The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-17

signaiment, consisting in measuring with
great care some of the most character
istic dimensions of the bony structure.
Next is the descriptive signalment. This
is an observation of the bodily shape
and movements and the most pronounced
mental and moral qualities. Then comes
the signaIment by peculiar marks, which
is self-exDlanatory.
Recognition Certainty.
In this manner the exact identity of
any person can be established, so that
when signalized a second time he can be
recognized with certainty by reference
10 the file in which his former measure
ments are kept. No matter how many
persons are represented on the files, the
method will always result IN proper
Identification after a few minutes work
To furnish more comprehensive I'M
Outstanding of the process it would, per-
haps, be we'll to give brief description
of its secrets. This can be done in no
better way than to take a criminal
through the system of identification and
show how he is measured to flt'
ne lOldl ASASII PiOJSCISu ny IAS41lS
Of a wooden square on graduated me-
ter placed vertically against the wall.
The subject, barefooted, is placed with
his back to the wall, the vertebral col
umn about fifteen centimeters to the left
of the scale. The more rapidly the OPP
Grafton is performed the more accurate
ii will be.
The reach, or length Of the arms ex-
tended in the shape of cross, is taken
Immediately afterward. almost without
moving the subject, by means of a mural
graduation whose centimetricaI vertical
lines are adapted TO all heights.
And so all the mea surements are
taken. The height OF the trunk, the
length and width of the skull, the two
the naked foot, the size of the middle
and little finger, and the length of the
left forearm-all these are important
factors IN the process of Identification.
Recorded on the Photograph.
The measurements are recorded on a
photograph of the prisoner and the card
is placed on file in the gallery. This
mere statement seems to hide no intri-
cate problem or the system, But 1t does.
For the fling of the pictures was a per-
picking question on which the success
of the invention depended.
Take It upon yourself TO find a solu-
ton for the problem Suppose you
wished 20 locate photograph of a noted
criminal and had nothing to guide you
except his measurements. Truly, 1t IS
a proposition thet no person would like
to face. when one realizes that the gal
lery probably contains 10000 or many
more pictures.
The file consists of a case containing
many small drawers. each representing
a certain classification. The men are
placed on one side of the case, the wo-
men on the other For minors under
the age of twenty-one years a special
classification is required.
The adults are first distributed ac-
cording to the length of their head,
which are themselves divided into
classes of short, medium. or long In
deed these three words take an impor-
tant part in the filing of photographs
Each lot is again subdivided. without
any further regard to the length of the
head. into three more groups. based On
the width of the head. 1t was long since
observed in anthropology that the width
of the head varies independently of its
length.
Again the groups are separated &C
cording to the length of the middle nn-
ger, giving a total thus far of twenty
seven under subdivisions. The length Of
the foot furnishes a fourth indication,
while next in order come three subdI-
visions of the forearm.
The variations in the height reduce
the size of the group still further.
while the length of the little finger. the
color Of the eye, and the dimensions of