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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1912)
THe THIRD DEGREE cA Narrative r cTWetropolitan Life j By CHARLES KLEIN and ARTHUR HORNBLOW OX.CSTRATIOMS BY RAT WALTERS WoMrtght, mo, bf u. w. DiUiOKiuun Uuupanj U SYNOPSIS. Howard Jeffries, banker's son, under U evil Inlluence of Robert Underwood, a fsllow-student at Yale, leads a life of Issipatlon, marries the daughter of a gambler who died in prison, and Is dis owned by his father. He tries to get work and fails. A formt-r college chum makes a business proposition to Howard which requires fc'.OfiO cash, and Howard Is broke. Robert Underwood, who has been re pulsed by Howard's wife, Annie, in his college days, and had once been engaged to Alicia, Howard's stepmother, has apartments at the Astrurla. Howard de cides to ask Underwood for the J2.000 he needs. Underwood, taking advantage of his Intimacy with Mrs. Jeffries, Sr., be comes a sort of social highwayman. Dis covering his true character she denies him the house. Alicia receives a note from Underwood, threatening suicide. Art sealers for whom he has been acting as commissioner, demand an accounting. He cannot make good. Howard Jeffries calls In an Intoxicated condition. He asks Underwood for $2,000 and is told by the Utter that he is In debt up to his eyes. Howard drinks himself into a maudlin condition, and goes to sleep on a divan. A caller is announced and Underwood draws a screen around the drunken deeper. Alicia enters. She demands a promise from him that he will not take bis life, pointing to the disgrace that would attach to herself. Underwood re fuses to promise unless she will renew her patronage. This she refuses to do. Underwood kills himself. The report of the pistol awakens Howard. He stumbles ever the dead body of Underwood. Reali sing his predicament he attempts to flee nd Is met by Underwood's valet.' CHAPTER VIII. Continued. . Howard was at no time an athlete, and now, contrasted with the burly policeman, a colossus in strength, he eemed like a puny boy. His cringing, frightened attitude, as he looked up in the captain's bulldog face, was pathet ic The crowd of bystanders could hard ly contain their eagerness to take in every detail of the dramatic situation. The prisoner was sober by this time, and thoroughly alarmed. "What do you want me for?" he cried. "I haven't done anything. The man's dead, but I didn't" kill him." "Shut your mouth!" growled the captain. , Dragging Howard after him, he made his way to the elevator. Throw ing his prisoner into the cage, he turned to give orders to his subord inate. "Maloney, you come with me and bring Officer Delaney." Addressing the ether men, he said: "You other fellers look after things down here. Don't let any of these people come upstairs." Then, turning to the elevator boy, he gave the command: "Up with her." The elevator, with its passengers, hot upward, stopped with a Jerk t the fourteenth floor, and the captain, once more laying a brutal hand on Howard, pushed him out into the cor ridor. If it could be said of Capt. Clinton that he had any system at all, it was to be as brutal as possible with every body unlucky enough to fall into his bands. Instead of regarding his pris oners as innocent until found guilty, as they are Justly entitled to be re garded under the law, he took the di rectly opposite stand. .He considered all his prisoners as guilty as bell until they had succeeded in proving them selves Innocent. Even then he had his doubts. When a Jury brought in a verdict of acquittal, he shook his head and growled. He had the great est contempt for a Jury that would ac quit and the warmest regard for a Jury which convicted. He bullied and mal treated his prisoners because he firm ly believed in undermining their mor al and physical resistance. When by depriving them of sleep and food, by choking them, clubbing them and frightening them he had reduced them to a state of nervous terror, to the border of physical collapse, he knew by experience that they would no longer be In condition to withstand bis merciless cross-examinations. De moralized, unstrung, they would blurt out the truth and so convict them selves. The ends of Justice would thus be served. Capt Clinton prided himself on the thorough manner in which he conduct ed these examinations of persons un der arrest It was a laborious ordeal, but always succesful. He owed his present position on the force to the kill with which he browbeat his pris oner! Into "confessions.'' With his "third degree" seances he arrived at results better and more quickly than In any other way. All his convictions had been secured by them. The press and meddling busybodles called his lystem barbarous, a revival of the old time torture chamber. What did be ears what the people said as long as Km convicted his man? .Wasn't that wnat ne was paid torr Me was mere to find the murderer, and he was go ing to do it He puFhed his way into the apart ment, followed closely by Maloney and the other policemen, who dragged along the unhappy Howard. The dead man still lay where he had fallen. Capt. Clinton stooped down, but made co attempt to touch the corpse, mere ly satisfying himself that Underwood was dead. Then, after a casual survey of the room, he said to his sergeant: "We won't touch a thing, Maloney, till the coroner arrives. He'll be here any minute, and he'll give the order for the undertaker. You can call up headquarters so the newspaper boys get the story." While the