at all must be sub
jected to the severest scrutiny.
The methods of deception known as "rop-
ing" suspect, whereby the police succeed
in obtaining a confession, are, unfortunately
for many innocent victims, countenanced by
law. Because of this, abuses are not infre-
quent and result in a so-called confession
being often induced by promises and assur-
ances Of immunity which are not intended to
be kept, but which serve to afford the I'M
fortunate victim of the third degree who is
persuaded to accept them in good faith a
means of escape from kind of brutality and
torture which he is unable longer to endure;
and he is obliged TO yield, as a result of fear
and intimidation, lest by refusing to sign the
confession and receive the promised immu-
nifty he may be convicted, anyway, and thus
incur the penalty of death
The threat of the death penalty is calcu-
lated TO prey upon his mind, especially if it
be a weak mind, until his natural resistance
to the mental pressure brought TO bear upon
him by his tormentors becomes weaker and
weaker, until finally he takes refuge in their
Greeks-b bearing gifts attitude and accepts
their hypocritical assurances that all would
be we'll with him if he but do as they advise.
Even a strong-minded suspect often sue
cumbs to the terrible ordeal Of the third de-
gree. What wonder, then, that Charles Site
low, concededly a person of weak mentality,
fell an easy victim TO such ruthless methods,
In this connection it must be borne in
mind that il is dangerous 10 place too much
reliance upon the testimony of policemen and
detectives, for reasons that are sufficiently
obvious and need not be enlarged upon here.
Far from impugning their good faith, it may
be said, without fear Of successful contra
dction, and rather TO their credit in a sense,
that, as a rule, they believe their man guilty
whenever they testify against him.
For the wish is often father to the thought,
and we all know that less evidence is re-