The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-06-16
Continued from page ~


Crime detection runs something
like this in Chicago. A crime is COM
mitted. The police arrive on the
scene and question the victim, if he
happens to be alive, or the witnesses.
Then, if it is a robbery or burglary,
they round up the suspects. A sus-
pect is any one who is in the vicinity
of the scene of the crime. They are
taken to the police station and a desk
sergeant or lieutenant tells them they
are guilty and it is 'all cleared up"
They are yelled at and frightened half
out Of their wits.
Blows and Threats.
If there is the slightest circumstan-
tial evidence against them they are
struck and beaten, not very hard, but
that is made UP for by threats. A con-
fession is demanded and all sorts of
punishment promised.
No one is ever told that he is un-
der arrest and that he has certain
rights, one of which is to refuse any
and all questions. Any one who re-
fuses to answer all questions is pre-
sumed to be guilty and is then given
his medicine"
"Give Him His"
If the prisoner talks about his
rights he is marked down as wise
guy" The police begin to give him
his" and promise more. The writer,
who has been police reporter in Chi
cago, believes that the police do not
know that prisoners have rights.
Tire is certainly no machinery for ed
ucating them to a knowledge Of the
rights of an accused person.
II the crime which the police wish
to "clear up" is a murder, the pro-
cedure is little different. They first
seek motive and then get any one
and every one they suspect Of having
such a motive and give it to i'm"
The search for motive on the part
of the police doesn't go very far.
They simply ask DR.. Joseph Springer,
coroner's physician, who represents
the coroner on all murder cases. 1t
must be said for Springer that he has
never been known to take part in the
"goldfishing" of suspect or even to
approve of its being done.
Doctor Saves Cops.
Springer's intelligence and rs years
experience in murder cases is the
greatest help the police have in clear
ing up murders. On murder trail
alone 80 out of every 100 police off,
GERS in Chicago would be lost without
him.
Once a suspect is arrested his tor
ture begins in much the same fashion
as that given suspects of lesser
crimes. But 1t only begins that way;
with murder suspect the terrorizing
goes much further. II is then that the
real "goldfshing" begins.
A "goldhshing" begins with loud
shouts and many curses. Gradually
II progresses TO the stage OF the rub
Der hose A suspect is taken into a
room with a squad OF detectives and
uniformed policemen and is shouted
and cursed at. II he will not talk or
tries to explain himself in a manner
not satisfactory to the police. some
one takes a crack at him."
Strike from Rear.
This is usually done by some one
standing at the prisoners rear. He
is hit in the back of the head or struck
on the shoulder or the back. Usually
the prisoner turns and the whole
room full Of police shout. Turn
around here you son Of a bitch"
II the questioning reveals nothing
the police want the ofiicer in charge
asks two or three men to take the
prisoner into another room and there
he or she (the pelics goldfish"