Watch the Birdie

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Here's a photograph of Thomas Byrnes [left] encouraging a prisoner to relax in the care of NYPD professionals and have his "mug shot" taken.

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/WATCH20THE20BIRDIE.jpg

It's from Thomas Byrnes' book "Professional Criminals of America", 1886, in a chapter entitled "Why Thieves Are Photographed".

Regards,

Simon

[Currerbell]

Does it answer the question then - Why are they photographed?!

[Simon Wood]

Hi Currerbell,

You decide.

"In that [photography]," said Inspector Byrnes, "does the usefulness of the Rogues' Gallery lie. There are people who look at the pictures and say:—'Of what good can these twisted and unnatural faces be? Were their owners met in the streets their countenances would be composed. They would be altogether free of these distortions, by which they have tried to cheat the purpose of the police in photographing them. No one would know them then.' Well, that is all wrong. The very cleverest hands at preparing a false physiognomy for the camera have made their grimaces in vain. The sun has been too quick for them, and has imprisoned the lines of the profile and the features and caught the expression before it could be disguised. There is not a portrait here but has some marked characteristic by which you can identify the man who sat for it. That is what has to be studied in the Rogues' Gallery—detail. A general idea of the looks of a person derived from one of these pictures may be very misleading. The person himself will try to make it so by altering his appearance. He can grow or shave off a beard or mustache, he can change the color of either, he may become full faced or lantern jawed in time. But the skilled detective knows all this and looks for distinguishing marks peculiar to his subject. You understand me. It was a forehead drew your attention. The lines of the forehead would probably be a detective's study in that burglar's case. It did not matter much what disguise he assumed. That feature would remain a tell-tale."

Regards,

Simon

[Currerbell]

Greetings to you and sunny California...

Thats an interesting piece you have put in that message...indeed criminals often change their facade/cover/appearance to avoid capture but then again a Rogues Gallery is always worth a look and people often comment on the 'evil' look in their faces...