The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-19
CAUGHT BY lHE CAMERA.
Criminals often Brought to Justice
by Accidental Photography.

From Tit-Bts.
BY both accident and intention. on
numerous occasions, the art of the pho
tographer has proved Of immense util-
ity in comprising the conviction Of
criminals.
An amateur photographer in Chicago
city cunningly concealed an automatic
camera in the tapestried wall of his
drawing room, for the purpose of Sc
curing some reliable evidence as to the
behavior of certain members of his
household during his absence from
home. one moonlight night a burglar
broke into the house by way of the
apartment mentioned. In so doing he
disturbed the spring which set the hid
den machinery in motion and left an
excellent photo of himself upon the
faithful camera. which, when produced
in court, secured his speedy convlc-
tiOn.
In another instance, a man who mur-
dered his mother was arrested by the
operation of the omniscient camera.
The dreadful deed was committed in a
! forest, where student of photography
was at work A particularly pretty
| glen was SO admired by the artist that
of these, when duly developed and en-
| larged, portrayed the details of the
| terrible tragedy. and by it's aid the cul-
| prit was brought to justice.
During the jubilee celebrations a we'll
| known photographer in London took a
number of street scenes of historic in
| terest. In one of these pictures, where
| vast cOncourse of people were assem-
| era revealed a pickpocket in the very
| act of plying his peculiar profession.
| An old detective, who afterwards in
| spected the photograph, said that he
| knew the man well. He was badly
| wanted" for frauds committed on the
| continent. but the officers We're not
aware that he was in London. a week
| later he was arrested.
\ snapshot at a summer crowd
| on the sands at Margate came out
so clearly that the knight Of the cam
| era showed 1T with satisfaction to E,
number of his friends. Among these
was Scotland Yard officer. who dis
covered among the mass of faces the
| FAMILIAR features of a man whom he
| had been hunting for months. Taking
| the next train to Margate he haunted
TUE DedCllcS ulltll ne Slgnted the tugl-
! tive and effected his arrest.
| A Portsmouth photographer paid a
| professional visit to large garden
! party at SOuthsea where he took a
| group of Fashionable visitors with sa-
| lient success. During the process OF
! development he observed that in the
| holly hedge behind the group a rather
| rcpulsiVe human face appeared. \
| fortnight later lady purchaser of one
| of these photographs made the same
| singular discovery, and averred that
! the face reSemblcd that of a man who
| had made futile attempt to rob their
house few weeks prior to the party.
| The matter being mentioned to the
| police the district was secured, and
| then man-WhO was. an old criminal
was arrested and Imprisoned.
An Irish housebreaker in Belfast.
evidently ignorant concerning the
! character of the camera, found his
way one night into photographer's
studio, on burglarious thoughts intent
when large Photographic apparatus
| attracted his attention More by ac-
| cident than by design the camera had
| been left ready for use and the art
less manipulation of the machinery
! by the curious theft, actually produced
a picture Of himself, which was after
wards employed to bring about his con-
| victon.