FINGER PRINT "ABATAGATI."

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12849, 6 July 1907, Page 9

FINGER PRINT "ABATAGATI."

A .South African exchange etatce tint at tiio Polico Court at Durban recently, the Assistant Magistrate, Mr Yon Gerard, in dealing with a native ! found Kiiltj of houeebreaking. ex- : patiated upon tiio wonderful completeness of tlii» finger-print system as ipplied tonativo thieve*, and this native in par/icular. "Toll him, Mr Inter- ' preter,* said tho Magistrate, with a twinkV>, " that tho Government employs n wholo staff of 'abatngati,' who ; know what you thieves are doing." He I went.'on to «!rseribe how the fingorI priii/3 on tho window airl knife cried I out,-to tho iili.'ita.iati who went down U» fra them th;.t tho aceu<=o<l had boon in/tho pantry. Tlie murks had said: '■y* name is Kutnlu (the native's n;inie> . Accused ha<l been betrayed b\j tlm Rrot, but even if there had Irfn no coot, he would still have been Mrayed, ;md the ,<»lass where liis )r,»prs had pressed would have cried lend to tho ab:it.-i:r«ti. The Magisrato conehi(le<l: ''When you come out c gaol, and go home to your kraal, nil must tell all your friends what iippei'ed. Tell the'in that the Governient has lots of ab<iti?:iti, -who keep Iwusamls of little spirits in boxes, ilio find out wh;:t all the thieves have pen doing. If .yon had stolen any*iiiiß in this case, you would linve "ad lashes, but a-- it is. you will go to Tol for three months." "With a Tory enrtfelt "Kons," tho nativo tvent way in custody.