The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1922-12-09
NATIONAL HNGERPRINT system


- son' ~. ", Lee. IA ma
uonal system Of identincatln In be-
ing urged BY fngerprfnt exs,errs. Ac-
cording to the proposed r.an three
sets Of the n~ngerprints OF sach per-
son In this country over S rears of
age would be taken. One se. would
be hled at a national bureau Il iden-
tiication at Washington. Ths sec
ond copy would 60 to q bure,u at
the capital of the State in whica the
individual lived. And the taira copy
would be fled with local oe4ciais of
his city or county.
With this system, It Il claimed.
puzzles Of identity would be reduced
to q minimum. Fingerprints can now
be so completely classified End filed
that when . pattern ia pressnted for
Identification file experts AN quickly
ascertain whether or not the same
print fs In their collection.
Thus. suppose a man suffering
from aphasia were found wandering
about the streets Of Q southern city.
People are singulariy careless about
carrying marks OF Identification, and
it might easily happen that o Chicago
shop label In q hat would be the only
clue to his identity.
The mans nngerprints would be
taken and compared with prints of
the same type In the local city file. II
he were not found there the Chicago
bureau Of Identification would be
asked to compare his prints With SIM
liar exhibits in their file. II ne were
not among the residents VI Chicago
the national bureau would search its
records. Once the man was Identified
his next Of kin. as named on ais ing-
erprint card, would be notified.
By q similar process the m ajority
Of unidentified dead could be re-
turned to their families, we are told.
Detectives say that every year 10000
unidentified dead are buried in the
p~otter's fields in this country. More
than 100000 women are reported
missing each year. while kidraIped
and lost children and missing men
constitute q serious problem for ev-
cry community.
An Identification bureau. of course,
will not make 1t much easier to To-
cate q person who has disappeared
out Of his normal environment. iesc-
ing no trace. But every such per-
son who turns up unidentified at a
police headquarters or hospital or
morgue car be almost surely traced
through q national nngerprfnt sys-
tenn.
Even in cases of drowning and
death caused by burns. where q body
is most difficult to identity finger
prints can often be Of great assist
ance. Persons who are overtak ken by
violent death are apt to clench the
hands, and the skin on the finger
tips Is thus protected. F~ingarprints
have played an important part n 8
number of cases of this sort when
they could be compared with existing
fingerprint records. This has been
possible when the victim turned out
to have been a criminal. previously
fngerprinted by a police department.
or when he had been in the army or
navy. When in such a case no record
can be found. the i%ngerprint clues on
a body r useless.
PROTECTION TO EVERY CITIZEN
According to H. w. Bennett, fing-
erprint expert of this city. every cit
izen should realize that a complete
national fingerprinting system would
be a valuable protection to him.
When real need to identify some M
or to prove personal identity srise.
the situation is generally urs,nt. and
40 n KIN " when such aergen-
cy may occur In his " I'M
fortunately Culy a few classes nf peo-
ple-detectives. bankers. ~inalrance
men and police officials. principally
appreciate the importance OF .conclu-
sive Identification. 1t is not easy to
stir up enthusiasm among the pablo.
Mr.. Bennett says. because the aver
age citizen Is not personally interest
ed until he has a specific nted for
Identification.
Another d~iflculty In arousirg In
terest in the proposed bureau is that