davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07
An INNERLooP

Wash. where he had married and become
well-to-do. During the fourteen years fol-
lowing the assault on 9Th avenue kenney
remembered nothing of what had gone
before. After the operation he remem-
bered nothing that had transpired in the
fourteen years, but his identification gave
record of much of those years, and led
him back to his home at Port Blakely
married during the latter part of his ca
reer. and to whom he had to be intro
duced after the operation, for he failed
entirely to recognize her.
There appeared on the streets Of Wash
!ngton one stormy day when the ground
was covered with snow a man who
walked about in his bare feet. When
accosted he acted strangely and was sent
to the Government Insane Asylum. where
he maintained an irrational attitude. Tn
der the suspicion that he was taking, his
finger prints We're taken and sent to the
War and Navy Departments, where it
was found that he was a seaman off
one of the battleships which then lay
in Hampton roads Being confronted
with his identity. he confessed that his
insanity was assumed and was taken
back to the ship.
Last March three bluejackets were
found asphyxiated In Hotel Washington,
Hoboken. n. j., and there was no one
available who could establish their
identity. The proprietor of the hotel.
however, reported to the commandant of
the navy yard in New York that three
men wearing the navy uniform had taken
a room from him the night before and
that when they had failed to appear the
following morning the door had been
broken in and the room had been found
full of gas and the men dead. The fin
ger prints of each man were taken and
hurried to Washington by special deliv-
cry letter, and before night all three or
them had been identified. They were
Harry Long, Thomas w. Winn and John
w. Wadsworth. all second-class firemen
of the Y. S. S. Tennessee. The identifica-
tions were later substantiated by per-
sonal acquaintance of the three men.
Expert Taylor has been in charge OF
the navy finger print system for two
years During that time he has made
123 identifications and every one of these
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

neelecting the duties of private secre-
tary to Speaker of the House. Business
and politics mix naturally in Wash
ington at present as water and milk.
Speeches by the score are unloaded in
the House and Senate for future use in
the campaign of 1872. Big issues are de-
bated and then debated again and again.
in order that each member may have the
opportunity to restate the arguments in
the language that he believes will appeal
best to the voters lat home"
Presidential candidates are thick as
bees Democratic Leader Underwood of
the House of Representatives. one of the
recipients of a gratuitous boom for
President apparently gives it little
thought or attention. Senator La Toilette
works hard and conscientiously at his,
apparently unconcerned over the frequent
mention that is made of Senator Cum
Minis of Iowa as a presidential POSSIBLE
ity."
This week there are temporary head
quarters Of the Gov. Harmon and Gov
Wilson camps in Washington for the
democratic political powwow that always
accompanies a meeting of the national
convention.
State managers run in and out of Wash
ington every week for conferences with
the candidates or the various headQuar-
tiers. .'Gumshoe" political workers trail
gress, concocting political schemes, or
spying on the progress of rival CAM
paigns. Tons of campaign literature are
going out of the House and Senate, from
headquarters and private offices. On some
of it Uncle Sam draws big revenues in
the sale of postage stamps. but much of
it is labeled Part of Congressional Rec
ord and goes free Of postage, at the ex-
pense of the public.
<
Chairman James T. Lloyd Of the demo-
cratic congressional committee has had a
force at work for several months keep
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

has violated the conditions Of his parole.
ana In his case il was only minor in
traction of the rules. One hundred ard
tweNe prisoners were at liberty ON pa
role July j. 1911. The terms of the
others expired while they were on parole
ana they were discharged from legal
custody in the same way that they
would have been discharged had they
remained I'm prison.
The first prisoner to obtain the bene-
fits of the parole law was released No
vember 20. 1910. and from then on unti,
June ~. 1911, prisoners have been re-
leased averaging one day. These pa
rolled prisoners, instead of being N bur-
den upon the community, have earned an
aggregate of SCI .SS1. 40
Among the offenses for which these
prisoners were sentenced are the follow
ing: Twentythree for stealing from ia
United States mail. % for Violation of IN
ternal revenue law, "a for violation of IN.
copyright law, 10 for embezzlement nr
national bank funds. IL for violation o.
national banking laws IL for yioiatton
OF postal laws, each for bigamy and
forgery, and 1 each for impersonatinf,
United States officer, resisting arrest seii
ing liquor to Indians. rape and kidnaping
Prisoners were released not only from TIC
three federal penftent;aries, but also 49,
institutions in eleven different states.
Inc names or prisoners when paroled
are not gwen out oy the Department or
Justice. 1t is believed that the reIea sa,,
prisoner is entitled to forget and to have
others forget his past mistakes if he he
comes productive and useful citizen.
In considering an application for parols
the board of parole always holds a per
sonal interview with the prisoner. IN,
order to ascertain the mans view toyyar.a
society-does he hold a grudge against l.
and does he consider himself the worlds
creditor? In other words is his relea sa
likely to be incompatible with the well
fare OF society? If SO, the application far
parole Is refused. The religious belief ar
a man Is not considered: an atheist wouL1
be pardoned as readily as a Christian
Many personal letters have been receiv
ed by Mr.. La Dow from prisoners m
parole, expressing their gratitude for the
benefits they have derived from the omar
alton of the law. One man wrote ina.
since his release last January he has moi
only supported himself and his family
but has saved over $1,000. They inyari.
ably give assurances in their letters Of
their desire and intention to lead order.
ly and law-abding lives.
Under the old system q man was turn
ed out at the end OF long prison sem
tence. weakened by close confinement.
impoverished and perhaps har-
boring an idea of revenge against tha
law. He was given a suit OF clothes and
s. and the government then washed its
hands of him. What wonder that. being
frowned upon by society. the ex-convict
sought the only circle which would re-
ceive him? Under the system now in oper-
alton the prisoner goes forth sure or
honest employment. and by the time his
whole sentence has expired he Is often
we'll established I'm. 4her xarld<
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07
RlNT Emu .ARQEr1fNT .SHOEmlG
,SIxIY FIVE. POSSIBLE
IPoINTS OF DIFFERENCE

