Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1903-03-13

Their Increasing Use In Courts of JUS
tice-Identifying Chinese.

JiH8 (ntHcScs
Ever since it's inception photography
has rendered valuable assistance to
Justice by the popular nature Of the
data 1t is capable of producing. One
of its earliest services along this line
was the improvement Of the various
''rogues' galleries" scattered through
out the country, where efforts were
being made to keep a record of por-
traits Of leading lawbreakers. Prior
to the advent of photography like
ncsses of criminals. as sketched by the
artist and reproduced by the wood
engrayer, offered but little aid to the
officers of the law for purposes of iden-
tification. The camera, however, cap
able of catching each facial charac-
teristic and fleeting expression. to-
gether with the ease with which its
results could be duplicated without
loss of any essential qualities, proved
most effectual help in the detection OF
criminals. %
The United States government en-
deavored for many years to perfect
a system of identification by descrip-
tlon merely in the matter of Chinese
certificates. But so many frauds
we're perpetrated that at last Congress
was compelled to adopt the amend
ment of November 8, 1893. requiring
every such certificate to have attach
ed to it's face the photograph of the
person applying for the same. This
clause in the exclusion bill was very
6is:asteful to the Chinese, who fought
it with great energy throughout the
country, but without avail.
When at last the Chinese found that
lation or suffer deportation the photog-
raphers of the Pacific coast could
hardly meet the demands of the ex-
cited Celestials, all of whom had be-
come very anxious to be photographed
before the expiration OF the time limit.
Certificate photographs are not re-
touched, and any scar or other prom
inent marking upon the face is made
as conspicuous as possible. to aid iden-
LITIGATION. The effect of the new law
was most salutary, and while frauds
are still occasionally attempted, they
are rarely successful
When the foregoing facts are taken
into consideration, 1t is not at all sur
prising that the camera is held in
wholesome respect by those who
would seek to break or cvade the law.
This point was emphasized last win
ter during the great transfers strike
in Boston. where policemen riding
with the drivers found cameras more
formidable weapons than firearms
would have been. Somehow when
those bent on mischief realized that
any act of violence on their part
would be brought up against them
later, the very boldest among them
shrank from making demonstration.
Although the photograph has been
used for years as means of identi-
fication, it is still looked upon in many
courts with a degree of suspicion,
when submitted in general evidence.
This is largely due to the fact that
Photographic negatives in the hands
of skilful manipulators are capable of
much "doctoring" and can readily be
made to bear witness to untruths.
Yet realizing that all evidence is
open to question and must be thor
oughly sifted, and trusting to photo
graphic experts to unearth attempted
fraud, the photograph is being adj
mitted in courts of justice as evidence
more extensively each year.
Finding by experience that we'll
taken. untouched photograph bearing
upon case in point often makes valu.
able evidence. many railroads, steam
ship companies and other corporations
are making it a practice to keep
cameras within easy reach of their
employees to be used when necessity
arises.-Scientific American.