Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-02
FACES OF CRIMINALS.
Inspector Byrnes Discards the Sci-
 ence of Physiognomy.
What Features Disclose-How to Study the Eyes-Characteristics of the Mouth, Jaws and Ears-The Deceptiveness
 of Appearances.

people as have, or under such various and | peculiar circumstances, asserting that they l understand human nature l doubt if even l one man is thoroughly understood by any | body, least of all by himself. For the pur- poses of my business, long experience in dealing with men and women is of incalcular ble value; it enables the detective to judge quickly concerning the individuals and ac- quaiuts him with many general character istics of the human family; but after all this valuable experience teaches one most important lesson-that it will never do to jump to conclusions on appearances. It leads the detective to distrust all general izations, all rules for discovering mans tendencies, all that so-called science, physi- ognomy, and to depend solely upon facts and evidence, meaning by the latter term things that will hold good in law court.
 It is true that the cast of mans features may be of service, and that no detective will examine 8 suppos ed criminal with his eyes shut; but physiognomy Is merely factor in the work, not guide to it. If all mon were savages, if they grew from infancy to man. hood and old age with no artificial inf1u- ences to bend their natures, physiognomy might be reduced to an exact science. l do not assert that it could, but admit that it might. In the complex civilization of to-day it never can be. For education mod flies the lines of the face to a remarkable degree. The growth of intelligence inn parts not only new, softened expression to the face, but actually changes it's ap- pearance to an extent that win inevitably throw the rules of physiognomy into con- fusion. Not that @ crooked nose may be- come straight, or a large mouth small; but wise habits and the desire to appear well in the world may erase the ugly, vice-born wrinkles about the eyes and on the fore head, and effect other changes of a similar nature.
 While the lines may be modified and the nature refined, the brutal or criminal ten dencies are not, unhappily, eradicated. They may lie dormant throughout life- time, and they may break out, if the provo cation arises, at any moment. If this hap pens the criminal is a hard case for the de- tectives. His education has taught him some things that his less fortunate brother in the dives can not make available. It sometimes happens that vicious tendencies remain dormant for generations, during which the lines of mans face have been 1 subject to constant improvement. In cases, 1 however, when boy of vicious percentage grows up in vicious surroundings, where | his animal nature is given full swing, he grows to man hood a marked criminal and can be picked out at sight. Just what direc- 1 tion his nature takes, however, whether to burglary, swindling, murder, icentiousness or petty thieving, can not be determined with accuracy at a glance.
 l have said that physiognomy may be re- garded as factor in criminal detecting. Even then it must be applied with caution, l and never be depended on without evidence l It is good plan to get evidence first and l then back it up, if you like the diversion, | withi an analysis of the features or l the criminal. In dealing with sus- ! I fr1y fo rat hfnta If their Charactpr | by observing the mouth, the eyes, jaws and l ears From the mouth fair estimate may
 be obtained of the subjects character as to determination or weak will power, brute courage or timidity, chastity or hcentious- ness, generosity or selfishness, cruelty or l kindness
 It will be observed that this does not go so far as to make a suspect hatly criminal or honest man; it simply suggests hls ten dencies. In seeking to determine whether
 a person is telling the truth depend good deal upon the eyes not, however, upon their general appearance, for the most evil-eyed
 person in the world may tell the truth at times, and some of the best of men may prevaricate upon occasions of great tempta
 tiou. It is rather the action of the eyes that
 tells the secret l try to place the person
 who is in question so that the light shines fully into his face. Then can see the pupils
 
 the light would call for feel pretty conf
 dent that I am dealing with liar. It is practically impossible to control the pupil One whose eyes do not waver when he is deceiving detective usually betrays him self by the very effort, which gives to his l face an appearance of over-contidence, anG his assumption of innocent candor become:
 @ calm stare.
 There is not great deal to be learned | of tho a and n1l
 have noticed that heavy, wide jaws usually
 go with small ears that lie close to the head Criminals of this class are generally desper l ate characters, hard to handle, who are lit
 tie amenable to reason, and appreciate only
 the argument of force. On the other hand,
 men with lantern jaws and Happy ears pre-
 sent little difficulty.
 A striking proof of the uncertainty O.
 physiognomy in determining mans char
 acter, to say nathing of the nature O
 his deeds, may be seen at a glance at thu
 rogue's gallery in this city. Three picturel were placed before visitor one day. H' knew from the circumstances that they , were criminals. One he fixed upon unhest , tatingly as a brutal murderer, another as 1 l swindler, and the third looked so much ik' ) a benevolent clergyman that the visitor dis , liked to rate him any where, but finally pu him down as thief.
 ssHe might have a mania for stealing books from libraries," said the visitor l EapologeticaiV. 3 E Turning to the backs of the photograph ] lthe visitor read the summarized records o = the three. The t'murderer's'' worst crim ] had been the snatching of money from 3 lady's hand as she was carelessly display ? ing 1t in the street; the "sw1ndler'' ha' < com mitted an atrocious murder, and tn
 benevolent-looking ''thief' was the keepe
 of an in famous resort And the visito
 thought he knew something about phys t ognomy and human nature, too.
 = Equine Hospitality.
 s Billy, horse attached to police patrt 6 station in Boston, has become know = throughout the Hub by It's iberality. 1 o member of the mounted squad while ar s swering roll-call ties his horse to the pos y forming one corner at the head or Billy g stall, and as soon as the animal is fastene
 Billy picks up mouthful of hay, forces
 through the iron grating about bis stall, an
 waits until his guest has eaten it. Then | | | &~VHn r. k}o hn