TO DETECT LYING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 25, 23 February 1909, Page 4

TO DETECT LYING.

A machine that will indicate when a man is lying may seem merely the product of imagination, but it is claimed that such a contrivance has been iuventc*d by two, specialists of high repu- [ tation and undoubted integrity. The electric psychomotor, as it is called, is I described as "a galvanometer, plus* an apparatus for -measuring and recording the* fluctuations produced in the human oitganisto by n the emotions.'' The subject toi be experimented on rests one hand on, a/zinc and another on a carbon plate. An electric current is thus established, and by means of a lamp and mirror glass scale, or upon a measured .screen, a beam) that will move In sympathy with every emotional tremor. The eminent .psychologists, who have invented the machine claim Uiat a man cannot lie without an emotional tremor being set up within him, which will be registered by the machine. Take the case of a, man who. has stolen a watch, if the word ''watch" is pronounced in his hearing, among a number of nonsignificant words, the chances are 100 to 1 in favor of him betraying himself ■by means of the machine. Dr. Peterson, the, American co-inventor, obtained astonishing results with a young criminal, who was given a guarantee that nothing tha't was discovered would be used against him. lie had been out on patrol, and the points to be ascertained were whether he had broken, his patrol by leaving Xew York, whether he had been arrested, and whether he was concerned in certain thefts. When ho denied having been out of Xew York, and having been arrested, the beam oi light moved six inches each time. A number of cities were mentioned, and by all but [one the light was deflected. Further questioning established his guilt beyond doubt, though he maintained his inn)cence. In another experiment Dr. Peterson is said to have ascertained by means. i«f the psyt'homcter which one of three mem whom he had never seen before was in possession of certain information imparted to only one. of the three, by .mother person. The man with the information, came prepared to resist every effort to extort the secret from him, ■but it was to no purpose. At all the .-iguificant words propounded by Dr. .Peterson the light beam moved from three to six inches; at the indifferent ones it did not move more than two indies. It is said that the coolest and ■most accomplished of liare arc powerless against this contrivance.