THE 8EMI-WEEKLV TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
MAKING THE PRI50NE
EMIT
ARGENTINA'S NEW PRESIDENT
f. m t
It has been the habit of
brutal police officers to
wring a confession of
crime from a suspected
person by torturing him
until in desperation he
told something just to get
relief. The newest prac
tice in this method is
called the "silent third
degree described here
UI'POSH Unit you went to n
strange city next week to hunt
a Job, ntid tlutt by sheer uccl
dent you were picked up by (ho
pollco as n suspected murderer.
Inasmuch as you would have no
acquaintances It would bo very
naru ror you to prove nn alibi.
So likely as not tho police, being quite nH eager
to give evldcnco of their alertness by securing n "
conviction as to get ut tho truth and secure Jus
tice, would give you what they cnll tho "third
degree."
According to n writer In the Now York Ilorald,
With tho third degreo tho public Is well acquaint
ed through short stories, articles, novels and the
Wrama, but there has dovcloped of recent yenrs
test more grimly nerve racking, moro crush
Jng nnd relentless tho "silent third degree"
n tho study of which penologists nnd psycholo
gists nro giving much tlmo and thougltf. In tho
pplnlon of somo It Is moro unjust thnn tho older
Sr?i1 bD,,y,D Questioning Others dednro
mtt it 18 a truo tost ono which wrings tho truth
from tho subject moro certainly than nil tho ques
tioning In the world, nnd ho goes on to explain
3iow tho silent third degreo works:
The McNamara Case.
Ono of tho most notable cases of tho practlco
iof tho silent third degreo was In the Los Ange
les Times dynamiting case. James 15. McNamara
was on trial. Tho prosecution had developed a
iBtrong enso against him, but tho man's ncrvo
was Wonderful.
It was Samuel L. Browne, clilnf nf llin T no Ati.
5cl secret scrylco burcnti, who directed tho
rawing unwy presentation of witnesses who
Wka not, nor wore spoken to. hut whn rnnrniw
led 1 Intotho court room, caught tho cyo of J. B.
mama, snot mm a glance of recognition nnd
ion. unqucsUoucd by counsel for either side, left
u room.
Womon with whom McNnmnrn hml nRfinpf ntml
hotel clerks who hnd seen him rcglstor under
bhw unmes, cnomon who had driven hint to
laces whero detectives contended lm timi m
eJlow conspirators In tho dvnnmlta ninfnii
hoso woro mnrshnlcd bv tho Bnernf hot vino mnn
land paraded before tho prisoner.
Vividly, realistically, nlniost ns if with a mov
ing plcturo film, each stop In tho accused dyna
miter's Journey from Indianapolis to Los Angeles,
each stugo of development of tho plot, was called
to hla mind, nnd, what was worse, thero was tho
Btiggentlon that tho prosecution knew all. Every
tlmo Uireo or four witnesses who J. P. McNamara
know could testify dnmnglngly ngnlnst him en
tared tho courtroom and bowed to him In recog
nition tho thought was crushtngly Impressed upon
his mind that another step In his career was
known.
Ono of theso silent witnesses wns tlm mull oinri? .
who hnd tlmo nnd ugnln hnndod mnll to McNn-
rs at tho general delivery window nmi tim
him as J. B. Bryco. Imnclno tho effect nn
Ktrilty man when ho saw that tho mnll clerk
gnlzcd hi in.
Thcro wcro cabmen who hnd driven McNamara
faboat, and ono of them had qunrrclcd with him.
, Finally a woman, plain nnd rather shabbily
apBMed, whlto and timid, wns ushered Into tho
eonrtroom. Sho snt In ono of tho front scuts nnd
at J. B. McNnmn'rn.
Hbw tho Silent Third Deoreo Works.
That woman hnd sold hint wrapping pnper In
iwr rtore, and In her presence ho hnd wrapped
wflcfea of dynnmlto In It.
