Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, February 5, 1915, Page 8

1 bave been a detective for many years, though now that I am getting old I seldom take a case, and then only one that promises to interest me. My leisure time I spend in study. And ‘what do you suppose is the subject of my studies? | will tell you I am searching the past when there were Do detectives that 1 may learn how criminals were traced. 1 have found a succession of condi- tions, beginning with confession by torture—to this may be added confes- slon by influence of the clergy—and ending with our present highly per- fected detective system. | regret to say that there still exists one relic of the practice of obtaining confessions by influence of the clergy. 1 refer to securing them by means of the “third degree.” A curious instance of confession I have found in a record of the latter part of the eighteenth century. During the year 1760 an altercation occurred between James Thorpe and Pardon Winston in Bradford, a small town in Massachusetts. Robert Thorpe. & brother of James, came on to the scene while the fight was in progress and struck Winston on the head with a plece of wood, knocking bt¥m sense less. However, he revived in a few minutes, and the brothers, who had been friends of Winston, frightened lest he had been killed, assisted him | to his home, expressing great regret at the occurrence. Winston did not seem any the worse for the blow he had received and re- mained in Bradford some time after the scuffle. But one day he was miss- ed, and, when months passed and he ! did not show up, among the various | causes for his disappearance that were suggested was one that the quarrel be- tween him and the Thorpe brothers bad been renewed and the missing man had come to his death through their instrumentality. However, since there was nothing but inference in the matter, the sus- picion died down. Several years' after Winston's disappearance Abner ' Twitchell. a citizen of Bradford, | dreamed one night that the ghost of Winston had appeared to him and said | that the Thorpe brothers bhad killed bim, burned his body and buried the residue under a beech tree, the only tree stunding in the back yard of his bome. Twitchell gave the civil au- thorities an account of his dream. At this point in my narrative it is well to remember the conditions otl that period. The bellef in witcheraft | that had reaped so many victims had ' died out among educated persons, but | still prevailed among the lower class- | es Today a vellef in revelation by ! dreums, though not what it was then, 18 not entirely estinct. The Thorpe brothers were arrested, the ground about the roots of the beech tree was dug up, and some bn!-l tons and the metal parts of a palr of | suspenders were found. This evidence , was considered so strong that the Thorpe brothers were urged to con-l fess in order that justice should De' meted out to each in accordance with what bhe deserved. James, under thel incessant pleadings of his spiritual ad- | viser, finally gave way and confessed | that he had been the murderer. IsutE later Robert confessed that he, tov, | had taken part in the killing and bad done the principal part in getting ria' of the body. | Now, if we consider the evidence In ! this case as it would be regarded to- | day there is nothing In it. First, we | would not accept the dream as of any | value whatever; second, the articles | found onder the beech tree might bave been thrown out in the yard or burned with other refuse under the tree and become mingled with the soll; third, we have numerous confessions in murder cases that are not true. i But in those days, when the people ‘Were emerging from a period wherein an organized court of justice would eonvict a woman of vomiting crooked | pins and sailing on the waten, in a ' sleve, the evidence against the Thorpe brothers, backed by the confession of both, was considered quite sufficient t0 hang them. They were tried, con- victed and sentenced. One day a man rode into Bradford and while sitting around the tavern | stove was told that the next day there | would be a banging in the town and bad better remain over and see it On mention of the name of Winston b sald that he had seen a half witted man in Hadley of that name. A friend of the Thorpe boys was present, and went to the judge with the story, ask- ing for a stay of the execution in der that the matter might be investi- | gated. A constable was sent to Hadley and , returned with the man for whose mur- | der the prisoners were to have bun} hanged. The brothers were released and recelved an ovation, the towns- people really rejoicing that they had bmuvedbylmnmmfmmnv-l ing committed murder themselves. The blow that Winston had received from Robert Thorpe had caused an in. dentation of a bit of his skull on the brain. Even nowadays we are never Sare when or what vagarles may be caused by such a pressure, though it can now be removed by surgeons. l Whether the surgical process of trepan- ning was done in those days or not 1 ‘ { | don't know. | found mo record of the subsequent condition of the injured wan. REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS : t {shed by the Security Abstrac (F“;:; ‘1(“me Co., Bartow, Fla.) Swinehart. _ 1. M. Trammell dnd husban v. H. Nysewander. E John O'Keefe to Jacob M. Levins. Frank Adams et al to Walter H. is. l‘g;’hry D. Adams exc., to Walter H. Lewis. A. 1. Mann to C. O. A. Grover. e d .eu C. Getzen. s 1‘a;owman Realty Co. to Samuel F. {jam H. Jackson et al. ith. e T. Overstreet and wife 10|Botkins. John Edmonds and wife to Lee R. Samuel F. Smitu. Men’s, Women’s and Children’s Ready-to-Wear Same Goods as Elsewhere Sold for Less than Anywhere New Dresses Just Received-- 50 Quiterite Skirts, $8.00 and $10.00 values, at'$3.98, $4.98 and $5.98 If you have ever worn a Quiterite Skirt you have an idea of the Great Values. Still, you can’t KNOW until you see our New Line Hats--New Hats ‘Panamas and Trimmed Hats Ladies’ Ready-to-Wear Department Ladies Gingham and Percale House Dresses Worth $1.00 and $1.25, Now A few Ladies House Dresses at WE NEED THE MONEY. Moiddy Blouses, New Styles Ladies Waists, Crepe de Chine, Pussy Willow Silk and Voiles Worth $3 and $4, Price ...$1.25 to $2.50 You Need the Goods, We Need the Money. 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At “W¢ Need the Money Prices.” Boys Suite i e $1.98 to $3.98 Men’s Work Shirts soc Values Men's Girard Drawers Shoes for the Whole Family The Low Prices We are Making on Standard Brands it Causing Comment all Over South Florida, Edwin Clapp’s Famous Shoes The Well Known Elk Skin Shoess from ..$1.45 to $2.98 Ladies High Top Shoes Baby Doll Pumps Colonial Pumps Baby Doll, High Top Shoes .. Misses Shoes 8 1-2 to 2 Rustless Corsets 98¢ to $2.98 The New Models, in Construc- | tion and Workmanship are as Near Perfection as Possible. The Shapes are Varied Enough to Suit the Demand of the Most Exacting, Guaranteed to Give Satisfaction. Remember, we court comparison, guarantee satisfaction and SELL [T FOR LESS Cut Price Store, mimm ‘\ s ————— H. Jackson et al. tzen and wife to MM C. Getzel W. J. Howey Land Co. to Wil- J. D. Botkins and wife to R. W. John D. West and wife to S. A. d to|Cons. Land Co. to W. H, Overocker. |Cottingham. Jno. B. Speth and wife to Samuel F. Smith. Walter H. 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