AMERICAN POLICE METHODS.

Shannon News, 21 February 1928, Page 3

AMERICAN POLICE METHODS.

HICKMAN AND THE THIRD DEGREE. A striking indictment of the American svstem of justice is made in an article in’ the "Melbourne Herald, written by J. A. Alexander, of the "Sun News-Pictorial” staff, who was visiting the U.S.A. at the time of the murder. _ Mr Alexander’s article is m part reproduced here: — The ruthless terroristic methods adopted by the Los Angeles police authorities* when a prisoner has no political or money "pull” fill with amazement an Australian observer accustomed to principles of British which lay down that a man is innocent until he is proved guilty; that no man, as in this case, can be compelled to incriminate himself. That an accused person in the hands of the police has no rights in this country, unless someone outside the law enforcement system can pull strings for him, has been clearly demonstrated by the Hickman case. In a previous article I described how the police officials of Pendleton (Oregon), pending the arrival of a special train of Los Angeles police, compelled Hickman to stand in front of a curious, menacing and morbid crowd, whicli filed past him hour after hour. This was a new form of Third Degree, devised to break down his morale and his expected resistance to the persuasion of "Hardboiled” Herman.

That ordeal, severe as it must have been to any person, whether guilty or innocent, was but a foretaste of what was to come. It must be remembered that Hickman had given the slip to a cordon of about police, detectives, deputy-sheriffs, and special officers of the Los Angeles County, and had been captured by two men, who, in the city, would be regarded as mere "hick” police. This did not tend to make him more popular with the Los Angeles authorities. District Attorney Asa Keyes, the police chief, and "Hard-boiled Herman” headed the party which travelled the 1600 miles by special train to Pendleton, and it was agreed, according to the Press representatives who accompanied them, that Hickman must bo made to talk. ‘' Hard-boiled Herman, ’ ’ Keyes ’ chief lieutenant —"Big, good-natured Herman,” the Los Angeles "Examiner” described him in reporting the incident, struck a rich vein of originality. He detailed two officers to make Hickman face the crowd at every stop and say tro him: "Look at that, little girl.” This was regarded as a stroke of genius. It. wa-i, as the "Examiner” states, " a prearranged plan to shatterslowly but surely the nerve of the murderer.” And it worked perfectly. Soon Hickman began to tremble when, he heard the words. To quote the'" Examiner” again: "The remark was working-on his mind. The officers were relentless, repeating the words every time a station was reached, and a crowd was gathered.” Yes, Hickman talked all right, and small wonder, after 20 hours of this. When the time was considered ripe, "Hard-boiled Merman” appeared before the prisoner, who succumbed, and a confession, which occupied 19 pages of manuscript, was. the result . It was a triumph for Herman Clync, making him popular with his Superiors, and the whole case will stand Asa Keyes in .good stead when he runs either for re-election or for a judgeship. To Australians it will read like a page from a sensational detective fiction.

More than a week had elapsed since, his arrest when Hickman reached Los Angeles, but he had not been permitted to see a, lawyer. He seemed just as (die papers stated, a mad beast; but lie could scarcely have been otherwise after wliat. he had gone through, even f he were innocent. Of course, he was allowed to read the newspapers, which day after day bore headings like this: "Keyes Says 'The Fox’ Will Hang!” Keyes and Herman Clyne obtained from Hickman a promise that he would plead guilty, would not demand a jury trial, aud, in order to build up publicity for the prosecuting officers (they did not tell him this, of course), would relate the full story in Court of his frightful crime.

Everyone concerned with the ease is “cashing in" on it. The two Oregon police who had the good fortune to apprehend Hickman have signed up with a vaudeville circuit at £IOOO a week, the Press announced yesterday. Both ; hose officers and everyone else who can connect himself with the crime are giving radio talks, writing newspaper articles, or having them written for them. Certain freak “Churches," which go in for sensationalism, are drawing packed houses by sermons on the crime, on whether it was due to “behaviourism," and so on. The Conservative J.os Angeles “Times" has published several editorial articles strongly pressing for the death penalty —this before the date for the trial has been fixed and before the question of the prisoner’s sanity has been formally determined. To British ideas, the whole proceedings constitute a mockery and a cari-cature-of justice. Enlightened Americans are pained and shocked by this degradation of their legal system; but they are helpless.