CRIMES CONFESSED DURING SLEEP.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 387, 16 August 1911, Page 2

CRIMES CONFESSED DURING SLEEP.

Criminologists say that the great, est terror that, aiilicts that fractior of humanity suffering from an unensj conscience, is not dread of the police by any means, nor awe of any othei acknowledged enemy of law-del.ers What the criminal dreads is sleep which is, it appears, the friend o the righteous only. To men with tin knowledge of dark deeds stored within them, sleep is the most treacherous of foes. The countless poem; which have been written in praise oit very naturally appear as so mud cold-blooded mockery to such as art in hourly dread of betraying them selves under its influence. An untold number of crimes have been confessed by their perpetrators during sleep Is it any wonder, inquires a writer in " Science Sittings," that those conscious of irregularities of conduct prefer to remain awake ? It was not long ago that a wellknown detective happened to be travelling in a sleeping-car. The detec tive, who chanced to be occupying i lower berth heard the sleeper abov( him burst forth into a long-windee confession regarding several daring jewel robberies wherein he had taker part. Much impressed, the officia 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 lodging house 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. Tin laugh was followed by a long and rambling description of a murder he had committed, horrible in its de tails. The sailer 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 the crime in question. Perhaps the entire history of crime contains no more dramatic episode than that which occurred some years ago in a Prussian town. The husband of a certain attractive y-mng woman had vanished in a mysterious manner from his home, and all attempts to trace his whereabouts failed completely. Meanwhile a neighbour called Schmidt, who had beer devoted to the young wife before hei marriage reappeared on the scene, and paid her assiduous attentions So successfully did he press his suit that within a year of his ri% r al's disappearance the fair lady consented to marry him, and they were united at the parish church. On the second night following the wedding the newly-made bride lay nwake, unable to slumber. Presently there came a gurgling crv from the sleeping form beside her, and a moment later the man in a loud voice proclaimed that he had killed the missing husband, and had buried his body in a neighbouring wood. This statement the sleeper reiterated several times, naming the exact spot where the corpse lay interred. The

affrighted wife heard the whole confession, and next morning carried the remarkable story to the police bur eau. The place named by the sleeper was searched, and sure enough. the body of the vanished man was discovered there. Somewhat similar in several details was the case of an Austrian peasant who murdered his " friend " in order that he might woo the latter's sweetheart, a gid of unusual beauty. All attempts to trace the missing man had failed, and doubtless the affair would have remained a mystery to the end of time had not the criminal signed his own death warrant by confessing the crime while doling by the fire in a neighbour's cottage. Bit by bit he described the incidents of the terrible affair, statiner that he had destroyed his victim's body by fire. The man was then arrested and his cottage searched. Some garments and a watch belonging to the deceased being found there, his guilt was considered half proved, and when placed in the dock he made a full confession, repeating, in fan, what he had said during his unlucky slumber.