In 1903, Will West (top) was admitted to Leavenworth Prison, Kansas. As was the process of the time, West's photo was taken and his Bertillon measurements were taken. Devised by French policeman Alphonse Bertillon, these measurements recorded a criminal's (1) head length; (2) head breadth; (3) length of the middle finger; (4) the length of the left foot; (5) the length of the "cubit" (the forearm from the elbow to the extremity of the middle finger); as a way fo identifying them. Upon the completion of this, it was discovered that Will West was virtually identical to an unrelated prisoner already being held: William West (bottom). In order to correctly differentiate the prisoners, the guards decided to use the relativly new idea of fingerprinting the inmates. Soon fingerprinting would replace the Bertillon measurements in identifying criminals around the world.
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