Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-13
HOW CRIMINALS ARE rATTooED.

Queer Inscriptions Found the
Bodies of Some of Them.
From the Boston Traveller.
Perhaps the most curious literary objects
of interest at New Scotland Yard, the head
quarters of the metropolitan police force,
are the archives containing particulars of
the marks, &c, found on criminals who,
at one time or another, have had dealings
with the police.
There are several volumes of extraordi-
nary int crest, and their contents are nas-
urally, Of the greatest assistance to the
police force in tracking or recognition Of
old offenders. 1t is very odd to note that
nearly every man who has come within
the reach of the arm of the law is tattooed
In one or another part of his body And
when the thousands of criminals are taken
into account, ii will be seen that tattoo.ng
must be carried on somewhere on an ex-
tensive scale. Most of the prisoners tat
tooed belong to the lower-m.ddle and lower
classes. few of those who are entered as of
fair education bearing any tattoo marks
upon their bodies.
Bricklayers, lsSorers. navvies, common
thieves, sailors, p.ckpockets who Snatch"
handkerchiefs, &c. are those who chiefly
enjoy the doubtful privilege of bearing the
making a permanent record of his sweet
hearts name has pricked on his chest the
words II love Mary jane while another
prefers to say In memory of my sweet
heart" The records show hundreds Of
cases Of this kind.
The man who inscribed on his chest the
words Il love-" followed by the initials of
fifteen girls, must certainly have been a
phrase Il love- found on prisoners bodies
during the past three years fill several
pages of large book. Other marks Of
affection ale I'm memory of my sister and
mother and sacred to the memory of nv
dear cousin while one criminal Of reiig-
ious tendencies has the Lords prayer in
scribed on his back in letters of blue and
red.
for the sea. If tattoo marks go for any
thing. One man rejoiced in being tattooed
from the neck to the calf of his leg the
pictures representing sea fights. ships in
Union Jack. with the words I'm memory
of the old flag and vet another glories in
the possession on his chest and back of a
mermaid three ships of war, three wo-
mems heads and three men, the latter fish
ing from boat.
Ships in iull sail are tattoo marks very
frequently found on the body of prisoners
one man actually being tattooed in this
manner on the sole Of his right foot That
this mark should nave been observed is a
good Illustration of the stric.ness of the
search made by the police authorities. A
crucifix is favorfte tattoo mark; and one
man went to the length Of having the
twenty-third Psalm inscribed on his back
Many prisoners apparently indulge in
strong drink. If the marks ON their bodies
mean anything. One man had depicted
upon his chest two foaming tankards of
beer, several pipes and a tobacco pouch
Several, too, go in for fisticuffs, many
prisoners-chiefy young men and boys
bearing the words Smith and Kilrain,"
&c, on different parts of their bodies An
1rishman was found to have completely
covered his chest with a large design Of
the harp Of Erin.
The above are only a few examples of
the large variety of tattoo marks found on
the bodies of prisoners, who probably, if
they knew how useful TO the police for pur-
poses Of Identification tattooing was, would
keep away from colored inks in future
Many prisoners have apparently tried 10
great amount of success.