Sir Edward Henry, Chief Police Commissioner, London, England, is the
man who perfected the system, as it is now used, classifying finger
prints by signs and numerals, so that it is now considered perfect.
The finger prints of women are the same as men, except in size, while
the prints of negroes are the clearest and strongest, owing to the
thickness of skin and moisture from perspiration, and it has not yet
been demonstrated that finger prints are any indication of character.
While quite a large number of cities and penal institutions in the
United States have adopted and are now using the Bertillon system
of criminal identification, it is to be regretted that it has not
been more generally adopted by all cities of a population not less
than 5,000, and by all penitentiaries, reformatories and county
jails. Universally applied under competent instructors, nearly every
professional criminal would, in a few years, be recorded, so that it
would only become necessary to keep up with the new additions to the
ranks of the criminal classes.
It has been thoroughly established that the papillary ridges of
fingers never change during life. From infancy to senility and until
long after death no change ensues in the fingers. Though partially
destroyed by injury, the original lines retain their pristine
characteristics when healed.
This is nature's method of identification, and no record can be found
of the digits of two persons having exactly the same characteristics.
Numerous instances could be cited of twins and triplets whose finger
prints afforded the only means of distinguishing one from the other.
[Illustration: MAGNIFIED FINGER PRINT
The above is an enlarged print of a right index finger, which we
classify as an Ulnar Loop. Loops on different fingers are not all
alike, but vary in many important characteristics, so it is a very
easy matter to distinguish one from another.]
[Illustration: FINGER PRINT OUTFIT]