Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-07

lice cirClc1 by tnc ldcnliucalluh oi iJ"ihcl
Nolan, or Henry johnson, OF James Jones'
q weli-known English "crook," by the
detectives Of Scotland Yard, London,
from a print Of one Of his thumbs taken
here by Detective Sergeant faurot of the
Bertillon Bureau and mailed across tho
Atlantic without any other particulars
Nolan robbed the Waldorf Astoria, and
has been sentenced TO seven years
While In various European cities the
method OF identifying criminals by their
finger prints has been known and prac-
ticed for years. SAYS the New York Even
ing Post, on this side Of the ocean the
art is In its infancy, the case mentioned
being the first actual practical application.
Some time ago the head Of the local de-
tective bureau became Interested in the
system, and sent Sergeant faurot to Scot
land Yard 10 investigate and soc i IL were
adaptable 10 New lorlI's needs Since
then the sergeant has been carrying on his
experiments, and ne and Inspector Me
i.aughlin were only waiting for an oppor-
tunity when the Nolan case came up.
An impression of the criminals thumb
was taken and dispatched 20 London with
out any other means of identification what
ever, and yesterday, almost by return
mail, arrived a long official envelope from
the Convict Supervision Office, New Scot
land Yard, London, containing n set of
photographs Of the fingers of Nolans two
hands, face photograph and description,
and a list of his aliases, several of them
new to the New York police together with
tho crimes for which he had been com
mitted, and positively identifying him
a. the Daniel Nolan who was believed to
have robbed the wife Of a prominent
novelist OF 500 pounds and then escaped
20 New York All this simply by means
Of a black smudge Of mans thumb on
piece Of paper.
Although the system Of Identification by
finger prints has been in use in Europe for
a number Of years, il is not a European
invention. As a matter Of fasct, IL is one
! OF those cherished Western institutions
that the Chinese have calmly claimed for
their own and those who doubt this may
he convinced by actual history showing
il 10 have been employed in the police
courts Of British India for generation or
so back just who was responsible for It's
adoption there Is not certain, but Sir John
llerschel, at ono time connected with
the Indian owl service, is usually mem
toned in this regard. The British police
experienced a great deal of trouble in
keeping track Of even the most notorious
native criminals, and II was a great deal
moro difficult 70 arrest a FIRST offender,
for the reason that all the natives looked
80 much alike, and were such apt liars.
Ordinary methods, even the Bertillon
system. we're fruitless, and finally tho
hnger print scheme was tried. IL worked
like a charm Where before arrests had
heen the exception, they now became tho
rule, and the power OF the law began to
merit respect In case after case the police
we're enabled to track the crime solely by
the chance print of a mans thumb OF finger
on AZ odd piece Of paper, on tho dusky
Intel of q doorway or a dirty window
pane. Some Of tho stories told Of their
accomplishments in this line rival the
most thrilling detective stories
In one case. that Of the murder Of n
manager of tea garden on the Bhupal
frontier, half dozen or more persons were
At FIRST suspected, among them the real
murderer, who was, however, later re.
garded As innocent because no WAS sup.
posed TO have been away from the district
at the time the crime WAS committed. In.
vesiigations and qucstionings did no good
and at last the local inspector decided tC
take the thumb prints Of all concerned
and refer them TO the central Office o
the province. After the records had beer
searched a messenger came with ORDER
10 arrest the discharged servant of tn,
manager who had been first suspected
and then eNonerated for his finger print,
Tailed exactly with those Of bad char
acter just discharged from prison IL,
was later convicted OF burglary by a court
of appeal, to which the case was carried
the court refusing to condemn a man foi
murder on such slight basis when IN,
actual crime had not been observed.
At the present time. In India. the paperl
taken in the civil service examination
must be certified 10 by the thumb prints o.
the competitor, and wills must liSewis,
be sealed in the same way.
The success the plan met with in Indii
led 20 its trial and speedy adoption by tn,
French and English police. In Paris il 4
used as an adjunct 70 tho measurement
system Of NJ Rertillon. but At Scotlan,
Yard the Bertillon system has been en-
tirely done away with and full reliance I
had on tho prints NJ Bertillon claims 4,
have 100000 prints in his collection
although this is said by the authorities {,
he an exaggeration and Inspector Nc
Nsughton Of the Convict Supervision
Office has AZ least 100 600 criminals
hands catslogued in his office
ON the top door Of the gray ston
Central Office in Mulberry street. wher
the Bertillon Bureau is placed hehini
locked Wickets and doors, the local OK
periments are being carried on. in charg
oi Sergeant Faurot. He spent six week
in Scotland Yard learning the method
and II was he who took the print that con
victed Nolan. The apparatus he use
is extremely simple, merely a sheet @
galvanized tin or a piece Of paper an
printers ink, or a specially prepare,
powder II he uses the tin thin coat
ing of the ink is laid on with rubbe
roler and the suspect hands are presse,
firmly and equally down on it and the
Flsced on piece Of white paper. Later
u ID Is wished they can be photographs
and enlarged. II the sergeant wishes &
get an impression without the suspect
knowledge he merely hands him a piec
OF paper, asking him 10 identify It q
examine it for one reason or another
afterwards sprinkling some special blao
powder over it which brings out the iu
prcssions as clear as life. Another sort q
white powder is used for bringing out i'm
pressions on glassware.
Once the impression is secured th
fingers are classified according TO a rert
lar plan The lines on them are divide
into loops, whirls, arches and composite.
the latter class made up Of a collection {