The Washington times., 1894-06-04
THE BERrILLoN SYSTEM.
An Infalliable Method Of Identifying Grim
inals Now in Common Use.
from the New York World.

An InfaIliable Method Of Identifying Grim.
inals Now in Common Use.
From the New York World.l
The Bertillon system Of identifying crimi-
mails was put to another successful test the
other day in Paris. in identifying an aaarch-
ist. In conversation with a World reporter,
Superintendent Byrnes said that this system
is extremity simple, and at the same time far
superior to the old method Of Identification by
photographs. The system, he said, is such
that the mere facial appearance OF o prisoner
whose Identification is desired is merely incl
dental.
The system is now twelve years old ,and, like
many other good things, It came from Paris,
having been invented by N. Alphonse Bertil-
Ion. II. Bertilloh calls 1t the tnthropometri-
cal system, but in this country this jaw
twisting title is dropped and Bertilon's name
substituted.
Once man has been subjected to it, 1t is
always possible to identify him. Birthmarks,
tattooing, or even branding, which have
before now been resorted to as a means OF
identifying criminals, soldiers, or sailors
given to deserting, were found to be not
always sure guides. BirtEmarks might be
removed and artificial marks multiplied in
definitely. There can be no evasion under
the new system, which is based on measure
ments Of the body. There are eight OF these
measurement, as follows: l, the length and
width Of the head; 2, the length Of the left
middle and little fingers; 8. the length OF the
left foot; 4, the length of the left forearm; g..
the length of the right ear; 6, the length of
the figure; Z, the length of the outstretched
arms; 8, the length of the trunk.
But this examination does not stop here. 1t
might be possible, though it is not on record
that it ever occurred, that two different men
would have exactly the same measurements.
SO other features are called in. In Paris,
among 100 persons examined, 81 per cent. had
brown hair, 10 per cent. blond hair, 81 per
cent. black hair, and .03 not classified. One
third had haxel eyes, one-fourth gray eyes,
one-seventh blue eyes, and one-fourth eyes Of
an indistinct color.
But when measurements and record Of
the color Of hair and eyes are compared, the
Identification is practically absolute. In ad-
dition to this, all scars on the body are meas
ured and marked on a chart with the other
measurements, and two photographs are
taken-one full face, and the other profile.
When first issued these charts were not alto
Rether satisfactory, but lattery the minor de-
fects have been corrected by publishing on
each chart a scale in inches, while the color
of the eyes is more accurately fixed by an out
line chart on which are represented twelve
shades Of brown and four OF blue, each shade
being reproduced in exact colors on a back
ground of black. and numbered for ,conyen-
ience Of reference.
In taking measurements the length Of the
head is taken by special compass made for
the purpose. One leg Of the compass is
placed at the bridge Of this nose, and the
other Is moved around to find the greater
length behind. The color Of the eye is regis
tered according to the intensity OF the pig
mentation of the iris. Since the introduce
ton Of the new system into the army the
record of desertions has gone down in a re-
markable way. From the close OF the war
down to a few years ago the annual deser-
tons amounted to nearly Is per cent. of the
enlisted strength. Since the Introduction OF
the Bertillon system it has gone down TO
about per cent. The Identification Of
crooks is of course more difficult than that
OF deserters. Keen though the thieves may
be, the Bertilon method is too much for
them, and SO it is that the police say it has
come to stay.