Aa tho supremo test, the crashing denouement, '
XcXamara wns confronted by tho Inst living per
mm who hnd seen hint before tho dynnmlto ox
aAwdon. It wns tho bartender who hnd sold McNn
smra a drink Just boforo ho Rllpped through tho
ffwlBrfnK door of tho snloon bnck Into Ink nlloy
and placed tho dynnmlto which destroyed 22
Rvoa,
"HI tell you what this 'silent third degree'
jflao. It wnkens n twin's conscience. That's tho
rtylng principle thnt mnkes It effective" said
B . uougnerty, formerly In clmrgo of tho
York pollco dotcctlvo bureau. "Look here.
1 toll you how It works.
A mnn is nrrested for n grave crime murder.
foerhaps. Ho sees no witnesses when ho Is ar
rested. Ho Is at bny, desperate, flglrtlng for his
Deny ami mnyuo for his life. Ho steels himself
d throws nbout him nn armor of bravado or un-
corn or taciturnity. Ills nerves nro llko Btcel
rs, nud you can't shako thorn. If you should
nlly him ho would bocomo sullen nnd resistive.
f you should threnten ho would becomo delimit.
It might bo open to reason, but suppose ho wero
(not
"Wlion ho Is arraigned before n maglstrnto
thiro may bo several witnesses thcro whom 'ho
rovognlzcs nnd who, he knows, will rccognlzo him.
Whon ho has been first arrested ho has told his
mother nnd his wlfo nnd his friends thnt ho 1b
Innocent. Tho Ho means nothing to him then, but
when ho sees nil theso witnesses who nro con
nected with his crlmo In different wnys ho begins
to realize thnt ho may bo forced to ndmlt Ids
guilt nnd thnt these persons nro going to mnko
him out a liar beforo tho friends nnd relatives
who hnvo stuck by hint. That Is tho beginning
of tho break, und It reaches a typo of matt you
can't bully or hoodwink Into n confession."
Setting StaQo for Qeldel.
On July 27, 10U, William II. Jackson, n broker
'of Now York, wns found murdered In his room at
tho Iroquois hotel, lu tho henrt of tho club dis
trict of New York city, no hnd been beaten nnd
Wangled nnd a bottle which had contained chlo
roform wns tountl on tho promises. '
About tho only Information the pollco were nt
first nblo to develop was tho fact that tho murderer
must havo entered tho room from the tiro escape.
There did not seem to bo tho slightest evidence as
to tho Identity of tho Intruder. The bottle which
contained the traces of chloroform bore a label,
however, and detectives working on tho enso
traced It to n druggist In Newark.
This man stated that he had sold the drug to
n Mrs. Kane, nnd gnvo her nddrcss In New York
city to them.
Meanwhile pollco working In tho city had be
come suspicious of Paul Geldel, a bellboy, who
had been discharged from tho Iroquois n few dnys
previously. When they learned thnt ho was liv
ing in a room- which ho rented in Mrs. Knno's
apartment their suspicions wcro strengthened, but'
thcro wns ns yet nothing on which to hold the boy.
Ho hnd not been seen by anyono on tho premises
whero tho crlmo wns committed slnco his dis
charge; still, certain Informutlon which enmo to
tho hand of George S. Dougherty, nt that tlmo
deputy pollco commissioner in chnrgo of tho do
tcctlvo burenu, led him strongly to bcllevo thnt
Gcldel wns tho murderer.
The deputy commissioner himself, together
with Detectives ThfMnns Van Twister nnd Doml
nlck ltcllly, went to tho apartments of Mrs. Kane,
n pretty woman, who earned a living ns hair
dresser. As they entered Mrs. Kane's sitting
room Gcldel nud Patrick McGrnnc, another bell
boy, wero sitting with her.
Dougherty told Mrs. Knno that ho wished to
speak to her nlono on nn lmportnnt matter. Tho
other men said nothing, but two of them went into
ndjolulng rooms, each with one of tho two boys.
They pnch nttcmpted to question their custodlnn,
but ho would not speak, not even ndmlttlng that
ho wus a detective, although tho youths must havo
known It, nnd this silence multiplied their fcara. -
Mrs. Knno in a very frank mnnncr admitted
thnt sho had bought tho chloroform nnd said that
sho used it in tho treatment of hair.
"navo you still got that bottlo of chloroform in
tho houso?" nuked Dougherty.
