The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
McCANX,s PLATES FOR IDEN1IFICATION PURPOSES

and Of the arrests make by the police on
descriptions fully 9S per cent re made only
when q Photograph has accompanied the
description. To obtain photograph OF an
unknown robber is necessarily impossible,
yet were the person robbed to be shown
great number of pictures it is possible that
he might be able 10 select one as looking
something like the man who robbed him.
IL is OF this possibility that Officer Mccain
proposes 10 take advantage, not by showing
the complainant complete picture. but by
literally building up picture TO his order.
Under the McCann system every police
station would be furnished with SIX large
maps or plates which could be hung on the
wall. The first would consist OF front view
outlines of yaIi0usly shaped heads, the
prominent types only being followed. The
second plate would be Of eyes and eye
bToSs, cOnfguralion rather than expression
being aimed at. Noses come on the third
plate, boards and muslaches on the fourth,
various sorts of hats on the NTH, and ears,
if noticed, on the sixth Besides the plate
number each outline on the sheet has its
individual reference number which in turn
refers to cabinet drawers leItered to CORE
sp0nd. The row of drawers lettered plate
l" contains a series of cards six by four
inches in size, each bearing the front view
outline Of a head differing according to
their index numbers so that the outline on
''plate ]. No. ]" differs materially from that
OF plate /, No ." The other drawers are
similarly numbered and indexed. but
instead of cards contain small gummed
labels with the various features printed
upon them and roughly trimmed to outline.
In use the system is a follows: A man
has been robbed ana is able TO give a fair
description Of the robber. He calls at the
police station 20 make complaint and is
turned over to the sergeant In charge Of the
McCann Identification system. Instead Of
taking written description Of the robber
the sergeant shows the complainant: plate
and asks him IL he can remember enough OF
the robbers face 10 say which outline it
looks like. The man selects No. 3, and the
sergeant opens the drawer in plate /, row
numbered 3. and takes out one oil the cards.
Then the complainant selects from the next
plate eyes and eyebrows No. as most like
those OF the robber, and the sergeant pastes
a label from that box in the proper place
on the outline head. The same method Is
followed with the other features until the
portrait is built up, and as tie reference
numbers are Identical in each station the
numbers can be telegraphed and an exactly
similar portrait constructed 10 each station
II necessary. Such Geographic description
would read: ARREST for rObbery-Plate l,
No. 3; plate 2. No. i plate 3. No s." etc.
"Of course" said Officer McCann. there
would De mistakes. but / claim that there
would be fewer than under the present sys-
tenn of written descriptions. II man is
competent to give a description at all he is
competent 10 give il under my system. A
certain amount Of manual dexterity on the
part Of the sergeant constructing the pic
tu-es is necessary, but it can easily be
picked up. just as much as a photograph
excels written description for purposes of
identification, just so much does my system
excel that at present in vogue. / believe
the Bertllon system TO be the best system
for identifying criminals after they have
once been caught, but / believe mine is the
best for catching them"