Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-08-14
HARD ON CRIMINALS.
Methods of Identification which VIII Pre-
vent Their Escape.

Methods of Identification which VIII Pro-
vent Their Escape.
During recent visit to Chicago /
was afforded an opportunity of seeing
new method OF Identification OF GRIM
inals which was being introduced there
in the city detective and police work.
The system originated in France, and
Is carried on by means of what are
known as anthropometric Indications
When burglar or other criminal is
brought into police station one man
measures the different portions OF his
body to be hereafter mentioned, and
calls the figures of to q clerk, who
places the record In a book, the opera
ton on the whole reminding an OBJ
server Of tailor taking the measure
Of customer for a suit of clothes. All
measurements are taken in the French
metrical system, and are as follows:
Q) The height OF the prisoner stand
ing erect (2) The outstretched arms
from finger tip to finger tip. (3) The
trunk is measured from the bench to
the top of the head OF the pris-
oner seated. These measurements are
taken by the means of perpendicular
and horizontal graduated measures
placed on the wall. (D The length
of the head-from the cavity at the
root of the nose to the remotest point
of the back of the head. (5) The
width OF the head-the diameter from
side to side between the two points
most remote from each other, situated
over the ear and on horizontal plane
at right angles to the measurement Of
length. These two are taken by means
of caliper compasses (6) The right
ear--from the top OF the rim to the
lowest point of the lobe, taken by
small sliding compass. ca The left
foot-from heel to toe. (S) The left
middle finger--from point Of the
knuckle TO the tip of the finger, the
finger being placed at right angles to-
the back OF the hand COZ The left
little finger. Q0) The left forearm
from the point of the elbow to the tip
of the farthest projecting finger the
elbow being placed at sharp an
giles with the upper arm: QD The
left eye--the color of the inner circle,
and also of the external or peripherio
circle, and any peculiarities that may
exist. Q2) The nose-the profile;
form OF the ridge, base and root; the
dimension, or length, breadth and pro-
lection; and also any peculiarities.
(13) Observation-Disclosures, apparent
height and width. Q4) Marks and
scars, their nature. origin, direction,
dimension, location. The color OF the
hair, beard and the complexion and
photograph are then added to the de-
scription, and the record is so complete
that, no matter what means of disguise
the criminal may adopt thereafter, the
probability Of identity becomes
almost equivalent to dead cer-
tainty. The records are classified in
a systematic manner by small, medium
and large groups, which again are
subdivided by classes as to width of
head, etc., so that 10 takes but a few
minutes only to find whether crimi-
nal has ever been in the station before
or not. This system is called the Ber-
tillon method. A recent "local gos-
sip" in the Globe-Democrat from De-
tective Archambault told how detect
ives identified criminals by observing
the features in a circle OF the face,
taking in the forehead, eyes, nose and
front portions Of the cheeks II the
French system is the success that it is
claimed to be. the unfortunate crimi-
nal will have poor show to escape
Identification after being nabbed by a
shrewd detective. Louis Globe
Democrat.