The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-12-20

heels close together, with the back against a
perpendicular scale board set In the wall of
the room. The extent OF the outstretched
arms is ascertained by compelling the subject
to stretch his ARIES to their fullest extent at
right angle to his body against scale boards
running at right angle to the height scale
board. AS these measurements are made by
the examiner they are given to an assistant
who carefully records them In record book
especially designed for such purpose, and
the name, age, occup alton, residence, and
similar notes are also carefully recorded.
The above measurements having been made
and duly recorded, the body of the subject is
next closely examined, that any scars and
peculiar marks thereon may also be noted.
For to the measurements already described 1t
is proper to add description of such scars
and marks, and also the color of the eyes,
hair, and beard, as we'll as the form and d.
mensions of the nose. The nose is measured
for the ascertainment Of its length, projection
and breath, any peculiar or unusual condition
OF it being as carefully described.
Scars or marks are recognized as playing
most important part in the Identification of
the criminal, and for that reason they are
elaborately described and minutely noted
They are not only measured exactly and their
nature and origin recorded, but their exact
position upon the body designated; their de-
scrption being noted as follows: /. Their ma
ture (or designation). g. Their direction (or
inclination). 8. Their dimensions. f. Their
situation with regard to one or two specified
points of the body. Tattoo marks, although
their value for the purpose Of Identification is
always less than that of scars, moles, etc.,
should be fully described. The reason of their
being of less value for the purposes of identi-
ication, is due to the we'll known fact that
they may be marked over, altered and to q
certain extent obliterated.
The next point In the examination of the
subject is the noting of the anomalies of the
fingers, and their description is recorded with
respect to three distinctive features: l.
Shortened finger. O. Nail deviated or thick
ened. 8. Striated or split nail.
Next follows the noting Of the color and
expression of the eyes, and this feature is one
of the most trying and difficult of the whole
examination, owing to the fact that the many
changes in the color of the human eye is due
to the variety of lights and shadows. For
this reason the person being examined is d.
rected to stand before good, unvarying light
duu lOOh Iue e4umluer bQuaTely In Inc eye.
OF course, in the description Of the eyes any
and all the peculiarities observable are noted.
After the subject has been carefully weighed
and the weight noted, the examination is
completed by photographing him. The pho
tographs are taken, full face and profile, and
when finished they are pasted to the pages of
the record book containing the description Of
the subject.
From the above description of the Bertillon
system 1t can be readily seen that a person
once registered under it is, to use popular
expression, "marked for life," for no matter
what may afterward happen, no matter
whether lasting sickness or deformity by acci-
dent or disease may come, that person Is
utterly incapable of avoiding Identification.
For that reason the Bertillon system is not
only safeguard against the prevalence OF
uninterrupted crime, but it is also the safest
mode of protecting one unjustly accused of
being some one he is not The system, there
fore, not only protects society but equally as
we'll prevents the bounding of men arrested
merely on suspicion The Bertillon system
during its use by the local Police Department,
period of something over two years, has
time and time again demonstrated its great
value, and the department here is one of its
strongest and most earnest advocates.