Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
BY GENE DAY.

@HAT popular slogan Set a
thief to catch q thief" has been
tuned to new and different
music with the modern devel-
opment of the science Of Grim
inclogy, for nowadays 1t Is the tech
nically trained scientist more often than
not who aids police officials in solving
banning mysteries.
Thanks to effective law enforcement
In the District and sincere hostility to
gunner and ~gangsters, the Washington
police blotter is comparatively free
of mysterious shooting cases which re-.
main unsolved. Our Metropolitan Po-
lice force is very successful in coping
with the common category Of crimes
tncubated by Washington's underworld.
The mill run Of 'gun" cases are fer
reted without much outside assistance.
Murder mysteries in the neighboring
counties of Maryland and Virginia not
i~nfrequently involve the Introduction
OF expert testimony by ballistics, am
munition, firearms, handwriting and
scientific specialists.
The experiences Of many other
American cities indicate that the more
college scientists focus their technical
attention and microscopes on the I'M
travelling Of mysterious crimes the great
er are the chances Of solving the most
difficult crime riddle and of bringing
the evildoers to justice. That old say
ing, Murder will out" assumed in
creased verify as soldiers of science Of
fer their services as schooled "vigi-
llantes" Of modernity, qualified to ap-
ply laboratory accuracy and classroom
thoroughnesS to deleting the myths
from crime mysteries.
Given the gun with which a modern
murder is committed, as well as a bull
let from the victims body, and skilled
science can build up a scientific case
founded on conclusive facts which will
convict the culprit-if caught-without
any other circumstantial or definite
evidence.
Modern microscopes, magical eyes
which magnify the unseen SO that 1t
may be seen, studied and even photo
graphed, play the roles Of successful
sleuths. Bullet catchers which facili-
tate the test firing and recovery of
leaden missiles belched under labora-
tory conditions from suspect weapons
into containers of oiled sawdust assist
the round robin research. Plaster OF
paris molds of the inside peculiaritieS
of rifle and pistol barrels, comparative
X-ray pictures of the internal Struc-
ture of metals, firearms, bombs and
other devilish devices for human de-
struction, as well as test shells, play
important parts in freeing the tnno-
cent and convicting the guilty.
Mechanical skill and machine ef1ci-
ency, although they have fostered Won
derful achievements, are unable to pro-
duce two firearms so similar that the
expert c~riminologist cannot distinguish
between them. That is one flaw in the
fabrication Of violent crimes which the
underworld Is powerlesS to eradicate
Firing pins are never exactly alike
Shell ejector marks on cartridges are in.
variably distinctive. The structure stria-
tons of the metal in shells and bullets
fired from the same weapon have char
acteriSticS which are as reliable legal
Identification as flngerprints. The Older
the weapon, and the more it Is used, the
more characteristic are these PECULIAR,
ties. Science, which is nothing NOR
than organized common sense applied Il
the solution of murder mysteries, Is nov
efficient In detecting such identified
lions.
y X X X
A CASE in point which illustrates tn
"A value Of scientific research Il
crime solution concerns the metallic
graphic examination of metals. TIL
prosecution submitted two specimens o
steel to a leading American chemis
and asked him to determine II the sam
piles came originally from the same p!ec