The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-20
MEASURING CRIMINALS.
Scientific Home Opinion Regarding the
New System From France.
From the Nei0 York Sun.

New System From France.
From the Nei0 York Sun.
A dispatch from Boston yesterday told Of
the instruction among the convicts in the
Massachusetts state prison over the intro
duction there of the new Bertillon system
Of registering criminals. This is system
which originated not long ago in France.
1t is now in vogue in many parts of
Europe, and in this country at
Joliet, ILL.,, at Allegheny City, and
at several of the western penitentla-
ries. The system is simply one of exact
anthropometric measurements of the crimi-
nal. 1t differs from the photographing
and general description usually practiced.
There are taken the exact length and width
of the criminals head, length of the fore
arm, length of trunk Sitting. length of
middle or longest finger, length and width
of ear. color and description of eyes, and
the location and description of all scars aud
marks on the face ana left arm. The
criminal is also photographed,
front and. profile The instruction
of the convictS in the Massachusetts, prison
was caused by the coming there of an expert
from the state penitentiary of Illinois at
Joliet and the beginning of his work in in
PRODUCING the system. The convicts de-
clered that their measurement, as proposed,
was unconstitutional. They deman ded that
the supreme court pass upon the matter, and
said they would not submit other wise. The
convicts have spent every night for quite a
time in yelling and raising an uproar. There
have been rumors that the new system was
to be introduced in Sing Sing prison.
James Connaughton, the famous head
keeper at Sing Sing prison, who has had
sixteen years experience in the care and
identification of criminals, told Sun re-
porter yesterday that the system had not
been introduced in the Sing Sing prison.
and that there was little Likelihood of it
being introduced.
1--WE seen it practiced," said Mr.. Con-
naughton," and think the old system is
better. So far as any objection TO it on the
part of the convict is concerned | don't
think there would be any, and l think we
could manage any insubordination which
| arose on account of it. But | don't think
much of the new notion. Some time ago
the men who were interested in the new
| scheme came here and wanted us to try it,
| Y gu see, the measurements have to be
| taken, most of them, by means of kind of
| machine or frame, in which the criminal
stands with his arms outstretched. The
machine is made, think, by some Chicago
| people, and, of course, the whole thing is a
| business enterprise. But | should hate to
| rely for the Identification of a criminal
| upon minute and exact measurements of
| this kind, taken, perhaps years before the
second identification was called for. 1t
| seems to me a man would change a good
deal in those years. | think the new meth ID
is little too far-fetched and scientific, any
way. think good general description is
better. Now, when a man comes in we
take his pedigree, habits and so on,
together with his exact age, COM
plexion, stature and weight, and the
color of his eyes and hair. Then we
write down very full general description
whether the man has large no or small
nose, the shape of his ears, the size of his
feet the shape of his head, whether his eye
brows are thick or not, o. wide apart or
not, the birth marks and other peculiar
| marks all over his body, how many of his
| teeth are missing, if he has lost any fingers
or toes. aud all that sort of thing. Then
we photograph him-a good front view.
Thus we get an idea of tne mans general
| characteristics, and these do not change
materially from year to year. OF course,
however, the adoption of a new system of
Identification Is not for us to decide, but for
| Gen. Lathrop, the superintendent of state
| prisons"
One man in the country who has the
science of identifying criminals down fine
| is Chief Inspector Thomas Byrnes. The
chief inspector now acting superintendent
told the reporter yesterday that he didn't
take any stock in the new system.
81 don't consider it at all practical he
said. These men who are trying to sell
the measurement machine cams Lere aud
wanted me to indorse the machine, and also
| to buy one. | declined to do either. | sup
pose they would put my Endorsement in a
book, which, understand. they are pub
| fishing. tried to get them to explain to
me just how it was that their very minute
| ana scientific measurements taken of a
man 20 years old would hold good for
the same man at so years of age. Well,
| they didn't make this very clear to me, and
l washed my hands of the whole business,
particularly when l found that it was a
business matter. In my experience l have
| found that criminal life of thirty years
will change mans body quite materially
as regards the fine details alluded to. OF
| course we photograph a man, sometimes
several times, in different ways Then we
| find out all about the marks on him, and
the peculiar things about him, and get a
general description of his person and ap-
pearance. That's worth more than all the
fnlcal measurements, | think"