sergeant went to the tele phone to carry out these orders, Capt Clinton turned to look at Howard, who had collapsed, white and trembling, in to a chair. "What do you want with me?" cried Howard appeallngly. "I assure you I had nothing to do with this. My wife's expecting me home. Can't I go?" "Shut up!" thundered the captain. His arms folded, his eyes sternly fixed upon him, Capt. Clinton stood confronting the unfortunate youth, staring at him without saying a word. The persistence of his stare made Howard squirm. It was decidedly un pleasant. He did not mind the deten tion so much as this man's overbear ing, bullying manner. He knew he was Innocent, therefore he had nothing to fear. But why was this police captain staring at him so? Whichever way he sat, whichever way his eyes turned, he saw this bulldog-faced policeman staring silently at him. Unknown to him, Capt Clinton had already begun the dreaded police ordeal known as the "third degree." CHAPTER IX. Fifteen minutes passed without a word being spoken. There was deep silence in the room. It was so quiet that once could have heard a pin drop. Had a disinterested spectator been there to witness it, he would have been at once impressed by the dra matic tableau presented the dead man on the floor, his white shirt front spattered with blood, the cringing, frightened boy crouching in the chair, the towering figure of the police cap tain sitting sternly eyeing his hapless prisoner, and at the far end of the room Detective Sergeant Maloney busy sending hurried . messages through the telephone. "What did you do it for?" thundered the captain suddenly. Howard's tongue clove to his palate. He could scarcely articulate. , He was innocent, of course, but there was something in this man's manner which made him fear that he might, after all, have had something to do with the tragedy. Yet he was positive that he The Persistence of His Stare Made Howard Squirm. was asleep on the bed, all the time. The question is, would anybody believe him? He shook his head pathetically. "I didn't do it Really, I didn't" "Shut your mouth! You're lying, and you know you're lying. Walt till the coroner comes. We'll fix you." Again there was silence, and now be gan a' long, tedious wait, both men re taining the same positions, the cap tain watching his prisoner as a cat watches a mouse. Howard's mental anguish was al most unendurable. He thought of his poor wife who must be waiting up for him all this time, wondering what had become of him. She would imagine the worst, and there was no telling what she might do. If only he could get word to her. Perhaps she would be able to explain things. .Then he thought of his father. They had quar reled, It was true, but after all it was his own flesh and blood. At such a critical situation as this, one forgets. His father could hardly refuse to come to bis assistance. He must get a lawyer, too, to protect his interests. This police captain had no right to de tain him like this. He must get word to Annie without delay. Summoning up all bis courage, he said boldly: "You are detaining me here without warrant In law. I know my rights. I am the son of one of the most In fluential men in the city." "What's your name?" growled the captain. "Howard Jeffries Ifo -non or Howard Jeffries, the bank er?" Howard nodded. "Yes." The captain turned to his sergeant "Maloney, this feller says he's the son of Howard Jeffries, the banker." Maloney leaned over and whispered something in the captain's ear. The captain smiled grimly. "So you're a bad character, eh? Fa. ther turned you out of doors, eh? Where's that girl you ran awdy with?" Sharply he added: "You see I know your record." "I've done nothing I'm ashamed of," replied Howard calmly, "j. married the girl. She's waiting my return now. Won't you please let me send her a message?" The' captain eyed Howard sus piclously for a moment, then he turned to his sergeant: "Maloney, telephone this man's wife. What's the number?" "Eighty-six Morningslde." Maloney again got busy with the telephone and the wearying wait be gan once more; The clock soon struck two. For a whole hour he had been subjected to this gruelling process, and still the lynx-eyed captain sat there watching his quarry. If Capt Clinton had begun to have any doubts when Howard, told him who his father was, Maloney's infor mation immediately put him at his ease. It was all clear to him now. The youth had never been any good. His own father had kicked him out He was in desperate financial straits! He had come to this man's rooms to make a demand for money. Under wood had refused and there was a quarrel, and he shot him. There was probably a dispute over the woman. Ah, yes, he remembered now. This girl he married was formerly a sweet heart of Underwood's. Jealousy was behind it as well, 'Besides, wasn't he caught red-handed, with blood on his hands, trying to escape from the apartment? Oh, they had him dead to rights, all right. Any magistrate would hold him on such evidence. "It's the Tombs for him, all right, all right," muttered the captain to himself; "and maybe promotion for me." Suddenly there was a commotion at the door. The coroner entered, followed by the undertaker. The two men advanced quickly into the room, and took a look at the body. After making a hasty examination, the cor oner turned to Capt. Clinton. "Well, captain, I guess he's dead, all right." "Yes, and we've got our man, too." The coroner turned to look at the prisoner. "Caught him red-handed, eh? Who is ne? ' Howard