The clock ticked on, and still the merciless brow-beating went on. They
had been at it now five long, weary hours. Through the blinds the gray
daylight outside was creeping its way in. All the policemen were
exhausted. The prisoner was on the verge of collapse. Maloney and
Patrolman Delaney were dozing on chairs, but Captain Clinton, a marvel
of iron will and physical strength, never relaxed for a moment. Not
allowing himself to weaken or show signs of fatigue, he kept pounding
the unhappy youth with searching questions.
By this time Howard's condition was pitiable to witness. His face was
white as death. His trembling lips could hardly articulate. It was with
the greatest difficulty that he kept on his feet. Every moment he seemed
about to fall. At times he clutched the table nervously, for fear he
would stumble. Several times, through sheer exhaustion, he sat down.
The act was almost involuntary. Nature was giving way.
"I can't stand any more," he murmured. "What's the good of all these
questions? I tell you I didn't do it."
He sank helplessly on to a chair. His eyes rolled in his head. He looked
as if he would faint.
"Stand up!" thundered the captain angrily.
Howard obeyed mechanically, although he reeled in the effort. To steady
himself, he caught hold of the table. His strength was fast ebbing. He
was losing his power to resist. The captain saw he was weakening, and he
smiled with satisfaction. He'd soon get a confession out of him.
Suddenly bending forward, so that his fierce, determined stare glared
right into Howard's half-closed eyes, he shouted:
"You did it and you know you did!"
"No--I----" replied Howard weakly.
"These repeated denials are useless!" shouted the captain. "There's
already enough evidence to send you to the chair!"
Howard shook his head helplessly. Weakly he replied:
"This constant questioning is making me dizzy. Good God! What's the use
of questioning me and questioning me? I know nothing about it."
"Why did you come here?" thundered the captain.
"I've told you over and over again. We're old friends. I came to borrow
money. He owed me a few hundred dollars when we were at college
together, and I tried to get it. I've told you so many times. You won't
believe me. My brain is tired. I'm thoroughly exhausted. Please let me
go. My poor wife won't know what's the matter."
"Never mind about your wife," growled the captain. "We've sent for her.
How much did you try to borrow?"
Howard was silent a moment, as if racking his brain, trying to remember.
"A thousand--two thousand. I forget. I think one thousand."
"Did he say he'd lend you the money?" demanded the inquisitor.
"No," replied the prisoner, with hesitation. "He couldn't--he--poor
chap--he----"
"Ah!" snapped the captain. "He refused--that led to words. There was a
quarrel, and----" Suddenly leaning forward until his face almost touched
Howard's, he hissed rather than spoke: "You shot him!"
Howard gave an involuntary step backward, as if he realized the trap
being laid for him.
"No, no!" he cried.
Quickly following up his advantage, Captain Clinton shouted
dramatically:
"You lie! He was found on the floor in this room--dead. You were trying
to get out of the house without being seen. You hadn't even stopped to
wash the blood off your hands. All you fellers make mistakes. You relied
on getting away unseen. You never stopped to think that the blood on
your hands would betray you." Gruffly he added: "Now, come, what's the
use of wasting all this time? It won't go so hard with you if you own
up. You killed Robert Underwood!"
Howard shook his head. There was a pathetic expression of helplessness
on his face.
"I didn't kill him," he faltered. "I was asleep on that sofa. I woke up.
It was dark. I went out. I wanted to get home. My wife was waiting for
me."
"Now I've caught you lying," interrupted the captain quickly. "You told
the coroner you saw the dead man and feared you would be suspected of
his murder, and so tried to get away unseen." Turning to his men, he
added: "How is that, Maloney? Did the prisoner say that?"
The sergeant consulted his back notes, and replied:
"Yes, Cap', that's what he said."
Suddenly Captain Clinton drew from his hip pocket the revolver which he
had found on the floor, near the dead man's body. The supreme test was
about to be made. The wily police captain would now play his trump card.
It was not without reason that his enemies charged him with employing
unlawful methods in conducting his inquisitorial examinations.
"Stop your lying!" he said fiercely. "Tell the truth, or we'll keep you
here until you do. The motive is clear. You came for money. You were
refused, and you did the trick."
Suddenly producing the revolver, and holding it well under the light,
so that the rays from the electrolier fell directly on its highly
polished surface, he shouted:
"Howard Jeffries, you shot Robert Underwood, and you shot him with this
pistol!"
