TERROR OF SLEEP.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 734, 5 February 1910, Page 12

TERROR OF SLEEP.

when criminals dread :;.;; confession.';.;, : : : ;^.:

Criminologists say. - that, ■- : the, greatest torror'■• that. olflicts that fraction of humanity suffering, from ' an uneasy conscience :is hot dread-:of the, police, by any' means; -nor 1 awe- of any other acknowledged enemy of.'law-defiers. .What the criminal dreads, is - sleep,; which is, it appears, the friend;of the righteous only. To men with the knowledge of 'dark 'deeds s stored within' them, sleep, is the most treacherous of foes;: The countless poems' that; have been written, .in praise of it very naturally ■ -appeary as so much'cold-blooded mockery to such as aro • in hourly ■ dread of betraying, themselves ' under■ its. influence. .An , untoldrnumber of. crimes -have been .confessed by the- perpetrators during sleep. •' Is it. any. wonder,, asks a writer in "Science! Sittings," that those, conscious of -irregu- ■ larities of iconduct;..prefer to: remain awake? ■:;.$' '■"■■:■■''■'>■;,' .: ' '■'■•„. ; '".' ■>'" It was not long ago that a well-known .detective happened.to be travelling. in a ■ sKeping-car; The detective, who chanced to-be occupying a lower berth,' heard: the sleeper; above him burst forth .into a long-winded confession regarding-several daring jowel. robberies wherein:;he : had taken part.;.- Much impressed,: the officer kept an eye on him. Further inquiries proved that the confession had been'an exact< record of what had .taken place,; . ."Many years., ago.-a' common': lodginghouse was the scene of a: sleeping criminal's confession. The room was occupied by himself and one other—a young sailor. : While the sailor was lying awake he suddenly„ heard:a curious and ghastly laugh- issue from his room companion s lips. The ■ laugh was followed by a long and .rambling description of a murder !-he-had committed, horrible in its details* The sailor crept downstairs and informed the landlord of what had occurred. 'The latter at once summoned a, policeman, who recognised the sleeper as the man "wanted" for tho crime in question.