has proved to be correct Before his
time ]. d. Hall had had charge OF tho
files for three years and four months.
Mr.. Hall successfully identified SIS men.
likewise without single error or a SIN
gle failure. This leaves a record of some
thing over 800 successful identifications
in five years without single failure scor-
ed against the system
So successful have been the military
branches of the government. particularly
the navy. in the working out of the finger
print system of Identification that il is
coming into more and more general Use.
One of the most interesting uses il has
recently found has been In the Indian
service. The red men are in many cases
among the wealthiest of the people of the
United States. The Usage Indians for i'm
stance. boast greater per capita wealth
than any other people In the world. While
a certain percentage of the Indians have
become very well educated, the majority
of them are still unable to read and
write. So, i'm the transfer of their val
liable real estate holdings il has become
the habit OF the indian service to have
the red man sign his transfers with his
finger print rather than to follow the
old system Of having him make a line
the paper and allow some one else to sign
his name and certify that the mark is
his mark
1t was i'm dealing with a very similar
situation that the use Of finger prints as
a method of Identification first came into
being. The system comes from India.
There the British government dealt with
great numbers of natives who were
able to write. and among whom Identified
ton was difficult for the outsider. Ex-
tensive pay roofs were difficult i'm the
handling where the laborer was unable
to sign for his wages. II was i'm this con-
nection that the finger print system was
first developed. and il was quite by acct
dent that IT was first applied to the detec
ton of criminals. for it was among these
laborers who had left finger prints that
identification by that method. when the
laborer had later become a criminal, was
made.
The finger print in all its variations s
was used. however many centuries be-
fore the English went to India. Its use
was oriental, for 1t began I'm China in the
days when Europe was savage wild.
These early Chinese used the desigrf on
their fingers and thumbs as decorations
in connection with various phases Of art.
Particularly beautiful designs on old
Chinese vases are but the enlargement OF
the finger prints of the artists who made
them or OF associates of those artists.
For a new design Is was only necessary
to get a new finger print, and these were
TO be had for the asking. So has the art
of the early period of the Chinese empire
come to be the reliance of the most
progressive Identification bureau of this.
the twentieth century.
Copyright, 1911, by w A. Du Puyo
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

THE Sole Method of Iden-
! LITIGATION of the $4,000
Men Who Serve in Uncle
Sans Navy Are the Finger
Prints They Make at the
Time of Enlistment-That
Branch of the Government
Finds No Necessity for Co.
ing Beyond the Finger Print
Test-It Has Proven That
Test Adequate in Many Try
ing Instances. and Has Never
Made Mistake Through 1t
Its Experts Can Identify
the Single Finger Print of
Any Man Who Has Ever
Served Aboard Ship Since the
System Was Inaugurated and
Needs But Few Minutes for
the Task.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

