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of evidence is uncontrovertible, but
unfortunately, it is seldom accom-
plished. Often the investigating
officers overlook the possibilities that
a small piece of glass may prove to
be the final link in their chain of
evidence. Even if all the pieces are
carefully gathered at the scene of the
accident, the culprit may have re-
stored his headlight, windshield or
other article, and there will be
nothing left with which to make a
comparison. However, a search of the
debris around a garage, ash heap or
even a garbage can may furnish the
evidence required. If the repair is
made in a garage, an effort should be
made to secure the broken pieces
taken from the offending vehicle.
This may prove difficult to do, but
the effort is worth making.

A technique which has been used
with a great deal of success in identi-
fying fragments of moulded head-
light lenses may be of interest. It will
be recalled that moulded or patent
headlight lenses have a very definite

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Page Fifty-eight

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pattern which varies with the maker.
This pattern is principally to diffuse
the beam of light and reduce glare.
Some lenses have the pattern on the
inside of the lens, while others have
it on the outside. These patterns or
corrugations are often useful in
matching fragments from scene and
vehicle. If the vehicle still has some
pieces of glass in the broken head-
light, these are carefully removed,
and each piece marked with a dot of
blue paint. The pieces of glass found
at the scene of the accident are then
all marked with a dot of red paint.
The remaining lens in the vehicle,
provided only one was broken, and
that it is of the same pattern as the
broken one, is then removed. A plaster
cast is made of the corrugated side of
the lens, which should have been
coated with a slight film of oil so
that the glass will separate easily. If
both headlight lenses have been
broken, a large piece should be taken
to a garage or service station in an
endeavour to secure a lens of similar
make for the preparation of the
plaster cast.

The plaster cast is then used as an
assembly board, and the collected
fragments are fitted together, using
the corrugations in the plaster of
paris mould as a guide in placing the
pieces of glass. This may prove to be
a long and tedious task, but when the
pieces bearing the blue dots, and other

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pieces bearing red dots begin to fit
together, the investigating officer has
been well rewarded for his pains. If
two or more pieces respectively from
the scene of the accident, and from the
vehicle, fit perfectly, there is no rea-
sonable doubt that they both origin-
ally belonged to the same lens. No
expert evidence is necessary as the
results are self evident. A plaster cast
made in this manner with the pieces
assembled properly will prove of great
value to the Court in arriving at a
conclusion, and will be of material
aid in corroborating any other evi-
dence available.

As previously mentioned, the in-
stances where a perfect “fit” can be
made are relatively few, but this
should not discourage the investigat-
ing officer from saving all the pieces
of glass found at the scene of an
accident, as the chemist can furnish
a great deal of valuable information,
even if the pieces do not fit together
physically.

Glass fragments are compared with

L. R. DICKINSON

GENERAL MERCHANT
RAW FURS

Outfitting Headquarters for
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FORT ST. JAMES and PINCHI LAKE, B.C.

Mills at Vanderhoof
and Fort St. James, B.C.

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