New-York tribune., 1919-04-13


hahced but keen eyed, sits en-
throned in an alley in New York.
Tho alley is Centre Market Place =
tiny thoroughfare that runs the length of
Police Headquarters at the rear. The man
VINO tits back in desk chair overlooking
1T is Inspector Joseph A. Faurot. head OF
the bureau of criminal Identification.
HIS is the system of finger print files
which will identify an ex-convict within
five minutes after his arrest and finger
printing, or will substantiate as PROMPTLY
and as certainly the assertion of the pris-
oner that he is not oldtime crook. But
the we'll groomed organizer of the system.
whose testimony is sought as an expert bv
attorneys the country over. who has neatly
docketed IN his mind crime details that
arouse the nthusiasm of writer of detcc-
tive stories, teeters back and forth. his gaze
on the vacuum Of Centre Market Place.
The filing and index system is working
inexorably and infalibly. Its work will
continue with the same precision when
faurot is gone And when he is dead and
gone 1t is probable that arms of steel that
bear the name of Faurot will be reaching
out and seizing criminals d-handed For
an idea popped into the mind of Faurot one
day as he sat idly staring into Centre Mar
ket Place, and an idea never escapes thence
until it is moulded to his liking.
This one resulted in the Faurot- Wolfe
protective gate, a thief catching device in
vented and perfected by Faurot and Clinton
l.. l.. Wolfe, patrolmah attached to the
l04th Precinct. in Brooklyn. patent has
been applied For OH it, The Indications are
that long after faufot has ceased tn isaipt
over Centre Market Place and Nofa to psfe
Brooklyn streets ihe laufol Wolfs pfotee=
tive gale viii he snaiehne criminals out If
tfe midst of their crime.
Il is steel gate which folds back uDon
tsef Ike The meshed metal barriers that
are used On elevators in some commercial
houses, or the wooden eontraption with a
toy mouse at the end of 1T which you used
to shoot out at your sister with such graft
fying results. But the Faurot w ofe gate
Is of heavy steel and flashes into position
IKE lightning when its counter weights are
released by electricity.
1t IS TO be installed in doorways, windows
or other apertures, where it folds back upon
itself and is completely concealed in seam
IN the side of the doorway or window frame
AT the pressure of button it cangs across
TO the opposite side Of the doorway or win
dow frame and locks itself into position 1t
would hold an elephant in check
The same pressure of the button which
slams and locks this reticulated barrier of
steel will sound an alarm gong on the out
side of the building, illuminate an cleo
tric sign which calls "Police," in letter, a
loot high, or give the alarm in a police
station, protective agcncy's Office or wher
ever else may be deemed wise II NAV
spread the alarm in several quarters at
once. Wherever the alarm is given. there is
no special reason for haste The burglar
VIII be safely locked in, waiting for his
captors when they arrive
Banks, postoiices, jcwelry houses, rail
road ticket Offices, paymasters' Offices. mu
seums, every place that has valuables to
guard, Will appreciate the steel thief
catcher. 1t might have wrecked most Of
the big ldups and burglares of recent
years Their daring and unexpectedness
were the big elements in their SUCCESS