"No," sho snld ; "It has gone."
"Whero?" nsked Dougherty. Mrs. Kano nt first
hesitated, but by adroit questioning tho commis
sioner learned from her Unit It hud disappeared
from tho shelf lu tho bathroom. After lenrnlng
nil that ho cared to Dougherty produced tho bot
tle. "Wns that yours?" ho nsked.
Mrs. Knno suld that It was nud becamo very
much alarmed. Tho detective reassured her. "All
I want you to do," snld Dougherty, "Is to answer
my questions ngaln, Just tho wuy you havo this
time."
Then ho sent for- McGrnnc, who was In tho
next room with Goldcl. After a fow unimportant
questions ho said to McQrnnc: "Now, nil I want
you to do is to sit hero quietly. Don't sny u
word, and if Gcldel looks nt you mnko no sign
or sound unless you want to get Into troublo
yourself."
McGrnnc, thoroughly frightened, took his plnco
on a chnlr the dotcctlvo otTorcd to him.
Stepping to tho table, Dougherty turned down
tho oil lump, which hnd u red shade. Then he
drow tho curtains, shutting out the twilight,
which heightened tho effect of tho red-shnded
lump. Every bit of furnlturo wus plnced by tho '
detective so that tho effect he wns striving for
would bo enhanced. No stngo director could havo
exercised greater caro in tho arrangement of de
tails. llo sent for Geldel. Rcllly came in with hint.
Tho bellboy wns seated In n chnlr which directly
faced tho door to tho bathroom, whore Dougherty
had nlrendy replaced the empty bottlo of chloro
form. "Mrs. Knno," snld Dougherty, "did you purchase
n bottlo of chloroform from n druggist In Newark
nbout ten dnys ago?"
"Yes," satd tho woman.
"Why did you get It?"
"I uso it in dressing hair," Mrs. Katto replied.
"Did Paul know thnt you hnd tills drug?"
. "Yes, ho did," admitted Mrs. Kane, who was so
1 seated that tho light from .tho lnmp shono on her
head nud features, tanking them tho most dls
. tlnctlvo things In tho room, nnd Gcldel seemed
unablo to tnko his eyes from her fncc. He smiled
, with a cortnln amount of bravado as tho ques
. tlonlng continued.
i "Did Paul over sny anything about tho drug?
What woro hla words?"
Mrs. Kane looked imploringly nt Geldel, but
either sho did not daro not to answer or her wish
to toll tho truth was stronger than her sympathy
for tho boy.
"no asked mo If there was enough chloroform
in tho bottle to kill n man," sho snld. "I told
htm there was, and asked him why he wanted to
know. 'Oh, I 'might want to tako somo If things
don't go right with. me, ho replied, laughing,, nnd
I thought thnt ho wus merely Joking In a grim
way."
"Is thnt bottlo still in your possession?" nsked
tho detective.
"It is," snld Mrs. Knno. "At least, I have not
used the drug, and It must bo there."
"Where?"
"On tho shelf in tho bnthroom."
Turning to Domlnlck Rcllly, tho detcctlvo
nsked him to look for tho bottle.
Geldcl's fuco showed the first signs of alarm.
"Here's tho bottle," said Rcllly, "but it's
empty I"
"I thought you said you hadn't used it," said
Dougherty to Mrs. Kane,, sharply.
The bellboy's eyes started from their sockets.
Ho had believed the bottlo destroyed or lost. Ho
sank In his chnlr. McGrnno did not return the
glnnco of inquiry his friend shot toward him. How
much did tho detectives know? Gcldel looked first
nt one fuco, then another. Tho reddish glow on
Mrs. Kano's fenturcs showed tho anguish sho was
in. Pnul knew sho wns fond, of hint. Sho must
bo suffering so becauso sho had been obliged to
tell all sho knew nbout tho chloroform. Mc-
Grnno's fenturcs wcro stolid. Gcldel know what
ho hnd told his friend, nnd to him this meant
that tho friend hnd betrayed him.
Rcllly hnndod tho bottle, not to Mrs. Kane, but
to Paul Geldeh His tonguo clovo to the roof of
his mouth ho tried to spenk, but could not.
