Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-25
Rubber Hose polio. Methods.

tainiy he applied In the case CT the
policemen of the first precinct charged
with and suspected Of brutality in ex-
tracing confession from prisoner.
Each Of these policemen should be
arrested. Opposite their names, on the
police blotter. should be entered the
magic word Investigation.
Each should be placed in separate
cell and denied communication With
friends, relatives or legal counsel.
Each should be interviewed sepa-
ratsly, hour after hour, by detectives,
singly and in groups.
!. OF course, the police never resort to
the use OF such instruments Of torture
as rubber hose. OF course, the police
never use force, kick the shins Of the
suspects or hit them in the face.
But as these policemen Of the first
precinct are now suspects" strong
armed methods might be permissible,
according to police standards. in max
ing them sign confession"
The confession is the thing, and by
all means It should be got.
How 1t is obtained is nobodys busi-
ness.
The treatment of the police "sus-
poets" in the case has been In marked
contrast to the treatment that would
have been given to the common, garden
variety Of ordinary citizen charged with
some similar offense Whether the
policemen are guilty is neither here nor
there. But they are suspects" AS
suspects, however they have not been
deprived of their liberty They have
not been suspended from the force.
They have been perfectly free TO COM
municate with each other They have
been able to obtain transcripts of testi-
mony and to interview other witnesses.
| They have, as q matter of fact, every
member Of the force behind them in
stead CT every member Of the force
allied against them.
The average citizen, placed under the
same general nature OF suspicion, would
not have been so fortunate. He would
have been locked up. He would have
been denied access to his counsel until
after the police were through question
ing him. He might, or might not, have
come out of the cell with black eye
and q bruised body. He would have
been yanked away from his job. at any
rate, and without any warrant what
ever held for a possible forty-eight
hours unless his attorney, by some
fortunate chance which is not present
In the majority of cases, obtained his
release.
Is that q wild statement? In the
first three months of 1881 there were
2.70O citizens arrested for 'investisa-
ton" In the second three months
period there were $500 90 arrested
and held. 1t Is unfortunate that police
records, as now kept. do not permit
OF a classification that would show
the proportion OF these suspects after
ward held under specific charges or
convicted. It stands to reason that
the majority were released after an
Imprisonment that is not justified under
any law on the books, or by any pro-
cedure authorized under the Consti-
tuition
In the Jaynes case alone--tlne hold
up and murder Of q restaurant cashier
there have been twenty-five "sus-
poets" locked UP, their, names broad
cast as under investigation. The net re-
suit today is that three persons are now
awaiting grand jury disposition OF
charges against them involving a CON
| spiracy" TO rob, but not actually rob-
hi1g. the restaurant.
Among the list Of suspects in this
case who were arrested and held in
precinct cell for the convenience OF
| inquiring detectives were four students
OF the Georgetown Law School. as in
| nocert OF the crime as DR.. Albert Elm
stein. The bunsling detectives respon-
sible for this outrage we're not even en-
! barrassed by an official reprinand.
| How many other similar outrages
have been perpetrated under the same
| circumstances? What efforts have tho
/ police oflcials made to discover them
and call q halt. In the present case
the man preferrins charges OF police
| brutality has a criminal record. The
cards are stacked against him at tht
outset. He violated ali police codes
when he complained Of bad treatment
such men being supposed to keep theii
mouths shut
| How did he get beaten up? Did HI
DO 1t himself? Ridiculous! Did ne
hire somebody to do it for him, &
build case against the police? Absurd
Here II Ia affirmed, Is an excellen
opportunity for rubber hose intelligence
on the part OF the police investigators
What the public demands is con.
fession" from the police suspects. Ant
here it is Tuesdsy--nesring seventy
two hours after the alleged beating
took place. What IL the matter viii
the police? Are they All turning softies
Any man ought to be made to comics
anything within twenty-feur hours,
one branch Of industry that may b
expected TO report lively and lucra
tive demand is the manufacture o
Abrams far trresnonxihle distribution