Evening star., 1934-01-05
Cummings to Ask Congress
For Aid in War on Rdcketeers
Would Ban Interstate Transportation of
Stolen Property and Sale of Ma
chine Guns to Cangsters.

were obtained in cases which resulted
In recovery of property valued at
Sc, 1872 1892 and a saving to the Gov
ernment in claims Of an additional
S380.613 OF the cases presented Tor
trial on evidence secured by division
agents, 9551 per cent of them resulted
in convictions-a record that Is said
| to be unsurpassed by any law enforce
ment agency.
During the year 1850 stolen motor
vehicles were recovered under the
Dyer act bringing to 34,393 the total
of cars recovered since enactment OF
the law in 1919.
5000 Gold HOarders Interviewed.
More than 5000 gold hoarders were
interviewed and $737022 in gold coin
was turned into the Treasury as a re-
suit, Hoover reported.
With reference to the increased work
of the division under the kidnapping and
extortion acts, Hoover commented that
'in the past year there have been
perhaps more kidnapings than at any
prior time. this in the face of the fact
that rather unusual record of crime
solutions and swift punishment there
for was achieved by the division ip the
first year of the existence of these
statutes" The period of the report
did not cover such notorious later kid
napings as the Factor, Luer or Urschel
cases. all of which we're solved.
The remarkable growth Of the finger
print files was outlined. During the
year 543, ,508 criminal fingerprints were
classified, 244. .693 identifications were
made and 1913 fugitives from justice
were located.
Increase in Scientific Methods.
Developments during the year" the
report said, indicated the increased
Importance of the use of scientific
methods in law enforcement. and par
ticularly of the laboratory examination
of materials for the primary purpose Of
securing clues leading to the solution
of crime, and the secondary but no less
important object of developing labora-
tory evidence Of the identity of the
criminal or the commission of the
crime.
IN the cases handled in the divi-
sionS laboratory during the year, the
studies included moulage reproductions,
microscopic examination of bullets and
shells. examination of hair, handwrit-
ing, typewriting and paper: the use of
ultraviolet light in the examination Of
stains on clothes and paper, and the
solving of various cryptographic mes
sages used in interCommunication be-
tween criminals and their friends"
The result of concentration against
big makers and transporters of Illicit
liquors instead of the smaller fry also
was shown. The Prohibition Bureau
made 1864 cases for prosecution in
the year. compared with 90.217 the year
before Federal Court convictions were
52,797, while Of 1876 cases instituted
in State courts, 10695 terminated in
convictions
The total of prisoners in Federal in
stitutions at the year end was 13, 3,i88,
or 1.126 less than the year before
The decrease was attributed to "a
change in the attitude of the public
toward Federal prohibition" and action
taken by Congress to broaden the pro-
baton system.
Included in the report without COM
ment. was a statement by Chief Justice
Hughes on the judicial conference of
senior circuit judges, held last Septem-
Der, summarizing legislative recon-
mendetions by that conference. among
them one to prevent invalidation Of a
grand Jury indictment because one or
more Jurors are disqualified, provided
! II who were qualified concurred.