Evening star., 1934-04-01
EXPERT JOINS j. 5.
CRIME PURSUERS
Or. Wilmer Souder "Loaned''
Department of Justice
Laboratory.
BY REX COLLIER.

BY REX COLLIER.
DR.. Wilmer Souder, noted Bureau
OF Standards expert on bullet, hand
writing and typewriting identification,
has joined the scientific STAFF of the
criminological laboratory recently
established here by the Department
Of Justice Division of Investigation
nemesis Of the kidnaper and gangster.
The loan" of DR.. Souder, in an
advisory capacity, to the rapidly-de
veloping research laboratory is under
stood to be but preliminary step
toward organization by the Division of
Investigation of a national scientific
crime detection institute-services Of
which will be available not only to
division investigators but to State and
local police of the country.
Experts Role Important.
With the aid of powerful micro
scopes, ultra violet rays, chemical ap-
paratus and an imposing array of
other intricate paraphernalia for
studying fingerprints, blood stains,
dust particles, writing and other pos
sible clues to crime, laboratory ex-
perts have played an important role
in solution of kidnapings and other
cases.
DR.. Souder is a recognized author
ity on forensic ballisticS, or the science
of identifying bullets and guns, and
is equally well known for his analyses
OF handwriting and typewriting in
kidnapping, extortion and forgery cases
1t was he who examined the ran
som notes in the Lindbergh kidnapping
and pronounced them the handiwork
OF one person. Since then, he has
compared thousands of specimens OF
handwriting of kidnapers and other
criminals with the cryptic scrawl
characterizing the Lindbergh case
notes. For his guidance in this pains
taking search for the Jersey kidnaper,
DR.. Souder has prepared greatly en-
larged photographs Of the culprit' S
handwriting. These enlargementS he
scarcely needs, however. because the
peculiarities of certain letters have be-
come indelibly imprinted in his mind.
Claims Disguise Impossible.
DR.. Souder contends a person cam
not disguise his handwriting success
fully, as a number N criminals have
learned. In an eXtortion case here
last year, a college student thought
he had SO altered his writing that
no expert could identity him as the
author OF note threatening to kid
nap small child. This student, an
emplOye Of the threatened family. was
considered by his employers as above
suspicion, but DR.. Souder astounded
the family by designating the student
as author of the note. Not until the
employe, confronted with the identi-
f1cation and subsequently developed
evidence, had confessed his guilt in
court were the victims of the plol
convinced the right man had been
arrested.
The staff of the chronological lab
oratory is not only sending criminals
to prison, but is freeing innocent
suspects, according to j. Edgar
Hoover, director of the Division of
Investigation and founder of the
Crime clinic" In an extortion case
in Mississippi not long ago, a definite
suspect was cleared when it was
found his handwriting did not tally
with that in note demanding S3O.-
600 under threat of bombing the
home of a court official. A man who
lived 80 miles away. however, was
Identified as the writer and sender
OF the note, although he had at
tempted to disguise his hand. He
pleaded guilty and is serving 20 years
In Leavenworth Penitentiary.
Aiding Establishment.
DR.. Souder Is aiding actively in the
planning and development of the
crime laboratory. which is to occupy
spacious. specially equipped head
quarters in the new Department of
Justice Building at Tenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue. He is assist
ing in training personnel as well as
In selecting and assembling the
scientific equipment
Instruments already in use include
a ballistics microscope. for comparing
ore-markings on fired bullets, with
view to identifying the gun Used
lii a crime. the binocular micro
scope, employing the stereoscopic prin-
clple in magnifying writing and other
objects; the research microscope,
magnifying an object up to l,4O0
times; the ultra violet lamp for
studying fioureScent appearance of
various articles to be identified; spe-
cial cameras for chronological work
some camouflaged for trapping crimi-
nails at work, and chemical equip
ment for analyzing blood and other
stains, gun powder. etc.
Moulage, or the art Of molding
footprints. tire marks or other i'm
pressions left at the scene of a crime,
also is being practiced by the labora-
tory staff. Molds or casts sometimes
are made of parts of the human body,
to show exact location and nature of
a wound, or for identification pur-
poses.
Fibers Studied.
Dust particles, hairs and fibers are
carefully studied under microscopes
and the finding often provide impor-
tant clues to the perpetrator of a
crime. Bits of hair and flesh Scraped
from under the fingernails of muir
dered woman. for example, were iden-
titled as that of her husband, who
had been protesting his innocence.
He was convicted of the Staying.
At present the laboratory is max
ing an interesting collection of wa
termarks on paper. tire and tread
natternS bullets nOWderS and tVne-