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Show oo FINGER PRINTS MAY BE FORGED IS CLAIM Plan Proposed to Take Imprints Im-prints of Every Man, Woman and Child NEW YORK, Jan. 2C Officials of the International Association for Per sonal Identification here, an organization organiza-tion having for its object the 'finger printing" of every man, woman and child in the United States and Canada, havo started an inquiry into the charge made by Milton Carlson, a Los Angeles handwriting expert, that fin-Iger fin-Iger prints can be forged. Carlson says ho "forged" the finger prints of a convicted murderer in New Jersey in human blood on a ,butchcr knlfer making-a perfect thumb impression impres-sion of a man 3000 miles. Experts, 'it is said, pronounced it perfect So I far as known, the California is the first man to announce successful duplication du-plication of finger prints, used for the jpast 1000 years as an infallible means of identification. Forged finger prints are possible I but ineffective it is said by officials of the International Association for Personal Per-sonal Identification here. "A criminal." crimi-nal." said the secretary of the association, associa-tion, "would not havo ono chance in (a million of success in fastening a crime upon an innocent person by I means of a forged finger print. Our researches show that in every caso of a reproduced 'print the lines are too I palpably false to deceive a skilled eye. They show up undor a strong magnifying magni-fying glass like a rubber stamp or wood engraving and not Mko tho original orig-inal finger lines which, by reason of perspiration and oil, aro qlcar and defined. de-fined. "Handwriting experts may attempt to discredit fingerprints becauso their use detracts from their business but the fact remains that 'human seals,' as tho finger prints are called, are an unfailing test so far as identity is concerned. Thoy have practically su-jperseded su-jperseded the Dertillon system in New 'York stale but, until tho law is jchauged, the Dertillon must be used in tho penitentiaries. When the lines are blurred, as often happens, a finger print is worthless but if thoy arc clear It is Infallable evidence. It has been shown that if tho finger ridges were 'shaved off or sandpapered they camo back. "It is popularly supposed that fin- gerprinta usually nre only shown in blood. The fact is that you leave a finger print upon everything you touch. It is quite invisible to the naked eye. Tho expert, however, will take a bit of powdera dark powdor on a light surface or a ligat powdor on a dark surfaco- and will quickly "develop" the print. The powders used are lampblack, graphite, cinne-bar, cinne-bar, rod and mcrourious sulphide and dragon's blood. "Naturo hus curved on our flngors those 'seals' and they should bo put to civilian as well as police use. Undoubtedly Un-doubtedly they have boon the means of detecting thousands of criminals. Hundreds of individuals who como to New York and are swallowed up In this great oily, their bodies finally landing in lhe morgue, might never be burled In the potter's floUl If wo had a national finger print registry o civilians." i Tho New York finger print organiza 1 Hon officials say that despite Mr, Carl-1 son's charge, genuine finger prints aro j an invalunblo aid to identify victims of I train wrecks, or other disasters and I for asaortalniug iho identity of persons' per-sons' who havo temporarily "lost" 1 themselves. t-OO |
