Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-16

We must 60 back to 1923. Down the steps Mt
the New Utrecht avenue elevated station In
Brooklyn came two bank messengers, carrying
between them . satchel containing $49.o0o IN
cash. One Of the messengers, Barlow. was a
retired policeman; he was q man OF great
bravery for he had twice shot his wav out OF
attempted hold-ups. But this time he had no
chance. As he and his partner crossed the
platform, almost under the eyes Of the ticket
taker, two men separated themselves swiftly
from the few passengers, due pistols out OF
their pockets and fred furiously. THE two
messengers fell dead. third man smatched
the bag and then all three melted into an au-
tomobile waiting at the foot of the landing and
got away.
Unfortunately for them, the bystanders
proved more obServant than usual for . num-
Der of them noted the license plates on the
machine. True, the remembered nv bers diff
fered greatly when detectives b. an to conn
pare them, but they found three who were in
agreement on the first four numerals Several
hours later an abandoned automobile was found
near q subway entrance several miles distant.
The desk sergeant to whom the number of this
car was reported noticed that its first four
numbers correspondent with those for which
the alarm had just been broadcast.
Fingerprint men were rushed TO the ma
chine. Outlined in the dust of the door of the
car they found the prints of four fingers of one
hand, where o man apparently had ciutched
the top of the door. Back at headquarters ex-
perts pored over them, classified them and then
plunged into the files. Ten minutes later the
fngerprints of Barlow Diamond racketeer and
gangster, were produced. Characteristic for
characteristic they matched those found ON
the door
Several weeks later Diamond was picked up
in Cleveland and brought back to New York.
He denied the charge and furnished what
seemed to be an iron-clad alibi. At this point
enters another element. In the master file
there are kept, along with his records, finger
DriDfc nhOtDQranh and other data
and addresses Of criminals associates. Their
photographs can then be traced by their re-
spective files. On Diamonds card were listed
many associates, most Of them unsavory. The
ticket agent who had sat over the whole affair
on the platform carried sharp memory OF the
men. When detectives gave him two dozen
photographs to identify, he unheSitatingly
picked out those Of the men he had seen.
One by one, the fugitives were picked Hp.
Three Of them died in the electric chair and
the fourth, found and arrested IN Italy after a
skye search, Is serving life term.
Lest 1t be imagined that the business Of
fngerprinting works just one way, hasten to
add that it has worked with equal positiveness
IN clearing innocent men of serious charges.
couple Of years ago the vaults of one Of the
banks at Exeter, Calf, were dynamited and
looted Suspicion conferred upon a mysterious
stranger who had FIRST been observed in Exeter
the day before the robbery, and who had dis
appeared, apparently, right after it. His de-
and month later man whom the description
htted to IT" was arrested IN another county.
His apparent guilt seemed intensified by the
fact he FIRST resisted arrest and then tried
desperately TO escape from jail. Moreover
responsible citizens IN Exeter positively identi-
ned him as the mysterious stranger they had
seen lettering near the bank
Solely as q matter of routine CHS conviction
was thought to be foregone conclusion) the
mans fingerprtnts were sent to washington.
There was no doubt of his record He had
served 10 years in Ieavenworth for robbing A
post Office at Pocatello Idaho. But the strik-
ing fact the files showed was that he was stfl
IN Leavenworth when the Exeter bank was
robbed, and was not released until 10 DAYS
laterl
4 AORE and more the use of finger prints Is
w becoming part of a vast system OF ma
tonal Identification. The Army and NAVY
and Marine Corps hngerprints every member of
their personnel, as do the prohibition and
police departments. 1t has been very yahuable
here not only IN maintaining constant sur
VIGILANCE over personnel, but also in wedding
out undesirable characters beforehand For
instance, when the hngerprints of 900 ap-
plicants for appointment as prohibition IN
spectoFs went through the mill in 1928. IL Of
them were identified as robbers thieves foFgers
and the ike, and one Of them had served q
sentence for violating the Volstead actl
One problem that has been frequently en-
countered Is the need OF protecting 1neeTprint
records. On many occasions police ofhcials
have reported that vital fingerprint records
have been stolen as . result of collision be-
tween employees In local bureaus and criminals,
perhaps fugitives TO whom the destruction Of
records would mean almost complete obliteF-
alton Because Of the numerical system u
classification, and the vast number Of records
such losses might go unnoted for years
Along with the growth Of the science Of class
flying 1ngerprints, considerable progress has
also been made in developing latent prints
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