midnight
What was this `` third degree '' they were talking about ? Now he remembered . He had heard of innocent men being bullied , maltreated , deprived of food and sleep for days , in order to force them to tell what the police were anxious to find out . He had heard of secret assaults , of midnight clubbings , of prisoners being choked and brutally kicked by a gang of ruffianly policemen , in order to force them into some damaging admission . A chill ran down his spine as he realized his utter helplessness . If he could only get word to a lawyer . Just as the coroner was disappearing through the door , he darted forward and laid a hand on his arm .