was about to blurt out a re ply, when the captain thundered: "Silence!" To the coroner, the captain ex plained: "He's the scapegrace son of How ard Jeffries, the banker. No good bad egg. His father turned him out of doors. There is no question about his guilt Look at his hands. We caught hjm trying to get away." The coroner rose. He believed in doing things promptly. "I congratulate you, captain. Quick work like this ought to do your repu tation good. The community owes a debt to the officers of the law if they succeed In apprehending criminals quickly. You've been getting some pretty hard knocks lately, but I guess you know your business." The captain grinned broadly. "I guess I do. Don't we, Maloney?" "Yes, cap.," said Maloney, quietly. The coroner turned to go. "Well, there's nothing more for me to do here. The man Is dead. Let Justice take its course." Addressing the undertaker, he said: "You can remove the body." The men set about the work im mediately. Carrying the corpse into the inner room, they commenced the work of laying It out. "I suppose," said the coroner, "tnat you'll take your prisoner immediately to the station house, and before the magistrate to-morrow morning?" "Not Just yet," grinned the captain. "I want to put a few questions to him first" ' The coroner smiled. "You're going to put him through the 'third degree,' eh? Every one's heard of your star-chamber ordeals. Are they really so dreadful?" "Nonsense!" laughed the captain. "We wouldn't harm a baby, would we, Maloney?" The sergeant quickly indorsed his chiefs opinion. "No, cap." Turning to go, the coroner said: "Well, good-night, captain." "Good night; Mr. Coroner." Howard listened to all this like one transfixed. They seemed to ha talk ing about him. They were discussing some irigbtrui ordeal of which he was to be .a victim. What was thin 'third degree' they were talking about? Now ne rememoerea. He bad heard of In nocent men being bullied, maltreated. deprived of food and sleep for days, in order to force them to tell what the police were anxious to find out He had heard of secret assaults, of wMnlcht clubbings, of prisoners beta choired and brutally kicked by a gang of ruffianly policemen, in order to force them into some damaging ad mission. A chill ran down his spine as he realized his utter helplessness. If he could only get word to a lawyer. Just as the coroner was disappearing through the door, he darted forward and laid a hand on his arm. "Mr. Coroner, won't you listen to me?" he exclaimed. The coroner startled, drew back. "I cannot interfere," he said coldly. "Mr. Underwood was a friend of mine," explained Howard. "I came here to borrow monev. I fell asleen on that sofa. When I woke up he was dead. I was frightened. I tried to get away. That's the truth, so help me God!" The coroner looked at him sternly and made no reply. No one could ever reproach him with sympathizing with .criminals. Waving his hand at Capt. Clinton, he said: "Good-night, captain." "Good-night, Mr. Coroner." The door slammed and Capt. Clin ton, with a twist of bis powerful arm, yanked his prisoner back into his seat' Howard protested. "You've got no right to treat me like this. You exceed your powers. I demand to be taken before a magis trate at once." The captain grinned, and pointed to the clock. "Say, young feller, see what time it is? Two-thirty a. m. Our good mag istrates are all comfy In their virtu ous beds. We'll have to wait till morning." (TO BE CONTINUED.) The Orang-Outang's Nest. For the first time 'Londoners have now an opportunity of seeing an orang-outang In its "nest," or sleep ing platform, Dr. Charles Hose having recently presented to the national mu seum a fine adult male of this Bornean ape, together with a specimen of the nest. Dr. A. Russel Wallace in his "Malay Archipelago" states that orang-outangs build their sleening platforms comparatively low down on relatively small trees at a height of from twenty feet to 50 feet above the ground, prob ably for the reason that such a situa tion is warmer and less exposed to wind than one higher up. According to Dyak report, each orang builds a fresh platform every night; but this, as Dr. Wallace remarks, is Improb able on account of the relatively small number of these structures to be met with. It may be adtied that the large amount of materials In the nest in the British Museum affords further evi dence of the same kind. Photographs are extant showing three or four orangs' nests in a single tree. The Field. 'Calm Face In Danger. Mr. 'Jepson is a calm man, not easily upset On one occasion as his motor car had come to a sudden stop he crawled beneath to see what was the matter. Somehow or other some gasolin ignited. A fierce burst of flame and smoke came forth, envelop ing Mr. Jepson. In the midst of the excitement he walked to one side, with his usual slow, and regular Btep. His face was black, bis eyebrows and eyelashes were singed, and what was left of his hair and beard was a sight to behold. Some one brought a mirror, and he bad a look at himself. As usual, how ever, he took matter philosophically. "Well," he said, slowly and delib erately, "I was needing a shave and my hair cut anyway." "Diplomacy" In China. An expert In fine china frequently gets a commission that requires the utmost tact to fill. "I am called Into private houses," she said, "to set a value on fine china and bric-a-brac that have been broken by a maid. It often happens that the mistress sets an exorbitant price on those things and threatens