Human Skeleton Confession Machine

Text on the meme

In 1930, Helene Adelaide Shelby patented an apparatus for obtaining criminal confessions. The police put the suspect into a darkened chamber where they are confronted by a human skeleton with glowing red eyes that questions them with a voice transmitted from the interrogator behind it, through a megaphone in its mouth. A camera concealed in the skull was to record the confessions WHAT

What it means

A vintage patent-style drawing shows a suspect facing a seated interrogator hidden behind a mechanical human skeleton. The accompanying text describes an absurd 1930 apparatus designed to frighten criminals into confessing, and the “WHAT” reaction highlights how bizarre and unsettling the invention sounds. EN: A vintage patent-style drawing shows a suspect facing a seated interrogator hidden behind a mechanical human skeleton. The accompanying text describes an absurd 1930 apparatus designed to frighten criminals into confessing, and the “WHAT” reaction highlights how bizarre and unsettling the invention sounds.

Objects

human skeleton / человеческий скелет mechanical apparatus / механический аппарат glowing red eyes / светящиеся красные глаза man standing / стоящий мужчина man sitting / сидящий мужчина chair / стул megaphone / мегафон camera / камера skull / череп darkened chamber / затемнённая камера patent drawing / патентный чертёж floor / пол pipes / трубы pulleys / шкивы