Evening star., 1923-07-22

! together with a description and name
of the suspect, or asks for data on a
man in the rogues' gallery. it would
be disconcerting for the fugitive from
justice to know that few minutes
later his whole history would be
broadcast throughout the United
States. He would be watched for at
every possible point of departure
within an hour after the commission
of the crime. This. indeed, would re-
strain to a very great extent the ac-
tivities Of criminals"
Il X =
a CURIOUS incident is related by
"A Director Burns as demonstrating
the radio. "a short time ago" he
said, "in one of the middle western
states a very plausible young man,
wanting a radio outfit and not hav-
ing the purchase price. called on one
of the large dealers and stated he had
been commissioned by a certain pub
lie school to obtain an outfit. This
was delivered to him. Subsequently
they discovered they had been duped.
Knowing the young man would be
constantly using his outfit, the fol-
lowing warning was broadcast:
LOOK out for young man who
fraudulently obtained an expensive
outfit. and whose description is as
follows: About twenty-four; height,
about five feet eight; ruddy complex
ion; blue eyes; light. curly hair; scar
on left cheek; wearing a blue serge
suit, tan shoes and a light fedora
hat
'It so happened that on this par
ticular night the young man was en-
tertaining a number of friends. You
can imagine his confusion and en-
barrassment when they listened to
this warning. But he was very re-
sourceful and equal to the occasion.
He laughed heartily as he explained
to his friends that a chum was send
ing that as joke. But the follow
ing day his mother called and paid
for the outfit.
THE creation of this bureau of
Identification" declared Mr.. Burns,
will be the most important and ad-
vanced step in the application of
what we call preventive measures
ever adopted. BY this we mean 1t
VIII prevent crime and reduce it to
the minimum, for it will restrict the
activities of criminals to such an ex-
tent that they will hesitate before
committing crime when they realize
the energy and up-to-date methods
that will be set in motion for their
capture. And If, in addition to this,
a crystallized public sentiment could
be created sufficiently strong to in
duce the courts to make punishment
for serious crimes swift and sure, it
would be an added deterrent against
crime.
Those not familiar with the finger
print SYSTEM" said Mr. Burns, would
be startled to learn of the remarkable
results obtained. In the robbery of
the Denver mint Of 100000, the au-
thortties were baf1ed until the dis
covery Of the dead body Of one of the
robbers In an abandoned garage at
Denver, with every means Of identifi-
cation removed from his clothing.
Finger prints were taken and he was
at once identified as q noted criminal
from Chicago.
some time ago man was found
murdered in the state of Minnesota
and finger print was found on his
collar. This was submitted to our
bureau, and, to the establishment Of
the officials. the murderer, whose
finger print was found, was recorded
in the bureau as being dead. He was
Immediately brought to justice and
convicted of the offense.
Still more recently. in New Eng
land, a man was found murdered,
with all marks Of Identification re-
| moved from his clothing. This would
indicate that he was engaged in
crime. When his finger prints were
taken and submitted to our bureau.
he was at once identified as q noted
criminal, who evidently had been
killed by his associates"
y n n
TN the little overcrowded headouar-
i ters Of the police chiefs bureau.
over the National Bank of Wash
ington. at 7th and d streets north
west, repose the criminal records of
about 100000 crooks, in row after
row Of file cases.
In fact. the superintendent, Mr..
Van Buskirk explained, about 1900