tee before the congressional campaign of
next fall. Republican managers are now
casting about for successor to him who
Will be able to efficiently handle the hard
fight to overturn a democratic House of
Representatives
There are enough individual campaigns
in Washington to turn a voters hair
gray. Every candidate for the presiden-
tial nomination, every possibility for 1T
who has some enthusiastic friends is
either represented in the Washington po-
litical maelstrom or Is casting ABOUT Tor
the means Of establishing tentative or
permanent headquarters here. At present
all political roads lead to Washington.
*
A little later, when the election goes
''up to the people," the capital will drop
off the political map. Then 1t will become
only the goal toward which the candi-
dates are running, the land or heart
desire" to the men who are begging the
support Of the American voter. The re-
publican and democratic national com
mittees will establish their working head
quarters In New York and Chicago; the
congressman will go back TO tnelr own
bailiwicks to fight in the open, and the
managers of candidates will forsake the
hotels and office buildings of Washing
ton and get out after votes and voters
But at present a campaign Is being
run in washington that sounds like the
real thing" Managers OF presidential
Speaker Champ Clark has never an
nounced himself an out and out candi-
date for the democratic nomination for
the presidency. his friends accept him as
such. and the Speakers Office at the Cap
itol. like the Presidents Office has be-
come a political headquarters.
Private Secretary Wallace Bassford
juggleS- the Clark boom skillfully without
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

at the Senate office building. where Sen
ator Bourne directs its publicity work.
Its campaign is to establish great pubic
reforms. like the initiative and referen-
dunn direct primaries for President and
other changes in political procedure.
The progressive republican campaign
committee is in the thick Of the
political fight, however. 1t is gener-
ally spoken Of as the La Toilette organi-
zation. The progressive forces slipped
into Washington last fall and opened
headquarters in charge Of Walter l..
Houser. former secretary OF state OF Wis
consin and an old lieutenant Of Senator
La Toilette.
Mr. Houser Is an accomplished cam
paigner and organizer. With Medill Nc
Cormick as the titular head Of the pro-
gressive campaign committee. Mr.. Houser
became chairman and acting manager
The modest headquarters in the Evans
building have expanded until nearly the
entire eighth floor Of that Office structure
is now busy with the click Of insurgent
typewriters and the hustle Of insurgent
errand boys
II courtesy be abandoned and the
White House be called the political head
quarters of President Tart: then tnat
center Of activity may be said to rival the
La Toilette headquarters for POLITICAL I'M
portance. Whatever attitude President
may take, II he is in any sense canoi-
date for reelection, the White House Of
fees become the channel through which
flows a steady stream Of political mail.
political callers and prospective cam
paign workers.
Most Of the Presidents campaign wires
are under the direct control OF his pri-
waite secretary. Charles Dewey Eiles.
formerly assistant secretary OF the Treas
ury. Just now the republican committee
has no chairman. The place has been
vacant since Frank II. Hitchcock. who
managed President Taft's last campaign.
was made Postmaster General Former
Gov. Hill of Maine has been acting chair
man Of the committee. holding 1t to-
gether for the little work it has to do be-
fore the national convention of next
June.
The national committees Of both parties
must be free to swing their full strength
two national conventions for the presi-
dent al fight. For this reason neither Of
these big committees can indulge In any
of the pre-convention fights In behalf OF
certain canulodtes, 1OS Cons TaiuvnS n~'e
been known to do strange things In Sc
lecting presidential candidates. and the
comm tees cannot be tied up to defeated
candidates.
II Mr.. Hilles is to be made chairman of
the republican committee 1t Will not be
until after the Chicago convention. In the
meantime. the republican national COM
mittee is maintaining joint office In
Washington with the republican congress
sional campaign committee. Francis Cur
tbs, publicity director Of the latter COM
mittee, Is in charge Of the headquarters.
which has been open ever since the last
campaign. Mr.. Curtis Is the clearing
house for all parts OF the country Vice
active interest in the work of the congress
sional campaign committee. of which he
was long chairman, and since the death
of it's secretary, Representative Henry e.
Loudenslager OF New Jersey, the work Of
preparing the campaign and peEfectne
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

THE Battle for Votes Has
l Opened-Various Politi-
cal Headquarters of the Capt.
tal-Booms, Boomlets and
Boomers - Managers, Pub
ilcity Men and Stenographers
Are Busy-Framing Up the
Political Deals-Planning for
the National Conventions to
Be Held Next Summer.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

Should any man who has been in the
navy afterWard commit an offense against
the law his identity may be Immediately
established by sending his finger prints to
Washington. Should any seaman meet
misfortune and his remains require iden-
LITIGATION it may be had in the files of
cards in one small room at the Navy De-
partment
For the navy has pinned its faith to the
finger print system of Identification and
has on file the marks of every man of the
121.OoO who have enlisted in the last five
years. Likewise has ii a record of 100
identifcations made during that time
without single failure or mistake. Dur
ing this period the navy has also devel-
oped finger print expert in the person
of J. II. Taylor. who is one of the phe-
nomenal men of the world in the skill of
this particular calling. For the smudge
of finger print stands out in the memory
of Taylor as does the countenance of a
well known friend in the mind Of the av-
erage man.
The navy is the first of the government
institutions to pin its faith absolutely to
the finger print system. The Marine
Corps. the War Department. the secret
service and the police of various cities
have relied upon it TO greater or less
extent, but the navy makes its reliance
absolute. No other description of man
than his finger prints is kept in the navy.
The navy cares not for mans signature
nor for his photograph nor for Bertillon
measurements of him. If il has his fin
ger prints it holds 1t can identify him in
a hundred million. And it has the finger
prints.
There are no two people in the world
whose finger prints are alike. 1t has
long been stated by scientists that there
are no two leaves in the forest that are
alike. 1t seems beyond conception that
in so vast a multitude as the individual
leaves of the forest that there should be
no two without points of difference. Yet
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

