PONSONBY MURDER

Southland Times, Issue 18832, 27 May 1920, Page 5

PONSONBY MURDER

VALUE OF FINGER PRINT EVIDENCE,

EXPERT IN THE BOX.

(Per United Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, May 26

The trial of Dennis Gunn, charged with the murder of A. B. Braithwaite, postmaster at Ponsonby, on March 13 last, was continued to-day, when further evidence for the Crown was taken. As already stated by counsel for the Crown, the case for the prosecution depends largely upon finger print evidence.

Among the witnesses to-day was Edmund Walter Dinnie. senior-sergeant in charge of the Criminal Registration Branch, Wellington. He stated in answer to Mr Martin that he had seventeen years’ experience of finger print registration, and had received part of bis training at New Scotland Yard, London.

Mr Martin: So far as your knowledge and experience go, have you ever found or heard of two prints of similar is, the first, second or third or any other fingers of any person being identical? —No. So far as your study and experience go, is it not a fact that the fingers of persons in the absence of physical injury retain their characteristics from childhood to old age?

Mr Reed, K.C.: I must object to that question because the science, if it can be called a science, of finger print identification is of comparatively recent origin. I suppose that it does not date back more than twenty years, and twenty years does not cover the ordinary span of human life. It may be only a theory that there ismo variation. It may bo shown that in the case of certain persons it is so. but how can the witness say that there is no variation?

Mr Martin: 1 have asked him to say so far as his experience goes. Mr Reed: Neither his knowledge nor his experience can cover a lifetime. In the last ten or twelve years finger prints have been more carefully studied than they were before.

Mr Tole, K.C., remarked that it was at any rate a fact that finger markings persisted after death, until decomposition of the. skin.

His Honour: I don’t know whether any nie has tried to take finger prints of Queen Cleopatra, but her mummy with a hand protruding from the wrappings may be seen in the Vatican museum.

Mr Martin: I don’t know about Queen Cleopatra, your Honour, but it is a fact that linger prints have been taken from mum mirs.

Witness, resuming, said he had taken prints from the same person at an interval of fifteen years and there was no difference in the characteristics of the two sets of prints. Dealing with the marks on the first cash box, witness said that on top of the box a rather poor print of the right middle finger of accused was found. He also found a print of portion of a palm inside the lid in a position corresponding with the finger print on the top. He found an exceptionally clear print of accused’s left ring finger on one of the sides. He found a print of accused’s right ring finger, together with a mint of a finger of the late Mr Braithwaite. Other prints identified as Mr Braithwaite’s were found on various parts of (he box and the tray. Witness detailed them all and named the fingers.

He said that one of the revolvers found subsequent to the murder contained a finger print on the chamber which was similar to the finger print of the left middle finger of accused.

During the trial of Dennis Gunn this morning Professor Worley stated that he examined the bullets taken from Mr Braith-wait-e’s body and also three pairs fired into soap from each of the three revolvers found in the search near Gunn’s residence. He came to the conclusion that both bullets found in the body were fired from the same revolver.

Detective-Sergeant Issell deposed to finding finger-prints on the cash boxes and revovers which were taken to Wellington for examination by Senior-Sergeant Dinnie. There were no prints on the window-panes or sills.