"So that's whero you got tho drug to kill Jack
son with, is it?" queried Dougherty. "You nro
under arrest."
Every glance, every movement of tho prisoner
told of his guilt, yet ho did not speak. Tho do
toctlves did not press him with questions. Dough
crty wns content to let tho selling ho had nr
rnnccd tho silent third degree work on his
mind.
Rcllly took back tho bottle which Geidcl had
beeu examining with tho horror ho would hnvo
shown had n deadly adder been placed, wriggling,
In his hands.
They took him to pollco headqunrtors. All tho
way downtown Geidcl was living ngnln the sceno
in the llttlo room, lit by tho reddish gleam from
tho lamp. A scoro of times ho lived again that
moment when tho detective, with horrlblo dra
matlc force, hnd stepped out of tho bathroom, In
his hand thnt bottlo which tho youth had forgot
ten to destroy.
Beforo ho wns sent to his cell Geldel snld to
Rcllly: T did It. Cnn thoy hang mo for this?"
Gcldel was convicted.
"Abe" Rueff's Experience.
An early form of tho silent third degree, In thnt
no questions wero nsked, wns practiced on "Abe
Rueff, tho San Francisco political boss, who was
convicted of graft.
Rueff was in prison awaiting trial. William J,
Bums was handling tho caso and wns making
every effort to wring a confession from tho
prisoner.
Thero wns a keeper la tho prison named Mc
Corthy, who was on duty near Rueff's cell. Burns
discontinued his calls and Instructed this man
to waken Rueff every night nt two o'clock sharp,
This McCarthy did by banging on the wnll with n
heavy stool. Rueff, tho first fow nights, did not
pay much ntteutlon to tho disturbance, mfcrely
turning over nnd going to sleep ugalu. At last
It got on his nerves. Ho would Jump oh his cot
at tho first sound nnd dcrannd, "whnt wns thnt?"
McCarthy would mako no reply, and Rueff
would run to tho barred door of his cell and
look out, to sco tho keeper apparently asleep.
Sometimes he would waken tho keeper and
say, "Didn't you hear anything?"
"Not u sound," McCarthy would answer.
This formuln wns gone through night after
night until on one occasion Rueff leaped from bed,
to llnd McCarthy wldo awake.
"Didn't you henr anything nt nil?" nsked tho
prisoner.
"Nothln' but you tnlkln' in your sleep," snld
McCarthy.
"What was I talking about?" said Rueff,
alarmed.
"Tho graft cases," said McCarthy.
"My heavens I" cried Rueff. "Am I going crnzy?
My mind must bo getting unsettled. I want to
seo Burns tomorrow."
Next day tho dotcctlvo called on the prlsone
Rueff tried to bring up tho graft cases, but Burns
turned to other subjects until nt last Rueff
broke down and half shouted: "Look here, Burt
you'vo got to listen to this I It's my confcsslot '
Friends both in the diplomatic
corps nnd in residential circles have
iwclcomed back to Washington Dr.
Belisarlo Porrns, until October 1
president of the republic of Panama,
and now minister of that country to
the United Stntes. Beforo his presl-
dcntlul term Doctor Porras served his
country in tho snme enpneity here.
Thero are few honors thnt his
country can confer which hnvo not
tfnllcn Into the bnsket of Doctor Por
rns, nnd both he nnd his wife, a
charming Porto Rlcnn, nre pleasantly
remembered for their hospitality and
charm.
Shortly nfter Doctor Porrns first
was appointed minister nt Washing
ton Scnorn do Porrns was married to
him by proxy, the first marriage by
proxy ever solemnized In tho diplo
matic corps In Washington. The min
ister wns not nble to go to Porto Rico
.for his bride, nnd tho strict etlquetto
governing the conduct of gentlewomen of her country would not admit of her
coming hero before her mnrrlnge.
Therefore, on intlmnte friend represented the minister at the ceremony,.
and nfter that Senora de Porras sailed for New York, where she was met by,
her "vral" bridegroom. Not long afterward they went to Panama that the
minister might enter the campaign for president.
