Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-11
ction by Fox of Scotland Yard Put Fngerprns Map

first big test Of the fngerprint system.
and his hands shook as he eliminated
all but one Of the prints-that of the
right thumb Of Alfred STATIONS hand.
To his trained eye there were super
fetal resemblanCes in this. but he was
not certain that il would stand the
closer tests. To exclude the possibility
of discredit being thrown upon the sys-
tenn a rigorous regulation had been
laid down--it exists TO this day--that
no ingerprint should be presented in
court as evidence unless there were
at least 10 points Of resemblance. This
gave generous margin Of absolute
certainty.
One by one Collins checked his
points. his excitement rising with the
total. Presently he burst without
knocking into the sacred precinntS Of
the assistant commissioners room,
where Fox with Sir Melville Mac
naChten was awaiting his report.
Good God, sir he Casped "The
mark on The Cashhox tray is in exact
correspondence with Alfred STATIONS
right thumb" To he precise there
were just II points Of resemblance.
Fox breathed heavily. lie felt that
whatever happened now he was iusti-
fed. Nevertheless. he considered that
tirely to this point. Juries are kittle
cattle and they might be disinclined
to hang two men on the mere state
ment that the fingerprint system was
infalible. So he attempted to bring
the thing closer home. There were
disappointments. Annie, the girl who
had provided the first clue to the
STATIONS, had sudden failure of
memory and went back on her evil
denCe. She was, in fact, treated as Il
hostile witness at the Old Bailey. The
milkman who had seen the two men
leave the Farrow's shop on the morn
ing of the murder failed to identify
the brothers. On the other hand, they
were identified by a man and wom-
an who had seen them at different
points about the neighborhood in the
small hours of the fatal day. The girl
who had seen them running along the
High street also recognized them.
There was plenty of evidence to show
that they were in the habit OF being
out all night. With all their energy
and persistence the detectives could
find little more that counted.
Then suddenly Albert Stratton
helped. He was incautions enough to
fall into conversation with a jailer.
How do you think I'll get on?" he
asked.
Il don't know" replied the cautious
officer.
II reckon he'll get strung up" said
Albert, Internationally, jerking his
thumb toward the cell where his
brother was confined, land I'll get
about 10 years. He led me into this"
The admission was almost as vital
as the fingerprint. The two things
combined with the other fragments of
evidence to make a crushing case.
The two men were put on trial and
in one sense it was a trial Of the fin
gerprint system. Detective Inspector
Collins figured prominently as a wit
ness and with the aid of a big chart
gave lecture on his methods to the
court. A practical demonstration was
made by taking the fngerprints of
some of the jury. The expert re-
manned mistaken in Cross-examina-
ton.
The defense was an alibi and an at
tack on the fingerprint system which
was easily shattered. The judge in
his Charge to the jury went out of his
way TO insist that the thumbprint
should not be taken as infallible evi.
dence of Identification. but should SIM
ply be held as corroborative evidence
When the jury retired the Scotland
Yard men awaited the result with
more anxiety than is usual even in
case of murder. They knew the ver-
dict would have incalculable conse-
quences one way or the other on sci.
entitic criminal investigation.
1t was two hours before the jury
made up their minds. They found
both men guilty. Fingerprints were
on the map!
THE END.
(CnnYrirht 1907