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Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10860, 2 April 1929, Page 3

DUMMY VICTIM

Thc-v felt, certain, however, that Iks had committed the crime. The difficulty was to prove it.

In the hope of startling him into a confession they rigged up an amazingly life-like figure of the murdered man, which they placed at bis uesk in bis office exactly a.« lid had been sitting down. The suspect was then led in. As lie came face to face with the figure a detective behind the chair raised the dummy's arm and pointed it accusingly at the trembling murderer. The shock was too much. He broke down and confess'd.

Third degree' methods as a lide. however, are much more brutal and direct. A favorite police ruse is to pretend that the suspect has been betrayed by a friend or that the v < anon with which the crime has been committed has been found.

A prisoner who is known to be a heavy smoker is brought up for interrogation. Two detectives enter smoking. They off er him a cigarette. “Well, we know you did it." sav.-s one of the officers. “You might as well savj voursfill a lot of trouble by

coiP’ess'iig." “It’s a lie! I’m innocent." shrieks the unfortunate man.

His cigarette is knocked out of bis band and crushed beneath a detective’s boot.

A third officer enters. “Well, you’re booked all right," he tsavs. “Your pal has made a full confession that incriminates' you up to the hilt.”

If the prisoner is guilty—and simple—lie may believe what is told him and give the offices the information they require. If not, the third degree goes on, gradually -becoming more ami more brutal. There lias been more, than one case where prisoners have been beaten over the head with rubber piping to extort a confession. Not long ago a case came into the American courts where it was alleged tlunt police officers, applying the third degree, had beaten a man to death.