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Story
November 30, 1881
The River Press
Fort Benton, Chouteau County, Montana
What is this article about?
Sergeant Dyer at Brooklyn's Butler Street police station explains how a pallid, yellowish complexion from prolonged prison time without sunlight helps detectives identify recently released convicts, who sometimes use cosmetics to disguise it; night editors may have similar appearances.
Clipping
OCR Quality
100%
Excellent
Full Text
The Complexion as a Detective.
In speaking of a prisoner who had just been sent back to the cells in the Butler street police station in Brooklyn, sergeant Dyer said: "I don't like his color. In fact it betrays him." When asked to explain, he said: "We can nearly always tell a newly discharged convict who has served a long time in prison by his color, which comes over his face because he is denied the sunlight. Many a man has been picked up by that fact alone, and detectives keep it constantly in mind. The face gets a pallid look, with a yellowish cast. All the noted thieves who have served for a long time in prison have this hue. Some of them are sharp enough to try to overcome it by cosmetics and they are as particular about fixing up their complexion, under the circumstances, as a woman going to a ball, for they know that the detectives will spot them if they once catch a glimpse of their color."
"Do no other men than criminals have the same complexion?" "Yes, night editors. That's where we get mixed sometimes."
In speaking of a prisoner who had just been sent back to the cells in the Butler street police station in Brooklyn, sergeant Dyer said: "I don't like his color. In fact it betrays him." When asked to explain, he said: "We can nearly always tell a newly discharged convict who has served a long time in prison by his color, which comes over his face because he is denied the sunlight. Many a man has been picked up by that fact alone, and detectives keep it constantly in mind. The face gets a pallid look, with a yellowish cast. All the noted thieves who have served for a long time in prison have this hue. Some of them are sharp enough to try to overcome it by cosmetics and they are as particular about fixing up their complexion, under the circumstances, as a woman going to a ball, for they know that the detectives will spot them if they once catch a glimpse of their color."
"Do no other men than criminals have the same complexion?" "Yes, night editors. That's where we get mixed sometimes."
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
Crime Story
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
Deception
What keywords are associated?
Complexion Detective
Ex Convict Identification
Prison Pallor
Cosmetics Disguise
Night Editors
What entities or persons were involved?
Sergeant Dyer
Where did it happen?
Butler Street Police Station In Brooklyn
Story Details
Key Persons
Sergeant Dyer
Location
Butler Street Police Station In Brooklyn
Story Details
Sergeant Dyer describes identifying ex-convicts by their pallid, yellowish complexion from lack of sunlight in prison; some use cosmetics to disguise it, but night editors can have similar looks causing confusion.