The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-09-07
EXPOSITION LETTER.
{ Written Tor the Citizen. }
PARIS. August 90, 1900.

] a.
his silence, by the BertillOn sys-
TEN of measuring criminals, for
the pavilion contains the exhibit
of the Paris police and this ex-
hibit again includes a full expo
Sition of the BertillOn system.
The system has only been invent.
ed sixteen years, but it is already
i'll use in all countries that pre-
tend to civilization and progress
The reason is that it is at once
simple and unerring. AS NJ. Ber-
tillon says, no human person can
have distinct and precise men.
tai portrait of person and CON
sequently, without the aid of
science, no one can be absolutely
certain of a criminals identity
with some one he has previously
seen however close the general
resemblance may be. 1t is differ
ent VIXEN criminals measure
ments are scientifically deter
mined, and the process by which
they are determined is infallible.
The subject is first of all measured
from head to foot. He is then
seated and measured from the
waist upward. Then the head is
measured, length and breadth, to
the fraction of a millimetre by
compass like apparatus of great
nicely. Next the ear is measured.
then the feet, the middle and
little fingers and so on. and when
the color Of the eyes has been
noted identification is complete.
SalSOu was identified in the first
place by the dimensions of his
head All heads are long, aver
age, or short. Salsou's was $50
millimetres, so fell among the
average. Then the breadth of
his head was taken. 1t was 1876
millimetreS, and with these two
figures known it only became
necessary to look through the
records so as to find the man to
whom they belonged. This was
done and the name Of their owner
was SalsOu. When Salsou saw
he was found out he admitted the
identity. Silence was no match
for science.
Another part of he Paris police
exhibit that is attracting atten-
ton for the moment is the prison
curiosities shown there. AT one
side you have the right half of
the heavy wooden gate of the
Conciergerie where Marie An
toinette was confined. 1t is
barred with iron and defended
by an enormous lock. On the
other side is part of the main gate
of the old prison of St. Pelagie.
Many curious and indeed repul-
Sive pictures are displayed along
with these historic relics, includ.
ing IL likeness Of Ravaillac, the
assassin Of Henri " in the early
part of the 18th century. and of
FrieSchi with his internal ma
chine. The machine itself is w.
ing close by-a torn gridiron it
appears to be, made of hollow
and death-dealing iron tubes.
Several of the relics, among them
an enormous key of the Bastille,
are labelled "C0llection Victorian
Sardou" and recall to memory not
only the blood stained annals of
Of the Revolutionary period, but
also draw the mind to the great
French dramatist and the tragic
storehouse from which he has
taken so much Of his material.
One picture-an engraving rather
is especially touching-that of
Charlotte Corday in prison the
night before her trial and con
domination. She is writing to
her father and the letter is quoted
underneath. MY dear father"
it begins, ''pardon me for dealing
with my own life in this way; it
is sacrificed to avenge many in
nocent people and to save many
more" And she goes Oh to recall
Cornille's saying that "the crime
makes the shame, not the scat
fold"
The painting awards at the Elk
position are now declared and
while France, as is perhaps only
right. receives ten Grands Prix,
only two go to America Sargent
and Whistler), and two to Great
Britain (Alma-Tadema and Or
chardson). All other countries,
except Belgium, get one apiece,
so America and England can
hardly grumble. Belgium is
given two. OF the gold medals
France has nearly fifty, while
Germany has six, America seven
and Great Britain six. The
American painters chosen. in al
phabetical order. Abbey, Alex
ander, Miss G. Beaux, Bursch,
Chase, Homer and Thayer, while
the English are Clausen, Forbes,
Gregory, Lorimer, Reid and Swan
A striking testimony to Gener
al Porter's popularity with the
French is afforded by an incident
that occurred few days ago IN