title: The Myth of the Out of Character Crime
author:  Stanton E. Samenow 
description: "Drawing on his firsthand experiences of interviewing and treating such offenders, Samenow offers numerous case examples of everyday people committing extraordinary crimes, among them the Washington, D.C. sniper Lee Malvo. For law enforcement personnel, criminal justice professionals, criminologists, students, and interested general readers." - <strong>SciTech Book News</strong>
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  # The Absent-Minded Coterie
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Robert Barr
  
  
  This page copyright © 2002 Munsey's.
  
  
  http://www.munseys.com
  
  SOME years ago I enjoyed the unique experience of pursuing a man
  
  
  for one crime, and getting evidence against him of another. He was
  
  
  innocent of the misdemeanor, the proof of which I sought, but was
  
  
  guilty of another most serious offense, yet he and his confederates
  
  
  escaped scot-free in circumstances which I now purpose to relate.
  
  
  You may remember that in Rudyard Kipling's story, "Bedalia
  
  
  Herodsfoot," the unfortunate woman's husband ran the risk of being
  
  
  arrested as a simple drunkard, at a moment when the blood of murder
  
  
  was upon his boots. The case of Ralph Summertrees was rather the
  
  
  reverse of this. The English authorities were trying to fasten upon
  
  
  him a crime almost as important as murder, while I was collecting
  
  
  evidence which proved him guilty of an action much more momentous than
  
  
  that of