Howard gazed at the shining surface of the metal as if fascinated. He
spoke not a word, but his eyes became riveted on the weapon until his
face assumed a vacant stare. From the scientific standpoint, the act of
hypnotism had been accomplished. In his nervous and overfatigued state,
added to his susceptibility to quick hypnosis, he was now directly under
the influence of Captain Clinton's stronger will, directing his weaker
will. He was completely receptive. The past seemed all a blur on his
mind. He saw the flash of steel and the police captain's angry,
determined-looking face. He felt he was powerless to resist that will
any longer. He stepped back and gave a shudder, averting his eyes from
the blinding steel. Captain Clinton quickly followed up his advantage:
"You committed this crime, Howard Jeffries!" he shouted, fixing him with
a stare. To his subordinate he shouted: "Didn't he, Maloney?"
"He killed him all right," echoed Maloney.
His eyes still fixed on those of his victim, and approaching his face
close to his, the captain shouted:
"You did it, Jeffries! Come on, own up! Let's have the truth! You shot
Robert Underwood with this revolver. You did it, and you can't deny it!
You know you can't deny it! Speak!" he thundered. "You did it!"
Howard, his eyes still fixed on the shining pistol, repeated, as if
reciting a lesson:
"I did it!"
Quickly Captain Clinton signaled to Maloney to approach nearer with his
notebook. The detective sergeant took his place immediately back of
Howard. The captain turned to his prisoner:
"You shot Robert Underwood!"
"I shot Robert Underwood," repeated Howard mechanically.
"You quarreled!"
"We quarreled."
"You came here for money!"
"I came here for money."
"He refused to give it to you!"
"He refused to give it to me."
"There was a quarrel!"
"There was a quarrel."
"You drew that pistol!"
"I drew that pistol."
"And shot him!"
"And shot him."
Captain Clinton smiled triumphantly.
"That's all," he said.
Howard collapsed into a chair. His head dropped forward on his breast,
as if he were asleep. Captain Clinton yawned and looked at his watch.
Turning to Maloney, he said with a chuckle:
"By George! it's taken five hours to get it out of him!"
Maloney turned out the electric lights and went to pull up the window
shades, letting the bright daylight stream into the room. Suddenly there
was a ring at the front door. Officer Delaney opened, and Dr. Bernstein
entered. Advancing into the room, he shook hands with the captain.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come before, captain. I was out when I got the
call. Where's the body?"
The captain pointed to the inner room.
"In there."
After glancing curiously at Howard, the doctor disappeared into the
inner room.
Captain Clinton turned to Maloney.
"Well, Maloney, I guess our work is done here. We want to get the
prisoner over to the station, then make out a charge of murder, and
prepare the full confession to submit to the magistrate. Have everything
ready by nine o'clock. Meantime, I'll go down and see the newspaper
boys. I guess there's a bunch of them down there. Of course, it's too
late for the morning papers, but it's a bully good story for the
afternoon editions. Delaney, you're responsible for the prisoner. Better
handcuff him."
The patrolman was just putting the manacles on Howard's wrists when Dr.
Bernstein reentered from the inner room. The captain turned.
"Well, have you seen your man?" he asked.
The doctor nodded.
"Found a bullet wound in his head," he said. "Flesh all burned--must
have been pretty close range. It might have been a case of suicide."
Captain Clinton frowned. He didn't like suggestions of that kind after a
confession which had cost him five hours' work to procure.
"Suicide?" he sneered. "Say, doctor, did you happen to notice what side
of the head the wound was on?"
Dr. Bernstein reflected a moment.
"Ah, yes. Now I come to think of it, it was the left side."
"Precisely," sneered the captain. "I never heard of a suicide shooting
himself in the left temple. Don't worry, doctor, it's murder, all
right." Pointing with a jerk of his finger toward Howard, he added: "And
we've got the man who did the job."
Officer Delaney approached his chief and spoke to him in a low tone. The
captain frowned and looked toward his prisoner. Then, turning toward the
officer, he said:
"Is the wife downstairs?"
The officer nodded.
"Yes, sir, they just telephoned."
"Then let her come up," said the captain. "She may know something."
Delaney returned to the telephone and Dr. Bernstein turned to the
captain:
"Say what you will, captain, I'm not at all sure that Underwood did not
do this himself."
"Ain't you? Well, I am," replied the captain with a sneer. Pointing
again to Howard, he said:
"This man has just confessed to the shooting."
At that moment the front door opened and Annie Jeffries came in escorted
by an officer. She was pale and frightened, and looked timidly at the
group of strange and serious-looking men present. Then her eyes went
round the room in search of her husband. She saw him seemingly asleep in
an armchair, his wrists manacled in front of him. With a frightened
exclamation she sprang forward, but Officer Delaney intercepted her.
