The morning times., 1896-08-23
NEW TRICKS OF CRIMINALS
Chief Conlin Tells of Some
Novel Devices.
CHANGING EARS AND NOSE
New Way Of Disgusting the Eyes.
The Remarkable Change in Az
pearance by Head Shaving.
Copyright. 1896. }

Chiefs OF police In the larger cities have
lately remarked a growing ingenuity on
the part or criminals in the matter of
disguise In order to learn their iatest
arts the writer made a call oil Chief Of
Police Coplin OF New York at headanar-
ters the other day
professional criminals, - he said, ..are
more than ever prolific in the matter II
disgnises. They are showing increl lsed
cleverness in changing their physical ap-
pearance, So that the duties OF detective
become harder every day. 1t is no long
er necessary to be familiar simply with
the general appearance of the great crim-
inals OF the country who flock to Kew
York, but he must study the appearance
that man could assume by certain
amount OF change"
the adoption Of the Bertilion system
Of measurement by the New York DO
lice board. ana by other cities, is the
cause of the unusual efforts Of criminals
10 conceal their identity, according To rmer
Coniin. The system, being only under
stood in a genral way, the criminals DO
not take into consideration that To defeat
II would Decessitate change in the very
bones OF the body. But Chief Conlin admits
that under the Bertllon system it is
necessary 10 catch a man before he can
be measured, and that, however perfect
the system may he, apy one is certainly
safe enough as long as he can remain he
yond its reach.
knowledge OF certain details Of the
French system has taught The. ,,.tectivas
a great deal and if the criminal element
Is growing more cautious and more keen
every day. so are the men Of the denart.
mert. The criminals are becoming mor.
scientific every dav was shown a little
while ago. when a confidence man who
tas been known to the police for ten wears
was led into the Central office building.
A detective had followed him for three davs
before he dared to arrest him When this
man was examined critically the reason
for the detective's failure to identify him
|. was Instantly found In other davs tho
mans ears had stood out at n pronounc,d
angle from his head. now they Law flat.
II was found that a surgical operation
had been performed to prcduce this result
The skin OF the scalp and back Of the ear
had been cut away and the two held close
together for many days IN time the ear
had grown 10 the scalp ard So was held
II. a
gushing mark of the man the detective
naturally hesitated when he came upon a
man with dark spectacles and these fat
lying ears.
Did you ever think" asked Chief Con-
lin. what effect the removing of a heavy
growth OF hair from mans head would
make?' When the reply was made that the
listener had never even Thought of the mat.
ter. the chief explained that it would en-.
t,relv alter a mans appearance. Sew
eral cases have come before the police
loteIy Of criminals Disgusting themselves
IN this manner
The most simple discuises.- said the
chief ..are as rule. the more success.
fuI Take This idea of head shaving It.s
so verv simple that when we found it
was beng done we wondered that il
had not been thought of long before ~
II was purely an accident that disclosed
tho ,dea An Italian who had stabbed
n small boy and escaped before the no.
lice reached the scene. was arrested az
be waited from n barber shon half an
r., 1a,o- u;s ho,d ,v,s nc ba,d as an
60 7. h..5 inc, ho.n ,b,rad This
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