SHERLOCK HOLMES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16267, 6 November 1920, Page 17

SHERLOCK HOLMES.

FRENCH COUNTERPARTS. ASTONISHING DETECTIVE WORK, Both SiK'i'lork Holmes and Dr Thorndyke, _ the fascinating, painstaking scientist invc-rigaior, evolved by Mr Austin Freeman, have lltoir counterinjrt now in real life in the person ol officials attached to the French- detective service at Lyons. France. It is impossible for any criminal to 1 escape the consequences of his or her crime, urovided sufficient science, acumen and patience arc displayed* in discovering and following up the dims which invariably exist in the most baffling crimes. Ihese are two of the conclusions that must inevitably be drawn from M. Antoine Dumont’s graphic description of the modern French laboratory work of orim'iiftil investigation, which allpears in the New York “ World.” A murderer (ho writes) cannot, kill Ins victim, or a burglar break onen ;< safe,, without) delaying vki $lO room where his crime was committed a trace, however minute, of Ins presence, that may lead to his detection. 1t is on this theory that completely equipped criminal laboratories have beeif established in several of the largest cities of France. Within a few hours after the crime has been discovered, with microscopes, test tubes, chemicals, and all the resources of science, the traces that the investigator has brought back with him are under analysis. DIFFICULT FINGER-PRINT WORK. The director of the laboratory of police technique of the city of Lyons, Dr Edmond Lccard, has described the extraordinary methods and the success in the detection of criminals of his institution. Tho finger-print search is, of course, an old story. A few criminals, however, work with gloves of leather or of rubber, but it is rather rade, because professionals working in the dark in unknown places need the trained and acute sensibility of their finger-tips. Even so, the use of the glove does not necessarily save them from detection. Dr Locard was able to identify a criminal who had bandaged his fingers by a comparison of the very minute traces left on a bottle in a wine slion with his complete finger record in the laboratory. If the trace is too small, enormous microphotographio ’ enlargements arc made to show the differences in the spacing of the sweat-glands; so that, with a 1 space of only turn or three square millimetres to study the expert can find his criminal almost as well as if lie had before him the print of an entire finger. The smallest detail of the imprint on a country road may be important ; a worn spot or even the scratch of a nail. The imprint of a t rubber sole on one occasion led to the capture of a smuggler for whom the police had long sought in vain. •The formation of the front teeth of a yqung vagabond, who broke into a pastry shop, was discovered by obtaining a mould of a htjf-eaten cake, and furnished enough evidence to convict him. SEEN UNDER THE MICROSCOPE. The nails of a suspect, previously much neglected in criminal investigation, nave become very important to the laboratory experts. Criminals, as a class, are not exactly patrons of the manicure’s art, and the dirt that has collected under their nails often forms a perfect means of -accusation. The nails of a murderer guard for a long time specks of dried blood; bits of hair and minute threads torn from a vicclothing are sometimes found. Under tho microscope a little history of a man may be read from the debris under his nails, a hint of his profession, and where he has come from. Not long ago a burglar was identified by particles of grease scraped from a cable along which lie had slid in a daring attempt to reach the windowsill of a goldsmith’s establishment. In thp seams of the Doot sole of a man accused of robbery near a mill, but who produced an ’ alibi, pleading that ho had not been near the scene of tho crime, were discovered bits of dried mud containing minute particles of bran and wheat. It was largely this which convicted him. WHAT A BLADE OF GRASS TOLD. In another affair a man’s skull had been split by a sabre blow. The anus racks were examined. No bloodstains could be discovered, nor a characteristic notch of the blades; but on one sword a single blade of grass was found. The owner of the sabre was questioned, and confessed his crime. It seems that after the murder he had wiped his blade on the grass to dean it from blood. On the windowsill of a shop which had been robbed a ring of candlegrease was found. As the place was too*dark for examination a candle was sought. In the coat-room one was found in the wmstcoat of an employee of the shop. Hie base of this candle indicated that it had been stuck to some object, and a mould taken from it fitted in every detail the ring of wax on tho windowsill. The man was convicted on the evidence. An imprint left on marble dust by phish waistcoat lad to the discovery of the author of an assassination. In another affair tie robber fell on his knees after climbing over th© wall ol a villa. Ho wore corduroy trousers. Due of the knees was patched with a piece of finer material. Thanks to this detail, the discovery of the assassin was simple.

Florence that the first grand opera was produced-