to take it out of the girl's wages. If the girl has spirit and thinks she has been im posed upon she suggests that an ex pert be called In to arbitrate. If the mistress really wants to be fair she consents. Most of those Jobs in di plomacy come to mo. I dread them because it Is so difficult to decide Just ly and keep on good terms with both parties." A Chance In Any Case. Muriel (letting him down easy) 1 should advise you not to take it to heart I might prove a most undesir able wife. Marriage is a lottery, ou know. Malcolm (bitterly) It strikes me as more like a raffle. One man gets the prize and the others get the shake. Smart Set Manners. What a rare rift is that of mannersi How difficult to define, how much more difficult to Impart! - Better for a man' to possess thei than wealth, beauty or talentl They will more than supply all. Bulwer Lytton. Men and Kings. The people may be able to lollow, they cannot be made to understand. TL ) king's mind is the wind, and grass sre the middle of the people; whither the wlnC blows, thither the grass bends. Confucius MACHINERY TO SAVE LABOR Manufacturers Turn Out Pretty Near Everything Needed on Modern Farm at Reasonable Prices, (By B. B. LARA. Illinois.) During, the progress of our state fair this fall I spent a good deal of time looking over the wonderful ex hibits of farm machinery. Nor was 1 the only Interested per son; machinery power attracted much, attention, as is' but natural consider ing the vast Importance of such ex hibits. The manufacturers are now turning out pretty nearly everything in the way of labor-saving machinery and at prices so low that they can be adapted to the small farmer as well as the man with hundreds of acres. Gasoline and kerosene engines are made in almost numberless styles and sizes. There is the little two-horse power motor which takes up no more room than a sewing machine and which will do twice as much work around the farm house and barn as the strongest hired man. These little engines will run the churn, the sepa arator, the washing machine, mowing machine, saw the wood, make the feed cutter hum and pump water from the well. The engines run up in size to 40-horsepower. They are simple in construction, easily managed by any man who has an aptitude for op erating machinery or who will take the pains to learn. The prices run from 90 for the little fellows up to $2,000 for the biggest engines. Manufacturers of traction engines have made many improvements In these machines during the past few years. As now constructed they are more economical in the use of ruel, more simple In construction and bet ter adapted for a variety of ubos. One exhibitor performed some remarkable feats with a 15-horsepower traction engine. He ran the machine up em bankments which would test the agility of a two-horse team hitched to an empty wagon, drove It over six Inch fence-rails, back turned and twisted with greater facility and speed than Is possible with the best trained team of horses. Hitched to a gang of plows or ' discs, trailing harrows to any desired number these engines will do the work of half a dozen' teams and as many men with perfect ease and less expense. LOW VITALITY OF CHICKENS Becoming Common Complaint and Must Be Dealt With Many Ideas Advanced as to Cause. (By PREN MOORE, Idaho Experiment Station.) All over the country Infertile eggs and chicks low in vitality is a com mon complaint, and It is fast becom ing an alarming condition, one that must be dealt with. All kinds of ideas are offered as to cause, many suggest Inbreeding, while others sug gest the lack of free range, neither of which bear very close relation to the real cause. Line breeding (commonly called in breeding) is absolutely necessary that the height of breeding perfec tion may be attained. The fact that wild birds are Inbred, and have been from time immemorial, bears conclu sive evidence that line or Inbreeding has no effect on fertility. Quails will lay a large number of eggs, and will usually hatch every one of them; strong, vigorous fellows, every one looking alike, both In type and color. Birds kept in close Quarters. If properly cared for. will produce as great a percentage of fertility as those on free range. The seoret all lies In feeding and care of the birds. The breeding hen should be kept in breeding condition throughout the entire year. Hens forced for heavy egg production will not produce a satisfactory percent. age of fertility. In fact, the balanced rations, so generally used for egg forcing, are not practical feeds for the hens. Hens that have been forced to lay like smoke throughout the win ter, cannot be expected to produce fertile eggs when wanted for hatch ing. New Potato Product. A new potato product Is belne turn ed out In large quantities bv Dutch manufacturers. The new process may perhaps prove an Important aid to the starch factories In disposing of i surplus when the crop Is luree. Tha round potatoes, instead of being made Into starch, are treated with acid, making a glucose syrup which is claim ed to have a high food value and sal ible quality at low cost, Cull Potatoes for Hogs. Potatoes that are too small to mar ket may be used to advantage as a food for young pigs. Many farmers consider It no loss to have from 2 to 8 per cent of tbelr potato crop too small for commercial use as it gives them such a good winter pig food. It requires but a short time to cook them, in which way they are very beneficial. A little salt added while they are boiling will give them a relish. .