Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-12-05
FINGER PRINTS FOR BANKS.
Baltimore Institution Considering New
Means of Identification.

Means of Identification.
The idea of using the finger-print
system as a method of Identification
in the banking business has been dis
cussed in financial circles of Baltimore,
owing to the problem presented when
business is transacted with foreigners
unable to sign their names in Englih.
For years American bankers have had
much trouble satisfying themselves
about signatures of foreigners. and
the foreign patrons seldom know any
one to identify them.
Believing the problem could be
solved by the system used in connec-
ton with the Bertillon bureau of police
department, says the Baltimore Sun,
two employees of a local savings bank
called upon Lieutenant John A. Casey
yesterday afternoon and discussed
the plan with him. They admitted
they had deep personal interest in
finger prints and that they had made
a few experiments, but that their ex-
periments were not successful, as the
ink used smeared despite the fact
that the impressions were lightly
made.
Lieut.. Casey discussed the subject
with them at great length, for he is an
enthusiast ON the system and he knows
something of its history,
81 felt certain it would not be long
before the Baltimore banks would
have to take it up" he said, for it is
the easiest and safest manner in the
world to identify person"
The visitors said there were a num-
Der of foreigners who constantly tran
sacted business with the bank and
that they had been considering the
finger-print system. Lieut. Casey told
them it was not new method of iden-
LITIGATION in financial circles, as the
Chinese had used it for centuries. He
also declared that banks in England,
other countries of Europe and India
were using the system. In India,
Lieut.. Casey said, all property tram
sactions and court affairs were signed
in the regular way and the print of
the index finger of the right hand also
affixed.
In order that there might be no de-
lay about making the finger print on
legal papers in India, Lieut.. Casey ex-
planned that most men engaged in such
business carried vest-pocket ink pad,
so the print could be easily made I'M
der almost any circumstances. The
chief OF Baltimore's Bertillon bureau
was positive that the system was the
best that could be used.
Why, when l was learning the fin
ger-print system from Detective Fer
rier of Scotland Yard" Lieut.. Casey
said, "he told me insurance companies
were using it in England with great
success. Banks, he declared, were
also seeing the value of it, for it has
nearly stamped out forgery. Within
short while nearly any one can learn
the whirls and loops in the lines of the
| fingers, and no two are exactly alike. "
BY way of illustrating the ease with
which finger prints can be obtained
from a paper and how easy it is to
see the whirls and loops in the lines.
Lieut.. Casey used little stove polish
on a piece of paper which had been
handled and brought out the lines
clearly. Then he taught them how to
distinguish one from the other. The
young men were pleased with the les
son and were shown how the cabinets
are kept and the prints of the fingers
of each crook filed away for future
reference.
line lieutenant explained that with
every photograph there weie finger
prints il the prisoner rad fingers.
Then, In referring to the custom in
India, he said II man had lost the in
dex finger of his right hand, the one
generally used with the signatures,
the second finger of the right hand
was used and a note made to that eff
feet.
Reasoning out the great aid the
system would be to banks and other
local financial institutions. Lieut.
Casey said foreigners finger prints
could be sent over from the banks in
the old countries and the man tran
sacting here would have to possess
identical loops and whirls on the in
dex finger or he would be Immediately
detected as an impostor.
The visitors to the Bertillon bureau
did not say what bank they repre-
scented. but they understood the bank
ing business and undoubtedly realize
the trouble experienced with foreign
ers.