Evening star., 1923-07-22

finger prints?
Yes" replies the govern
~ ment, and IL will establish in
Washington the greatest bureau in
the western hemisphere for the iden-
tification of criminals.
No" answered attorneys for a
band of train bandits recently before
L court in the west. Evidence hinged
on a finger print found after great
train wreck on d little bottle of nitro
glycerine. The finger print had been
identified as that of a noted crimi-
nal"
The man had been arrested. accord
ing to the story told by William ].
Burns, director, of the bureau of in
vestigation, Department of Justice,
and placed on trial.
Attorneys for the defense resisted
efforts on the part of the prosecu
ton" said Mr.. Burns, ITO submit the
finger print that was found on the
bottle, claiming that 1t was impossible
under the circumstances to identify
it. The superintendent of our bureau
of Identification. In order TO satisfy
the court and jury as TO that feature
of the situation. produced a sheet Of
plain writing paper and asked that
four or five persons place thumbs on
the paper and hold them there for
several seconds-without using the
ink usually employed in making these
tests-and that he would identify the
finger print of each person.
In his absence from the room they
did this and when he returned, after
an examination % the thumbs of the
four persons who had made their
prints on the paper, he elaborated
upon the finger prints in the presence
of the court. and identified each man.
The prisoner was convicted"
But. say some critics of the finger
rrint system, the innocent may some
times be caught by mistake.
On the contrary. Mr.. Burns points
out. the finger-print system is a pro-
lection to the innocent. To illustrate,
lie tells this story:
Recently a robbery was committed
in the state of Illinois and from the
description given by persons who wit
messed the robbery, a certain we'll
known criminal was arrested and
positively identified. But, on taking
Il finger print that was found at the
scene of the robbery and comparing
it with the finger print of the man
under arrest, 1t was conclusively
shown that he was not the robber.
He was promptly released, but the
real culprit was found as a result Of
The finger print
i and information which the De-
partment Of Justice will establish
here to use the finger-print system.
and to be directed by Mr.. Burns, will
combine two bureaus, one operated by
the department at Fort Leavenworth
and the other operated here at Wash
ington by the International Associa-
tion Of Chiefs of Police. Records at
the Department of Justice here also
will be added. Where the new great
amalgamated bureau will be located
has not yet been decided, as the De-
partment of Justice itself is now in
a rented building and does not know
where it will be transferred. But
plans have been perfected for the
great bureau, Mr. Burns announced,
and will be pushed through this sum-
mer.
More than 100000 records of
criminals, all finger-print identihca-
tions, will be brought from Fort
I.eavenworth. where they are now in
the charge of A. J. Renoe, special
agent, and will be added to the g.
100000 records here in the police
chiefs bureau, in charge of E. Van
Buskirk. to complete what will be
the dream of crimonologists every
where-a great headquarters, blue
book, IL You please, or rogues' GAL
lery Of the crooks of this part of the
earth.
There will be installed in connec-
tion with this bureau. Director Burns
announces, radio equipment.
through which the government will
be able to broadcast warnings to all
offcials throughout the country, CIV
ing the location and activities of
criminals.
You can readily imagine the effec-
tiveness of the radio as an aid in the
prevention of crime" said Mr.. Burns.
IF . local police department radios
TO Warrington the details of crime,