4 y
The first object of maintaining an
Identification bureau in the navy is to
prevent the re-enlistment under assumed
names Of men who have been dishonor-
ably discharged or who have deserted
There seems to be some irresistible force
which draws these men back to the serv-
ice. In the majority of cases of deser-
lions the men apply for re-enlistment
within the five years that follow OF
course, they give assumed names. In
that most of the men in the navy are
little more than mere lads, these men
may have changed in appearance and in
stature. Their weight and height may
have changed and photographs of them
may be very dissimilar. The BertiIlon
system of measurements is difficult of
application, and the very errors in its
operation Illustrate its ends. The world
has long stood In need of an absolute
system of Identification. and is just COM
ing to realize that it has it in a record
of finger prints. .
But there are other needs of this identi-
fication aside from detecting deserters.
In the month of December. 1910 for in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

HE battle for the
votes of 1912 has
b e < u n Demo-
Gratis, republicans,
insurgents. 70 :
gr e ) 81 v e $, the
"ins." the outs"
and all the indi-
vidual aspirantS
for party honors
arc tuning up the
machinery for the
great race of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

no man has ever found two leaves that
were exactly alike. The designs upon
the fingers of men are as unlike as are
the shapes and ribs of the leaves of the
forest. In fact it is surprising how I'M
like the designs of the fingers of people
can be.
Those men who have made specially
of finger prints have gone to the trouble
of working out the possible variation in
hnger prints, and have given some inter-
estlng figures on the chances of finding
two that are alike There are sixty-four
differences that might be readily recog-
nized in the average imprint of a
mans thumb. Any one of these
points of difference might occur in
four ways. That would give a chance
of one in four of finding this point com
mon in two individuals. The same is true
in any of the other siXty-four points.
But If only ten of these points be figured
the four would be used to be multiplied
ten times by itself to obtain the chance of
finding another finger print that would
have these ten points in common. Multi
plying four by itself ten times would pro-
duce a figure of approximately 1900 000
So at best it would be possible to find a
duplicate Of a single finger, considering
but ten possible points of difference once
in 4,OOO,OO0. When all ten fingers are con-
sidered on the same basis and 1900, 900 is
multiplied by itself ten times a figure
would be produced that is so large as to
be entirely beyond the possibility of con-
sideration. The result interpreted would
be that there simply are no two hands
alike.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

the organization for the coming fight has
been largely in Mr.. Curtis hands.
Representative William B. Mckinley of
Illinois is expected to resign from the
Craftsmanship of the republican comm
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

sun rises and sets over the capital i'm the
estimation of many who make their per
manent abode here the astute managers
OF booms and parties have their ears To
the ground. and are listening anxiously
Tor something from the districts where
the votes grow that will show what the
people are thinking about
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

Hays Hammond is the head. The most
active of the campaign committees at
present is the national progressive re-
publican committee. 1t is the rallying
point for the progressives and the fore
front of the La Toilette boom for Presi-
dent.
There are two of the progressive re-
publican organizations busy here. and
they should not be confused the one with
the other. The National Progressive
League Is presided over by Senator Jona-
than Bourne OF Oregon. and II makes
specific declaration that it is not fighting
for any certain presidential candidate,
and is not trying to play politics. The
league maintains offices in the Union
Trust building, With other headquarters
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

in the political rendezvous of the capital.
Usually it needs but the sight of the
word Roosevelt" in the headlines of a
morning paper to upset the plans for the
day and set all the managers quaking
Meantime, let no one think that the
political managers in Washington have
forgotten the country" Although the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

J. any man OF the
fifty thousand in
the United States
Navy should de
sert or be guilty
of any other
; IN "A c k conduct
and apply for re-
enlistment under
an assumed name
his attempted de-
ception is sure of
q s G o v c I v.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07

House Office building at the Capitol, des-
ignated respectively the minority ROOM
and the majority ROOM" instead of the
more blatant political headquarters"
Occasionally the shadow of Roosevelt
flashes across Washington, and then
there is a scurrying to cover in all the
headquarters. Roosevelt is a magic name