FINGER PRINTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 236, 2 October 1920, Page 12

FINGER PRINTS.

TELL-TALE EVIDENCE. CRIMINAL TRACED BY HIS IMPRESSIONS. ■lohn \V, MeClure- pleaded •guilty in the Magistrate's Court at Wellington. before Mr. F. K. Hunt, 8.M., to charge* of breaking and entering the warehouse uf the Cycle and Motor Supplies, Ltd.. on the night of September 11, and stealing the sum of £o 5/j on the same night to breaking and entering the premises of Richardson and Orr with intent to commit a crime: and with breaking and entering the premises of Cardale and Scott with similar intent. Accused was undefended. Chief Detective Ward said that SleOlure was traced by means of fingerprints which were found on the fanlight above a door leading into Cardale and Scott's warehouse, the glass of which had been broken in order to gain an entry. The finger-prints had been discovered by an officer of the Criminal Investigation Department, and were photographed. A search was made for the person whose finger-prints corresponded with those taken, and after inquiries, accused was arrested at Auckland and charged with the crime. It was explained that accused was at present awaiting sentence on other charges at Auckland. His finger-prints had been forwarded from there to Senior-Sergeant Dinnie, who cruickly connected McClure. with the crimes with which he stood charged. Accused was brought to Wellington, and when informed by Detective-Sergeant Andrews that his finger-prints would be produced aa evidence against him, acknowledged his guilt. •Vhen rsked if he liad nnjlhin; to say in reference to the charges", MeClure replied: "They hanged a wrong man on finger-print evidence. All I wish to say ■s that it was money I wanted, and had . chosen I could have taken new bicycles ■Tom the warehouse I went into." ( Accused was committed to the supreme Court at Auckland for sentence