The achievements of Luther Trant

The opening frames Luther Trant not as a fantasy creation but as a scientist applying real psychological techniques to criminal investigation. A former laboratory assistant turned detective, he uses measurements of emotional responses—galvanic skin resistance, hand movements on automatographs—to read the hidden cues of suspects and witnesses. The narrative introduces his partnership with an older professor, Dr. Reiland, as they critique the antiquated police interrogations that still dominate the justice system.

In the first act, Trant confronts a cascade of unsolved murders and wrongful incarcerations reported in the morning papers, arguing that conventional “third degree” methods rely on superficial signs like flushed faces or nervous speech. He proposes a systematic, experiment‑based approach that could expose deception more reliably, offering the potential to reshape courtroom testimony and even hiring practices. Listeners are invited to follow his methodical reasoning as he prepares to apply these techniques to a baffling case that has drawn the city’s attention.