Captain Clinton turned around angrily at the interruption:
"Keep the woman quiet till she's wanted!" he growled.
Annie sat timidly on a chair in the background and the captain turned
again to the doctor.
"What's that you were saying, doctor?"
"You tell me the man confessed?"
Crossing the room to where Howard sat, Dr. Bernstein looked closely at
him. Apparently the prisoner was asleep. His eyes were closed and his
head drooped forward on his chest. He was ghastly pale.
The captain grinned.
"Yes, sir, confessed--in the presence of three witnesses. Eh, sergeant?"
"Yes, sir," replied Maloney.
"You heard him, too, didn't you, Delaney?"
"Yes, captain."
Squaring his huge shoulders, the captain said with a self-satisfied
chuckle:
"It took us five hours to get him to own up, but we got it out of him at
last."
The doctor was still busy with his examination.
"He seems to be asleep. Worn out, I guess. Five hours, yes--that's your
method, captain." Shaking his head, he went on: "I don't believe in
these all-night examinations and your 'third degree' mental torture. It
is barbarous. When a man is nervous and frightened his brain gets so
benumbed at the end of two or three hours' questioning on the same
subject that he's liable to say anything, or even believe anything. Of
course you know, captain, that after a certain time the law of
suggestion commences to operate and----"
The captain turned to his sergeant and laughed:
"The law of suggestion? Ha, ha! That's a good one! You know, doctor,
them theories of yours may make a hit with college students and amateur
professors, but they don't go with us. You can't make a man say 'yes'
when he wants to say 'no'."
Dr. Bernstein smiled.
"I don't agree with you," he said. "You can make him say anything, or
believe anything--or do anything if he is unable to resist your will."
The captain burst into a hearty peal of laughter.
"Ha, ha! What's the use of chinnin'? We've got him to rights. I tell
you, doctor, no newspaper can say that my precinct ain't cleaned up. My
record is a hundred convictions to one acquittal. I catch 'em with the
goods when I go after 'em!"
A faint smile hovered about the doctor's face.
"I know your reputation," he said sarcastically.
The captain thought the doctor was flattering him, so he rubbed his
hands with satisfaction, as he replied:
"That's right. I'm after results. None of them _Psyche_ themes for
mine." Striding over to the armchair where sat Howard, he laid a rough
hand on his shoulder:
"Hey, Jeffries, wake up!"
Howard opened his eyes and stared stupidly about him. The captain took
him by the collar of his coat.
"Come--stand up! Brace up now!" Turning to Sergeant Maloney, he added,
"Take him over to the station. Write out that confession and make him
sign it before breakfast. I'll be right over."
Howard struggled to his feet and Maloney helped him arrange his collar
and tie. Officer Delaney clapped his hat on his head. Dr. Bernstein
turned to go.
"Good morning, captain. I'll make out my report"
"Good morning, doctor."
Dr. Bernstein disappeared and Captain Clinton turned to look at Annie,
who had been waiting patiently in the background. Her anguish on seeing
Howard's condition was unspeakable. It was only with difficulty that she
restrained herself from crying out and rushing to his side. But these
stern, uniformed men intimidated her. It seemed to her that Howard was
on trial--a prisoner--perhaps his life was in danger. What could he have
done? Of course, he was innocent, whatever the charge was. He wouldn't
harm a fly. She was sure of that. But every one looked so grave, and
there was a big crowd gathered in front of the hotel when she came up.
She thought she had heard the terrible word "murder," but surely there
was some mistake. Seeing Captain Clinton turn in her direction, she
darted eagerly forward.
"May I speak to him, sir? He is my husband."
"Not just now," replied the captain, not unkindly. "It's against the
rules. Wait till we get him to the Tombs. You can see him all you want
there."
Annie's heart sank. Could she have heard aright?
"The Tombs!" she faltered. "Is the charge so serious?"
"Murder--that's all!" replied the captain laconically.
Annie nearly swooned. Had she not caught the back of a chair she would
have fallen.
The captain turned to Maloney and, in a low tone, said:
"Quick! Get him over to the station. We don't want any family scenes
here."
Manacled to Officer Delaney and escorted on the other side by Maloney,
Howard made his way toward the door. Just as he reached it he caught
sight of his wife who, with tears streaming down her cheeks, was
watching him as if in a dream. To her it seemed like some hideous
nightmare from which both would soon awaken. Howard recognized her, yet
seemed too dazed to wonder how she came there. He simply blurted out as
he passed:
"Something's happened, Annie, dear. I--Underwood--I don't quite
know----"
The policemen pushed him through the door, which closed behind him.