Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-15


scientific tracking Of criminals
mn through the pages of fiction, de-
W. tectives had to depend upon
sheer brainwork for adding up
odd bits of evidence and finding the solution
Of a crime Study Of footprints nngerprn:s,
chemistry and dentistry were brought In 10 ana
the c1everest manhunters to identify and con-
Vict thieves and murdererS. . -
EVERY GOOD police force developed its Camera
Cve Dick a man with remarkable memory ZOE
faces and features, and, despite the unceaSn,s
use of science, successful detective Work Con
tinued to depend upon the rogues gallery Which
the crime investigator carried around IN ms
own head. 4,o,
Not long ago there gathered in the reception
room of the mayor of Philadelphia dlstm-
c1,;shad audience of psychologists, criminolo-
0;sts welfare workers and detectives from otner
cities. The room was damned with people VINO
had come to see the first run OF taking mo-
ton picture. Director of Public SAFETY Lemuei
b Schofield gave the word to the operator ana
the screen not only showed the scene and ola-
logle of morning "stand-up" OF criminals ana
suspects at police headquarters, but also the
audience saw and heard suspected tnleI ana
a suspected murderer confess to their crimes
and describe how they were carried OUT
SGV~HIS use of the movietone is revolution
airy step forward in the Identification and
the conviction OF criminals" declared DIRECTOR
Schofield "It is the most important develop
ment in police technique since the adoption Oh
the fngerprint system. 1t will modify police
methods increase the efficiency OF the average
detective and make 1t more difficult Tor suS-
pected men to escape recognition by the police.
"a movietone rogues' gallery must become an
important part of the equipment OF every hrst-
class police department, while the use OF the
talking picture in court, both by prosecution
and defense, win, venture to predict, create
a subtle change in the processes Of justice as
we'll as in the conviction of criminals"
The inspiration for the use of talking pictures
IN police work came to Director Schofeld while
preparing evidence in murder case Negro
had held up a s.orekeeper and killed hlm he
accompanied detectives to the scene OF the
CRIME and series of photographs were taken
in which the man re-enacted his part in the
crime. He demonstrated how he had ap-
preached the store and how he had used his
gun.
When Director Schofeld spread the prints
out on his desk showing the sequence of the
murder the idea of using a motion picture
camera occurred to him. And If motion pic
ture why not talking picture.
The police had just arrested milk driver
accused of robbing houses and boy after the
shooting of his sweetheart. Inspector OF De-
.tectives william j. Connolly, who belongs to- the
school of detectives opposed to the third de-
gree" believing that more flies are caught win
molasses than with vinegar, had persuaded
both of the young men to make confessions ana
they consented to have camera record the
visual and vocal aspects of the scene.
Inspector Connolly sat at a desk with stenog-
rapher beside him, while William A. Peters sat
opposite. The scene was clear and vivid. AS
the film fickered on the boy told the story OF
the tragedy, while the crowd leaned forward
eagerly not to miss word
Ieona his sweetheart, was in the store, said
Peters.
@ The girl you shot? A. Went back into
the bakeshop. Her father was there and be-
lieve her mother was in the store. told the
father I wanted to do the right thing. -"
The father said we would have to cut It out
completely no letters. talked to Leona ana
we walked into the hallway. said, "Leona,
want to quit me?" And she said, mo, b. but
YOU have to act that way on account OF pop
being here" Went inside again ana
she was going upstairs. I called her back ana
said Lee" And she said, II have to go up
stairs" 1 said Listen, Lee, we Will make a
clean slate of the thing" Then we went up-
stairs to the parlor and started to talk Inc
father said something to me, and she SAID All
right we will settle this in court" Sne Saiu
something else and lost my head.
O. Tell us what she said. A can't re-
member.
-, @. Well, It's all right If you can't remember
What happened then? A. Anyhow, got oul
the gun md I shot her. wanted to SHOOT
myself, but somebody grabbed me and the mex
thing l knew I on the floor. A couple
grabbed me- and after that there was three
on me. The mother came in and she said
"You shot my daughter" I said, mo- nom
no." Then I said, Get somebody, get doctor
am not going 20 beat it." After that tne
police came and took me away.
O. They brought you to the police station
and then here to City Hail. where we had
pleasant little chat, when told you the poles