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Practical Instruction for Detectives

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<h2 class="pnc mf">CHAPTER VI</h2> MURDER CASES In my experience with murder cases I would divide such crimes into three classes, namely: The cases wherein a murder has been carefully planned or premeditated; the cases where a murder is committed suddenly or on the spur of the moment; and those that are a result of some person intending only to do bodily harm to another but wherein such injuries later cause death. One could hardly lay down any set rule to be applied by the detective for the proper investigation of murder cases. There are, however, several primary things that should be kept in mind by the detective, and which I have found will apply in most murder cases. The first and most important thing to be looked into is the motive. Every effort should be made by the detective to establish the motive, and if successful he will, as a rule, have little difficulty in ascertaining the identity of the murderer. After the murderer’s identity is known the detective has something definite upon which to work. The detective should satisfy himself as to which of the three classes previously named the crime would come under. It should be borne in mind that murders as a rule, are not committed for pastime or amusement. I would venture to state that seventy-five per cent of murders committed come under the first named class. Often they are very carefully[56] planned and the plans just as carefully executed. The detective should ascertain, by making inquiry or otherwise, who would profit by the death of the person murdered. It should be ascertained if robbery was the direct motive. Hundreds of persons have been murdered by slow poisoning. In such cases the detective must look for the relative who would benefit by the death of the person murdered. Persons very often are murdered so that the insurance they may carry can be claimed. It should be ascertained if the person murdered had any quarrels with business associates, relatives, friends, or other persons, or if the enmity of any person in particular was incurred at any time. If a weapon was used to cause death, it should be ascertained from the nature of the wound what kind of weapon was used, and if the weapon prove to be a pistol, its calibre, make, etc., should be gone into. Regardless of the kind of weapon used, if its nature can be established, the detective should endeavor to learn where it was secured, who was known to be in possession of, or known to have carried such a weapon. In murder cases every clue, no matter how small or vague, should be run out by the detective. The smallest clues often develop the best results. As the circumstances in every murder case will differ, the detective must use his own judgment as to how to proceed. Application of good judgment and good common sense methods have never failed to bring about results. <hr class="chap" /> [57] <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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