Omaha daily bee., 1889-09-30
IDENTlFICArIoNo OF DEsERTERs.
Mrjor Greenieaf Orthe Unite l States
Army, Suggests New Method.

Mrjor Greenieaf Ofthe Unite 1 States
Army, Suggests n New Method.
NEW York, Sept. 29-Major Charles r.
Greenleaf, surgeon of the United States
army, read paper entitled personal
Identity as a Means of Recognizing De-
serters,n before the Military Service insti-
tueion, on Governors Island, yesterday
afternoon. In the absence of General How
ard, General James B. Frey presided A
number of army officers and medical men
were present, and great interest was man
ifested in the paper Major Greeneaf said
the one blot on the history of the United
States army was the frequency of deser.
tions. He believed the deserters were
largely 'repeaters," and 1t was i'm
portant to identify them. The question
was, could it be done and how2 Three
means are known for accomplishing this pur-
pose. First, by photographs second, by
measurements of the Interchangeable -anatom-
ical parts and third, by permanent body
markings. The major first discussed identi-
fcation by means of photographs, and
reached the conclusion that it was unreliable
and could only be considered as a convenient
adjunct to better system. The second
means, that of bodily measurements and the
system of M, Bertilon, applied by him some
years ago to the identification of
criminals in France Seven measurements
are taken, those of the left middle and little
fingers, of the left foot, of the left forearm,
of the right car, of the outstretched arms,
and of the height standing and sitting The
measurements are classified INTO large, me-
dium and small, and when new individual
| is measured, 1T can quickly be ascertained
whether his measurements correspond with
| those of any other Individual. OF 100, 600
| subjects measured hardly ten show approx.
mate measurements in all of the
seven respects. The third means of
| Identification is by permanent bodily mark
| ingss BY these are meant sears of all kinds,
| whether from cuts, shot wounds, assesses,
| burns, etc. mutilated, distorted ampu-
| tated members, physical abnormites, as
| tumors, redundant or webbed fingers and
| toes, etc; moles, birthmarks, tattooings, Pc
| culiarity OF markings either in color or
| structure of the IRIS, and last and
| perhaps most interesting, finger mark
| ings The value of these marks as q
| means of identification, Major Green
| leaf added, is recognized and admitted by all
| observers. Even Nj. Bestillon said that
| "they offer greater guarantee for identifi-
| cation than measurements, and would take
| their place altogether If il were possible To
| use them as basis of classification Major
| Greenleaf believed this to. be possible, and
| said that the system WAS now in use at the war
| department, introduced at his own sugges-
| tion, In order TO make practical use of the
| system the person must be stripped, the
| body mapped into regions, and each region
! thoroughly searched for marks. The most
| characteristic and permanent of personal
| marks are ''the small burrows with the iL-
tervening ridges that are disposed in SIN
| gularly complex yet regular order on the
| under surface of the hands and feet" The
| speaker discussed these marks, and the use OF
| them that had been made in ancient times
| They are Interchangeable, and may be
| recorded and kept in permanent form. The
| speaker summed up the merits OF each
means of Identification. photographs are
| unreliable; the Bertlllon system of measure
| ment is reliable, but there is an ethical OBJ
| lection TO IT, since 1t was conceived and Il
| used IN the detection of criminals. The sys
ten of bodily marks is less open to that OBJ
| lection, but requires accurate recording 10 be
| of use. He preferred II, but valued the op
| portunity OF falling back on the Bertilor
| system. The paper was well received by the
| gentlemen present, aud in the discussion
| that followed Colonel John Hamilton, Cap
tain b. Il. Roberts, General Martin ID. Har.
din, Captain James Chester and Lieutenant
| Guy Howard participated.