The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-01
POLICE OFFICER
EXPLAINS WORK
OF BERTILLON
Morton Sydness, Sergeant,
Says System Used In
Fargo Two Years
], 100 PHOTOS IN
POLICE STATION
Department Has on File g.
500 Bertillon Meas
urements
BY MORTON sYDNEss.
Fargo Police Sergeant. e

FaTSo sFotlce sergeant
Every prisoner handled by po-
lice department or prison must be
recorded so accurately that you can
prove beyond the shadow OF doubt.
whether or not a certain prisoner
was In your custody at q certain
time after the lapse of any number
or years. You require this for your
own protection. IL you don't do it
the public viii charge you with
negligence. Any system Of record
ing prisoners used by the police de-
partment must be Standard that is,
It must be a system used by all 9th
er police departments. This makes
the interchange of information be-
tween departments easy in handling
suspects.
Universal Use.
No method Of recording criminals
Is of value unless all departments
use 1t.
The Bertillon and Finger Print
systems are used throughout the
civilized world. Neither system has
ever failed In any of the tests made.
The Bertillon system has been in use
continuously for over 80 years. IL
has been approved by all authorities
on criminal Identification, and has
never failed to prove or disprove
identity.
The Finger Print system is being
more widely adopted every year. Ii
is not only valuable as an identifica-
ton system, but plays a prominent
part In the detection OF crime. 1t
has in many cases led to the arrest
and conviction of criminals. A system
for keeping track OF a record OF arrest
is Of great value not only to the
trial Judge but to the BertiIlon and
hi "A
the latter to supply Information
promptly. And also 8 vast assistance
to the detective department by
classifying crooks according to their
physical deformities.
And the rogues gallery places AT
the services Of the detective depart
ment a complete Photographic file OF
every crook handled in our city.
ls French Invention, -
The Bertillon system was invent
ed by DIR. Alphonse Bertillon Of
Paris, france, born in 1854. He i'm
vented the system in March, 1879
and at once presented 1t TO the
French government. 1t was intro
by Major r. w. McClaughry, late
general superintendent OF police OF
Chicago.
The Bertillon system is divided in
to three parts. Part i, the physical
measurements, of which there are
only two; part 2. the general descrip-
ton Of the prisoner, including his
photograph, and part 3. record OF
scars and marks, such as tatoos. de-
formities. etc.
Measurements Required.
The eleven measurements taken
are all based on the bony structure
Of the body or skeleton, which does
not change after the twsnty-frst
year They are taken as follows:
Height, stretch, trunk, head lengths,
head width. cheek width, right ear,
left foot, left middle finger, left lit
/ tie finger, and left forearm.
The measuring instruments which
are used for the above measure
ments, consist OF measuring
board, combination foot and trunk
stool, arm stand, small caliper rule.
large caliper rule. caliper compass,
and small wood rule,
The Photograph.
The criminal photograph requires
that two views be taken of every
prisoner; ~ the full face pose.
which must be squarely facing the
camera, CD the profile pose. which
| must be an exact profile shown from
the right side. 1t is customary TO
take the full face picture with the
headwear in place and the profile
| bareheaded. When finished is mount
| ed on the Bertillon card and this card
is filed away with the physical d.
| mansions Of the prisoner and can be
found instantly when wanted. This
cabinet contains nine drawers.
Importance of Finger Print System.
No police department can tell Just
/ when 1t may be called upon to solve
criminal mystery. More and more
the finger print system Is taking an
important place in the detection of
crime. There are no two individuals
in the world having the same finger
print marks. A mans finger print
never changes from infancy to the
old age. They can not be altered or
obliterated. In fact, the finger print
| system establishes identity beyond
the remotest question Of doubt Fin
ger print marks have been left on
window panes, window stills. safe
doors, revolvers, desks, arm chairs
and other objects These finger
\ prints have been discovered, photo
| graphed and In thousands OF cases
have led to the arrest and conviction
of the guilty person. The finger
| prints are taken on q card size Sxs,
and all ten fingers are taken on these
cards. They are then classified and
filed away. In the larger cities in
the east they use the finger print sys-
tenn only. / think it will be only a
matter Of time when they will use
the finger print system only. For
the reason that the Bertillon instru-
ments are costly and liable to get out
OF order, and the finger print Access
series needed are a piece of tin, and
some printers Ink, which are mex
pensive and can be gotten every
where; and you can take prisoners
! finger prints in less than half the
| time 1t takes to take the Bertillon
measurements.
Fargo's Identification Bureau.
We have on file in our bureau
! $500 Bertillon measurements aud
finger prints of different crooks, TAX
en- IN all parts of our country. And
our srogues gallery contains 100
photographs OF some OF the best
pickpockets, burglars, confidence
men and shoplifters in the country.
The city Of Fargo can be proud or
its bureau, It being only two years
old.