Evening star., 1903-07-02
AIDS FOR DETECTIVES.
Marks Which Even the Ingenuity of
Criminals Cannot Conceal.


From the New York Times.
II can easily spot a pickpocket in
crowd" said one of New York's detectives.
who has been attached to the detective pu-
reau at police headquarters for the last
flften years, in conversation with reporter
the other day. "It is not necessary that
know my man by sight first before l can
spot him A thief. as a rule, you know,
has a habit of glancing frequently over his
shoulder in furtive manner to see that he
is not being watched, and it is by that
habit that thief has often betrayed his
occupation to me.
Frequently I have had. to track and
identify men whom have never, seen. my
only. means of identification being photo
graph taken years ago. This Is usually
very difficult to accomplish however, as II
is easy for the criminal radically to change
his appearance. 1t Is possible FOR man
to pose as sailor, a farmer, Bowery
tough, or a pastor within, say, twenty-four
hours. Many criminals make a speciaity
of DISCUSSES. and assure you they can
alter their appearance to remarKaoie
degree.
.'Disguises. however. no matter how
cleverly gotten up. do not always conceai
a mans identity. There are. Tor instance,
the color and expression Of the eyes These
cannot possibly be altered. and they have
been one OF the most frequent aids, In
| Identifying fugitive criminals Another
Identification mark. although not an IN
/ fallible one, but one. nevertheless. by wmcn
/ I have on several occasions detected
| criminal when other means failed me. are
| the cheekbones Like the color OF the eyes,
| they cannot be changed.
DESCRIPTIONS as to the weight ana CIR
| cumference Of q wanted man frequently
I proye faulty and, therefore, unreliable as
| aids to detection This Is especially SO
| where a man has evaded the detectives for
| any great length Of time. for 1t Is possible
| that during. his evasion the criminal may
have lost a great deal of his weight ana
| corpulency, while, the other hand, q
| snare man may have gained In avoirdupois
and bulk In such cases, however. nave
In one or two instances estabifshed inc
| Identity of the man was after by his ears.
/ AS n rule. the worst criminals have oddiy
| shaped ears and no matter how cieverly
they may disguise themselves they can sell
dom succeed in concealing their teiltaie
I earmarks from the detective who has al
4 ready made their acquaintance.
| ssThe eyebrows also AFFORD another means
| Of personal identity, because they are m
/ variably distinctive and characteristic 70
the trained detective. About three years
| ago captured one of our cleverest crooks.
1 a man who has served many terms IN Sin6
| Sing. by the peculiar slant OF his eyebrows.
! At the time I arrested him he was wearins
/ a wig and a flowing black false beard The
| disgliise might easily have deceived tne
| "a snail observer, but 10 me there was one
| thing lacking to make It complete. He mao
j FORGOTTEN to alter his eyebrows. ana they
| alone gave me the cue TO his identity
4 Clever criminals. after making perhapa
| rsch haul eomewhere, Will pay nberally
i for effective disguises few facial arusta
An New York CITY could ten you Of tn.
\ haSsdsone prices they are freouently PAID
for makeups."