Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-07
CRIMINALS DETECTION
DEVELOPS INTO AN ART
Edward H. Schwartz This tys Expert in dentcations,
Talks Interestingly Subj ect Which Has Revouonized
Detective Work-Fixes Ba me for Murder by Fngerpnts.

These Impressions are then CLASH
fed and filed for future Identified
ton.
Kinds of Fingerprints.
while there has been much dis
cussion over the theory that there
are no two finger Impressions the
same. the fact still remains that for
over thirty years in actual compare
sons and experiments the possibility
Of two individuals showing the
same impressions of the fingers is
one in $4,000, 900, 900. There are only
four types of Impressions. namely,
loops. whirls. arches and composites,
or commonly termed 'accidentals,
and these are determined as fol-
| lows:
In loops the ridges make a back.
ward turn without a twist. and there
is but one delta, the delta meaning
the outer terminus. If in the right
hand the ridges start from the di
rection of the little finger and make
a backward turn in the same direc-
ton 1t is called an ulna loop If the
ridges are reversed and start in the
direction from the thumb 1t is called
a radial loop. The classification of
a loop is arrived at by counting the
number of ridges between the delta
and the inner terminus, or core.
Under the loop pattern there Is also
the lateral pocket loop and central
pocket and twin loops, but these are
classified under the type of whorl.
In the whorl type the ridges
make a turn through at least one
complete circuit and there are two
deltas. In whorls the ridges are
traced from left to right, and If the
ridge starts at the right delta and
runs within the ft-hand delta, with
three or moro ridges between, it is
called an inner If 1t meets within
two or under. and if three or over,
running below the left hand delta,
| 1t is called an outer
I'm the arches the ridges run from
side to side, making no backward
turn There is ordinarily no delta,
and no ridge must intervene between
the inner and outer delta. In the
arch type there is also what Is
termed tented arches. In this pat
tern the ridges near the middle may
have an upward thrust arranging
themselves as if on both sides of
spine or axis, toward which adjoin-
ing ridges converge, the ridges thus
giving to the pattern the appearance
of a tent In outline.
"In the 'accidenrals are included
the relatively small number of pat
terms so irregular In outline as to be
grouped under central pockets, lat
eral pockets or twin loops, in the
absence of a better nomenclature
'accidentals.'
Filing Systems.
"In the use of the Henry system
these impressions are placed on a
sheet s1z inches by 1871 inches, and
these were filed in binders in a hori-
zontal position, necessitating a large
case for filing and considerable
trouble in research. While Henry
used the ten fingers to obtain what
lis termed the primary classification
/, he only used five of the remaining
fingers for his sub-classiflcation.
This method of classification allowed
large Accommodations of impression
sheets in nearly all compartments,
making it necessary to look over a
large number of sheets before secur-
| ing the one searched for.
Several years ago Mr. Conlay. of
Straights Settlements, India, devised
a system of classification whereby
the ten entire fingers are used in
both the primary and sub-classifi-
cations. providing for but few sheets
| in each compartment and under the
Conlay system the Impressions are
taken on cards eight by eight inches
and filed vertically. This system,
while different only from the Henry
IN classification is far superior, and
has many advantages not obtained
in the use of the Henry.
THE Conlay system is now in use
| by the Boston police department,
being the first city in the United
States to adopt it; our local bureau,
that at Trenton State prison and
several Western cities 1t is only a
matter of time when it will be
adopted by all police departments.
This system was adopted here upon
the earnest recommendation of Cap
tain William H. Carroll, head of the
detective bureau, and it's superiority
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