Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-16
M,cLAuoHRY DECLARES
system OF. IDENTIFICATION
CAN'T GO WRONG.
QUESTIONED BY COMMITTEE
OF IOWA LEGISLATURE.
Assembly to Be Asked to Pass Bill Es-
tabIishins Bureau Of Idsntifieation--
Under Jurisdiction of Board Of Con-
trol-New Rating on Peanuts Scott
in pes Moines. n
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times-Repubiican.
Des Moines, Jan. 16AThere is only
about one chance in 64O.o00,00O or
something like 1T that finger print iden-
LITIGATION might be wrong. so Warden
McClaughry, of Anamosa reforma tory,
told group Of senators yesterday as
they We're questioning him about the
finger print method Oh keeping record
OF prisoners.
There will be urged before the leg
islature bill to establish a bureau Of
Identification, for the keeping of fin
ger print records and for exchange
of duplicates Of such records, as d
basis for more scientific study of Grim
inology in Iowa.
All that we could very well do right
now" said the warden of the reforma-
tory. lis to establish this bureau of
records under the board of control and
to make beginning in small way
and at slight expense for information
as to our criminal population. We
could not, and would not want to un-
dertake any extensive study of crim-
inals as in Chicago or New York, be-
cause we have no such criminal popu-
lation. The esta blishment of record
office with such investigation by the
alienists we have will suffice for Iowa,
and it will be very helpful.
Il suppose in the Scotland Yard Of
flee they have a million or more finger
prints on file. If a print record comes
into the office for identification and
there is another finger print on file Of
the same person, perhaps taken dozen
years before or thousands of miles
away, the identity of the two can be
established in four minutes. They
have the classification perfect. There
are 1.024 different kinds of markings,
and within this classification an in
Vulnerable variety of changes. The
chief in charge can make positive
Identification and out of million or
more records pick out one and say with
assurance of absolute certainty that as
compared with another two are just
alike"
Iowa has never done very much in
the way of trying to make a record of
it's prisoners and convicts The same
proposal has been repeatedly urged
without success.
=
Congressman George c. Scott Of
Sioux City, had an argument before
the supreme court yesterday in a bank
case. He left the alluring halls OF con-
gress to come here and make the talk
to the court.
Things are decidedly quiet in ma
tional politics just now" he said.
Congress is busy with few important
matters There is some talk of candi-
dates for president. not very much, and
whitman, Borah, Herrick, Cummins
and others are mentioned
There Is some disposition to keep
watch on Whitman Just now and see
what kind of record he Makes But
1t Is regarded as too early to decide"
Mr.. Scott had to leave Washington
before the vote was taken on the wom-
en- suffrage amendment.
The railroad commission has recently
put into effect new rating on freight
charges for peanuts which ought to af-
rect the price Of picnic and park re-
freshments. The rating is that not
shelied peanuts in bags. barrels or
boxes second class: and same when
shelled except that in single bags the
class is first. AS to carload Quantities
the rule stands
In carload quantities. in packages,
third. straight or mixed, minimum "a
600 pounds. fourth class rating estab-
lished."
The changes were made at the in
stance OF the Western Grocer Company