Hlpollto Irlgoyen, tho recently ln
uuguruted president of Argentlnu,
heads the first rndlcnl administration
In thut country. He was elected presi
dent because n majority of the voters
trusted him, personally, Implicitly
nnd blindly. Those who believe In
him consider him Argentina's greatest
mnn. His opponents regard him ns ex
tremely dnngerous and look forward
to his administration with tho gravest
misgivings.
Doctor Irlgoyen is nbout sixty, n
tall, powerfully built, Imposing mnn,
nnd very dark. His blood Is Spanish
Basque, with n slight Indian Strain,
some say.
no began life poor. He Is self-educated
and a highly cultivated mnn.
He Is now very rich, tho result of land
transactions. By occupation he Is a
ranchman on a huge scale, with n very
modest residence in Buenos Aires.
For n long time, for pure rccrcn-
tion, he hold the professorship of "civic instruction" nt tho Buenos Aires
Normnl School for Women. Ills snlnry for this work he turned over regularly
to tho United Charities of Buenos Aires. Twelve yenrs ngo a president who
wns his personal enemy cnused his removnl from this post In the normal
school and ho bus never held it since.
BELISARIO PORRAS RETURNS
ADVICE FROM DOCTOR WILEY
"Food prices could be reduced 50
per cent if manufacturers would sac
rifice their velvet.
"The people should get back to
fundamentals. There Is no sense In
paying 40 cents a pound for a cereal
preparation when with $2 wheat there
can be no more thnn four cents' nctunl
vnlue In It."
That Is what Dr. Harvey W. Wi
ley, former chief of the government
bureau . of chemistry, thinks of the
high cost of living, nccordlng to a tnlk
he made in Toledo.
"Tho American people, and espe
clnlly the American housewives, know
llttlo about foods," he continued.
"Thnt is why they spend one dol
lnr nnd twenty cents a pound for the
nourishment they can get from a
pound of meat, when they can get
enough wheat to last a man n month
for the same price.
"Somo of the factors that tend to
Increase prices' beyond the actual
ivulue of a commodity ns food are excessive advertising of brands.
"Amcrlcnns drink labels and eat brands, and It Is good exercise for them
opening their pockotbooks. The value of brands often Is overestimated
because of extravaguntly worded advertising."
MISS ANNIE R. ROE
1
It would be hard to find a better
exnmple of what woman's work stands
for In the federal scrvlee than that
supplied by the record of Miss Annie
R. Roe, chief of the numbering divi
sion of the bureau of engraving nnd
printing. Miss Roe entered tho bu
renu In June, 1SG5, nnd has given it
.over half a century of service.
' Amid the whir of flying machin
ery doing its full pnrt In tho dnlly out
put of tho nntion's wenlth, Miss Roe
sits serenely nt her desk In evident
obliviousness to the noise of tho busy
wheels, ncro she directs the Inst
stngo in the many processes which
turn raw pulp Into United States cur
rency. Miss Roe superintends the num
bering, sealing und sepnrnting of nil
United States notes, which Is tho final
act In their creation before being
tnken to tho treasury of the United
States to become tho Jegal tender of
the nntlon. Miss Boo Is modest almost to the point of reticence in regard to
her work, und it Is with ditllculty that she can bo persuaded to speak of It.
WIUi the weight of responsibility which for so mnny yeurs has rested
upon her shoulders, Miss Roo yet looks younger than her nge, nnd except that
:the tenuro of her service Indicates mnturer years ono would find It hnrd to
bcllevo that Bhe hnd passed the half century mark. Mentnl nnd physical'
activity and efllclency nro stntnped upon her every movement, nnd there is
hnrdly a doubt but that she knows every minute of tho day tho exact condi
tion of tho wort engaged in by every ono of the 220 men nnd women under
her supervision.
Nor Is It a harsh or unsympathetic survclllnnce she exerts. A womnn of
full experience and trained understanding, she knows whnt comprises an
honest day's work for those under her. While she demunds that this bo
given, sho nlso appreciates tho situation when conditions warrant leniency
Among nil her people sho Is to herself tho only severe taskmaster, and front
herself she exnets hnrder and longer hours than from any of tho employees
under her charge.
