New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-03-09
SLEUTHS DEPEND ON
finger PRINT Glue
Bloody Marks on Revolver Being
Photographed Today

AS indicated early in the search. de-
tectives investigating the tragic death
of Charles A. Taft at lonely spot on
Kensington street more than week
ago. at the hands Of an unidentified
assassin are pinning their faith In
solving the mystery to Identification
of the revolver's ownership. Practi-
cally despairing of being able to trace
it through the factory number and
records OF sales In Connecticut cities
and towns, they have called into use
the Bertillon system Of finger print
Identification. Imprints Of the blood
smear found on the revolver hilt were
taken today In the detective bureau at
police headquarters. An attempt to
secure similar imprints will be made
with parts of clothing worn by Taft
at the time of his sudden demise. If
the assassin went through his victims
pockets. az appearances indicate. there
is believed to be an excellent chance
that prints Of his fingers may be Sc
cured from the buttons. Discovery
of the blood smear and apparent nm
ger prints on the revolver was made
several days ago. This discovery Is
nothing new. in SO far as the investt-
cation II concerned.
In an attempt to secure identifica-
ton Of the finger prints, copies will
be sent to every department in the
east that maintains q Bertillon sys-
tenn Of records Another copy will
be sent to the National Bureau OF
Identification at Washington, D. c.,
a clearing house for the country's
crime records where thousands Of
records are kept classified. II Taft's
slayer was q professional "gunman"
hired to put him out OF the way or
has a previous record, it Is felt that
Identification will soon follow.
Solution Far on.
Today Is the eighth day since the
murder, one OF the most sensational
and mysterious In the crime annals
OF the state. and the authorities seem
to be no nearer solution OF the
mystery and arrest Of. the murderer
than at the time Of discovering the
lifeless body Of the victim. Clues have
apparently led up against blank
wall and no one has been located as
yet, who has been able to give any
idea MS to the identity Of the "Vene-
tian specials" passengers on its
Inflated trip to the lonely spot, where
one bullet was sent on its mission Of
death.
The opinion is growing that It was
no woman's hand, who held tho re-
volver hilt as the fatal bullet was
fred. The gun is too heavy for the
average woman, unless she be IN ak
pert, to hold. It Is not Of the type
that q woman would be apt to buy.
is too large TO- conveniently carry In
q mum, whore q woman would be
most apt to carry 1t, and ID more the
type Of q weapon that q professional
"gunman" or man of athletic build
would be apt to use. The ordinary
criminal and inhabitant OF the under
world would be most apt. the author
tiles say, to have bought . cheaper
gun, OF az or 80 calibsr.
Detective Sergeant Samuel Bam.
forth and Capt. Robert T. Hurley Of
the state police had long conference
yesterday. Extremely reticent a to
| the purposes aud results Of the con-
ference. it Is today animated on
good authority that there WAS 4 be-
lated decision to have the finger print
| system brought into use.
Hartford Has 500 Prints.
Chief Detective Sergeant william
Weftner Of the Hartford department
believes that an important clue may
be obtained as a result Of using the
finger print system. He has given the
matter long study and il considered
to be somewhat Of an expert along
these lines. There. are more than 500
individual records possessed by the
Hartford department. If the assassin
has q Hartford record and has been
connected with past underworld
feuds. 1t is believed that his identi-
dcation will soon follow.
r The authorities are tracing down
a rumor that Taft had q party of
four young women In his car on the
night Of the murder. Identification
OF members Of the party has not been
ascsrtained.
Ii the belief OF local authorities. the
SLAYER is even now walking on Hart
ford streets, almost In the shadow Of
police headquarters there. gloatins
over the crime and unconcernedly
noting the reported activities for hi
arrest.