The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-07
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC }. HAsKIN. Direcner.
washington, ID. @.
NATIONAL FINGER PRINT
SYSTEM.

II.
Washington, d. c.. Dec. 3.-There
has been so much talk about finger
prints as a means of Identification that
it would seem as If everyone must
know something about the subject
Detectives, however, say that general
knowledge of finger print science is
vague, and that a good deal OF what
people believe about it is Inaccurate.
This is said TO be true even of police
officials who regularly deal with iden-
tification problems. The question of
finger prints arises in almost every
big crime mystery and we might think
that every official and employee en-
gagged in ferreting out criminals would
be keenly aware OF the importance OF
prints. But are they? Far from II
II. H. Wilder and Bert Wentworth,
in an elaborate exposition on the sub
ject of Identification, point out prac-
tically ideal situation which obtains IN
LYONS France. When report Is
made to police headquarters there that
a murder or robbery has been com
mitted, instant orders go out that
nothing in the place where the deco
occurred is to be touched Then ringer
print experts are sent out at once to
study the premises for prints left on
windows, door knobs, weapons, |Walls
In contrast to this these experts
give a story of this country. "A
used in a crime, rubbed his hand along
the handle to brush off the dust. and
asked a finger print expert IN an
seriousness if he could find any sig-
nificant prints on it.
These contrasting stories show
fundamental difference in attitude
towards a crime. The police CHIEF at
Lyons takes it for granted that every
crime may become troublesome mys-
terry and he approaches it as such.
His earefulness about finger prints ana
removal of objects may turn out to be
altogether unnecessary. The criminal
may be quickly discovered. But ne
believes in preparedness
Only too often the American atti-
tude seems to be TO regard a crime as
no mystery at all until II actually
proves itself such Then skilled de-
tectiVes are set feverishly to work on
stale clues, and there is generally
great deal of fuss made over the fact
that innumerable people have touched
everything about the scene of the
crime. 1t is practically impossible
then to do much with finger prints,
and yet suddenly finger prints be-
come the most sought after clue. But
in the next mystery the same sequence
of events occurs.
This is all the harder to understand
when you consider that finger prints
are authorSatively regarded as the
final proof of identity. Experienced
detectives admit that they are some
times QECelNGd DN lhGIltSS DGlM GCn
two individuals, and that on the ether
hand a disguise 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 distin-
guished.
No Duplicates in Millions.
Out of the 100000 prints filed by
the army and the 100000 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 possible because
not only is there wide variety in the
general designs, but also in the ridges
of which the pattern is made up.
These ridges, which appear smooth
and regular to the naked eye, show
distinct characteristics when a print
is put under a microscope. Lines are
shown to be broken and forked in in
dividuRI ways Ridges vary in depth
and distinctneSs. ...-
The importance of all this variation
is obvious when difficult questions of
identity arise. The most famous ex-l
ample is that of two offenders in the
penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan
When one of these men was brought
in officials were instantly struck with
the idea that a prisoner had escaped
however, and brought out to be COM
pared with the new inmate. They
were as much alike as the proverbial
twins. Tho they were not related both
had the same family name and similar
Christian names. But their finger
prints were entirely different.
Galton, who was a pioneer student
of finger printing, estimated that there
are 64,O00.o00,0o0 possible patterns
Compare this with the number of peo-
pie in the world, less than 1.50O,0 ,0oO,-
600 and you get an idea of the infinite
variety of the designs. Since Cation
time progress has beeD-made in an
alizing prints. and modern experts give
the chances of two people having
Identical prints as one in an unread
able number containing 81 digits.
Forgery Practically Impossible.
The suggestion that prints might be
forged has been met with the answer
that this is practically impossible.
Under a powerful lens a patched-up
print would not deceive an expert.
The other suggested means of cheat
ing the finger print system-destroy-
ing prints-is also dismissed by SAr
Wilder as unlikely to be tried often.
In a classified collection of prints all
the fingers are recorded. Thus to lose
ones finger print identity all the
fingers would have to be dlsflgured,
because one print left would be sig
nificant 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 or pain.
Burns so deep would also mean that
the delicate sense of touch would be
practically destroyed. And finally,
person so disfigured would be con-
spicuously\narked. a situation strictly
avoided byNhe fugitive from the law
The processes of taking prints of in
dividuals and photographing prints
left on objects may sound simple
enough, hut in reality the work is ex-
acting and expert knowledge is neces-
sary if the prints are to be used for
any serious purpose. Analyzing and