Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-12-06

stand when you consider hat fin
ger prints are authoritativeiy re-
garded as the final proof of iden-
tity. Experienced detectives admit
that they are sometimes deceived Sy
likeness between two individuals,
and that on the other hand a dis
guise or the lapse of time may so
change a persons appearance that
he is not recognized by his own
friends. But finger prints do not
change, and that two persons should
have identical finger prints is said to
be virtually impossible. Even the
prints on twins can readily be dis
tinguished.
No Duplicates in Millions
Out Of the 5000, 900 prints filed
by the Army and the 1900. 900 filed
by the Navy no duplicates have
ever been found. Nor is there any
record from other sources of any
discovery of duplicates. This is pos
sible because not only is there wide
variety in the general designs, but
also in the ridges of which the pat
tern is made up. These ridges, which
appear smooth and regular to the
naked eye, show distinct character
istics when a print Is put under a
microscope. Lines are shown to be
broken and forked in individual
ways. Ridges vary in depth and
distinctness.
The importance of all this va
ration is obvious when difficult
questions of identity arise. The most
famous example is that of two Of
tenders in the p~enitentiary at Lea
venworth, Kansas. When one of
these men was brought II officials
were Instantly strnck with the idea
that a prisoner had escaped. The
prisoner was found in his cell,
however, and brought put to be com
pared with the new inmate. They
were as much alike as the proverblal
twins. Though they were not relat-
ed both had the same family name
and similar Christian But
their finger prints were entirely dif-
ferent.
Cation, who was a pioneer stu
lent of finger printing, estimated
that there are 1000, 100000 posi-
BILE patterns. Compare this with the
number of people in the world, less
than $500, 100000 and you get an
idea of the infinite variety of the
dsigns. Since Cations time pro-
gress has been made in analysing
prints, and modern experts give the
chances of two people having ideu-
! teal prints al in an Cnreadaple
number containing 81 digits.
Forgery Practically Impossible
The suggestion prints might be
forged has been met with the answer
that this is practically impossible.
Under a powerful lens a patched-Ip
print would not deceive an expert.
The other suggested means Of
cheating the finger print system
destroying prints-is also dis
missed by Mr.. Wilder as unlikely to
be tried often. In a classified collec-
ton Of prints all the fingers are
recorded. Thus to lose ones finger
print identity all the fingers would
have to be disfigured. because one
print left would be a significant
clue. And not only would all the
fingers have to be burned, but they
would have to be burned SO deeply
that the ridges would not form again
This would mean a good deal of
pain. Burns 81 deep would also
touch would be practically destroy
ed. And finally, a person so disfig-
ured would be conspicuously mark
ed, a situation strictly avoided by
the fugitive from the law.
The processes Of taking prints Of
individuals and photographing prints
left on objects may sound simple
enough, but in reality the work Is
exacting and expert knowledge is
necessary If the prints are to be
used for any serious purpose. An
alyzing and classifying prints is ex-
tremely complicated.
Finger printing has come into
widest use as an aid to scientific
detection of crime. Now attempts
are being nImade to put the system
to other uses. The idea of making
forgery more difficult by having
bank checks signed not only with a
persons name, but also with his
finger prints has been tried. The
Army and Navy check UP on desert
ers who try to reenlist, and otherwise
keep close track of their men by
complete finger print systems.
1t has been suggested that all
artists should sign their works with
a thumb print and thus make life
less easy for the large and flourish
ing school of art forgers. Like a
number OF other proposals dealing
with finger prints this idea has
never been put into practice.