The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-05
Frederick ,Haskin's Letter
PsYcHoLo GY, AND COURTS

courts had less crowded docke..
. trial might drag along with less
serious consequence Evidence
might be gone over time aud amin
until some slip was noted or nnni
It was clear that the jury wouM
simply have TO guess at the trrth
But the trial and error method n
presenting testimony has more and
more given place to research meth.
DDS. The scientific detective Of tha
fiction magazines is reality. Fev
lawyers and detectives are the yer.
satile authorities on all manner q,
subjects that the story book hero
always is, but they do know when
and, where to get expert opinion
and the results are often astound.
ing.
Valne Of the Microscope.
| Hans Gross, the well known cri,s,
inologist, has pointed out how no
microscope in the hands Of an er.
pert can reveal important facts n.t
obtainable by other means. A mon.
descript bit Of hair takes on per.
sonality under a microscope len;
1t is possible, Prof. Gross SAYS. IN
tell upon what part OF the body thu
hair has grown, and whether Il il
the hair of a man or woman
The condition Of the hair may also
be studied. The fact that it shovel
signs of dye or of pomade, for IN
stance, might prove to be q signia-
cant clue
If the roots of the hair are avail.
able, the age Of the person can also
be determined to certain extent
Dipped in q solution of caustic Dot.
ash the roots will dissolve, and thu
younger the person the more rapid.
ly the process takes place. Sucn
tests are often used in criminal In.
vestigations.
Dust is another interesting kind
Of evidence which becomes signif-
cant only in the hands of a scien-
fist. Dust is important in criminal
cases because it is made I'D Of o.
ganic matter from our surroun i.
ings.
A mysterious coat was found on
the scene of certain crime. Il
was placed in strong paper sack
and beaten with sticks to release
the dust. The sample collected
from the bag was then analysed. It
revealed bits of woody fibrous mat
ter finely pulverfzed. and also gela-
tine and powdered glue. The wood
suggested a carpenter, but the ad-'
dition of the glue pointed to a join
er. The clue was followed and the
guilty person, a joiner, appre-
hended.
Gunsmiths, anatomists, chemists,
and authorities on plant and animal
life are called in to point out facts
that the layman, however clever,
does not know how to see. But SO
far the human mind has rarely
been subjected to scientific scrutiny
in court except in cases when in
sanity is suspected. Witnesses
tinge their evidence with hate Or
determined loyalty and no jury can
be sure as to what allowance should
be made for these variations.
In Germany the legal psychologist
is established as consulting agent.
known as 1.-THE friend of the court
In Chicago courts, some expert
ments have been made along {
similar line Aside from these VEN
lures the legal psychologist has not
yet gained recognition as an expert
witness. Interest in the subject il
growing, however.
DR.. John Larson is conducting ex.
periments in the police department
laboratory in Berkeley, Calf. The
American university. in this city. Is
establishing laboratory of legal
psychology.
The psychological conclusion thst
in union there is strength has
struck psychologists and students
ef criminology in this city, and they
have organized an American
Psychological society. The bust
ness of this society is to enlighten
the public regarding legal psychol-
ogy; to work for such Legislation
from congress as win advance the
science; and to prove to the courts
that it has come to stay and must
SnOner Or later he rpcognized