Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 116, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1920 — SHOES TELL TALE [ARTICLE]

SHOES TELL TALE

Criminal's Tracks as Good as His Calling Card. Interesting Story of How Hun Agent Who Attempted to Blow Up Munition Plant Waa Speedily Brought to Justice. During the late war, while labor troth des, strikes and rioting were brought about by enemy agents, which interfered with the production of war material, a daring attempt was made to destroy a large munition plant. But the bomb planted under a pile of boxes In the factory failed to explode, says the Boston Globe. The criminal forced entrance through a window by the use of a jimmy; his fingerprints were found smeared all over doorknobs and window sills; but he had worn gloves and the prints were useless as evidence. Deep foot impressions pointing toward the factory were found on the grounds surrounding the plant. These were traced to the window where the entrance had been forced.

The deep footprints Indicated that the one who made them had been carrying a heavy object, and as he had taken long steps, it & tall man. A chiropodist stationed at a nearby army camp was called Into the case and he made several casts of the footprints leading to the factory. The results of the casts showed that the criminal had worn a pointed-toed, English last shoe, with a broad heel; the shoe had been recently half-soled, and that there were heel plates of a foreign make on the heels. There was a marked pronation of the Internal lateral border and also a marked abduction of the right foot, which proved a flat right foot. Who was this "John Doe” with a marked right foot, wearing pointedtoed, English last shoes, recently half soled, with foreign make plates on the heels? What cobbler carried imported heel plates and had lately attached a pair to a newly half-soled, pointedtoed, English last shoe? The rest was easy. John Doe was apprehended within 48 hours and is now behind prison bars.

In footprints the same ridge formation will be found as in fingerprints, but footprints taken from the bare foot are only found occasionally, because most people wear shoes. Shoe and, boot prints may at times play an Important part in the detection of crime, because they reproduce the characteristics of the wearer. Pediatrists claim that determination is indicated by the feet kept in a parallel position; a calculative and curious person toes out considerably; shiftlessness and hesitancy is Indicated in a swaying walk; while good health is shown by a brisk gait. Sick people drag their feet along the ground. In the examination of shoe or bootprints we will be able to determine the exact type of the shoe worn. It will also show heel plates, patches, pegs, stitches, extra nails, and where the shoe Is worn more or less. All these marks present very strong evidence that may lead to the apprehension of a criminal; as each individual by the reason of his own peculiar gait, manner of walking, etc., wears out every pair of shoes in the very kame areas.