The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-15
MEASURING CRIMINALS.
Scientific Home Opinion Regarding the New
System from France.

System from France.
A despatch from Boston. printed In THE Sun
yesterday told OF tho instruction among the
convicts in the Massachusetts State prison
over the Introduction thore of the new Bertilon
system of registering criminals. This Is q sys-
TEN which originated not long ago in France.
1t is now in vogue in many parts OF Europe.
and In this country ut Joliet, ILL.,. at Allegheny
City, aud Mt several OF tho Western poniten-
tarics Tho system Is simply ono OF exact
hnthropometric measurements Of the criminal.
1t differs from the photoGraphing and general
description" usually practisod There are
taken tho exact length and width OF the
criminals head. length of the forearm, length
OF trunk tsittinR) length OF middle or longest
finger. length and width Of ear, color and de-
scription of eyes, and the location and de-
scription of all scars and marks on the face
and left arm. The criminal is also photo
graphed, front and profile The instruction
OF tho convicts in tho 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 Introducing
the system. Tho convicts declared that their
tIonai. They demanded that It" the s Supreme
would SS submit otherwse he conSets have
spent every night Tor quite q time now In yell
ing and raising an uproar. There have been
rumors that the now system was to be intro.
duced in Sing sing prison.
James Connaughton. the famous head keep
or at Sing sing prison, who has had sixteen
years experience in the care and Identification
Of criminals, told Sun reporter. yesterday
that the new system had not been introduced
into Sing Sing prison. and that there was little
Likelihood OF its being Introduced.
ton, and think the old systom is better. So
far az any objection to 1t on tho part Of the
be any, and l think we could manage any in
Subordinatiop which arose on account OF 1t.
" n rn Mt tod iFN
the new scheme came hero and wanted us to
try It. You see the measurements have to be
maehne or frame i IN which the i'm stands
With his arms outstretehed. Tho machine i9
course, the whole thing is business enter
prise. But should hate to rely for tho identi.
measurements of this kind, taken, perhaps.
years before the second Identification weS
called for. II seems TO me man would change
q good deal in those years think the new
method is little too far fetched and scientific.
anyway. thin good general description Is
better. Now. when man comes In We take
his lpedigree, habits, and $50 on. together with
his exact age. complexion. stature and weight.
write down very full general description:
whether tho man has a large nose or a small
nose. the shape Of his ears, tho size OF his feet
the shape OF his head, whether his eyebrows
are thick or not or wide apart or not. the birth
b Of are a h
has lost any fingers or toes. and all that sort of
thing. Then We photograph him-a good front
eral characteristics. and these do not change
materially from year to year. OF course, how
ever, tho adoption Of new system of identif-
cation Is not for us to decide. but Tor Gen, La
tlrop. the Superintendent of State Prisons"
One man in tho country who has the science
Of identifying criminals down fine is Chief In
spector Thomas Byrnes. The Chief Inspector
NOV acting SUPERINTENDENT told the reporter
yesterday that he didn't take any stock in tho
new system
" don't consider It ut all practical" he said.
These men who arc trying to sell tho meas
uroment machine came hero and wanted mo
to endorse the machine and also 10 buy one.
declined to do either. Isuppose they would
put my endorsement in book. which ! UNDER
stand they are publishing. tried to get them
to explain to me Just how 1t was that thoir
very minute and scientific measurements taken
OF a man twenty years old would hold good for
the same man ut fifty years Of age. We'll. they
didn't mako this very clear to me. and washed
my hands OF the whole business, particularly
when found that il was a business matter. In
my experience l have found that IL criminal
life Of thirty years will change mans body
quite materially regards the ilHo details
alluded to. OF course we photograph man,
several times, in different ways.
Then We find out all about the .marns on him
and the peculiar things about him. and get a
general description OF his person and Gnpcar-
ance That's worth mora than all the 1inlcRI
measurements, think.