TERROR FOR EVIL-DOERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20988, 26 September 1931, Page 2 (Supplement)

TERROR FOR EVIL-DOERS.

DETECTIVES' NEW DEVICE. THE PALM-PRINT METHOD. A new device by \yhich the police may fry to identify suspected offenders was revealed in Court by a London detective recently. In place of tho orthodox fingerprint system, the new method consists in comparing impressions of the complote palms of hands. Where definite impressions of the fingertips, which form tho basis of tho 30-vear-old finger-print system, are not. available, impressions of the palms of hands are found to show many interesting ridges and whorls, as well as the well-known " lines " familiar to palmistry. Whether such impressions can bo considered as evidence of identification in courts of law is a matter, oi' course, for judicial decision. At tho same time a now terror menaces tho criminal class, who are able frequently to avoid leaving legible impressions of their finger-tips during the commission of a crime. They may now find it dangerous to touch any article with any part of the inner surface of the hand. The _ device of comparing palm-prints was disclosed before a magistrate by De-tective-Inspector Frederick Cherrill, of tho Finger-Print. Bureau at Scotland Yard. In the case in which ho appeared a man pleaded guilty to housebreaking. Inspector Clherrill staled after the hearing oi the case that ho had been studying the possibility of (he application of palm-prints to crime-detection for some time. ITo considered that in time it might prove as effective as tho existing finger-print system. ■