court furnish them laboratory appliances or reactive agents, nor subordinate assistants to fulfill their duties.

If, on account of the lack of experts, of a laboratory, or reactive agents, it should not be possible to perform the analysis within the jurisdiction of the criminal audiencia, it shall take place in the capital of the province, or, as a last resort, in that of the island.

ART. 363. The superior and inferior courts shall order chemical analyses to be made only in cases in which they are considered absolutely indispensable for the necessary judicial investigation and the proper administration of justice.'

ART. 364. In the crimes of robbery, theft, fraud, or in any other crime in which the previous existence of the things the subject of the robbery, theft, or fraud must appear, should there not be any eyewitnesses to the act, an investigation shall be made as to the antecedents of the person appearing as the injured party, and as to all the circumstances which may offer proof that the latter was in the possession thereof at the time of the commission of the crime.

ART. 365. If, for the classification of the crime or of its circumstances, it should be necessary to estimate the value of the thing which may have been the object thereof or the amount of the damage caused or which might have been caused, the judge shall hear the owner or person prejudiced thereon, and shall thereupon order the expert investigation in the manner determined in chapter VII of this title. The judge shall furnish to the experts appointed the things and direct elements to be considered in the report, and should they not be under his control he shall furnish them the proper data which can be collected, admonishing them in such case to make the taxation and appraisal of the losses and damages in a prudent manner, in accordance with the data furnished.

ART. 366. The proceedings provided for in this and the preceding chapter shall be had before the others of the sumario, their execution not being stayed except to secure the person of the presumed criminal. or to give the assistance necessary to those injured by the crime.

ART. 367. In no case shall claims or interventions be admitted during the sumario whose object is the return of the effects which constitute the corpus delicti, whatever be their character or the person demanding the same.

1 Courts can not reject evidence which consists in a chemical analysis, provided it really is pertinent, even though said analysis shall have been made during the sumario, without it being necessary that said evidence be considered absolutely indispensable, as required by article 363, but only that there exist probable important results. (Statement of the fiscal of the Supreme Court of September 15, 1883, No. 17.)

CAPÍTULO III.

DE LA IDENTIDAD DEL DELINCUENTE Y DE SUS CIRCUNSTANCIAS

PERSONALES.

ART. 368. Cuantos dirijan cargo á determinada persona deberán reconocerla judicialmente, si el juez instructor, los acusadores ó el mismo inculpado conceptúan fundadamente precisa la diligencia para la identificación de este último con relación á los designantes, á fin de que no ofrezca duda quién es la persona á que aquéllos se refieren.

ART. 369. La diligencia de reconocimiento se practicará poniendo á la vista del que hubiere de verificarlo la persona que haya de ser reconocida, haciéndola comparecer en unión con otras circunstancias exteriores semejantes. A presencia de todas ellas, ó desde un punto en que no pudiere ser visto, según al juez pareciere más conveniente, el que deba practicar el reconocimiento manifestará si se encuentra en la rueda ó grupo la persona á quien hubiese hecho referencia en sus declaraciones, designándola, en caso afirmativo, clara y determinamente.

En la diligencia que se extienda se harán constar todas las circunstancias del acto, así como los nombres de todos los que hubiesen formado la rueda ó grupo.

ART. 370. Cuando fueren varios los que hubieren de reconocer á una persona, la diligencia expresada en el artículo anterior deberá practicarse separadamente con cada uno de ellos, sin que puedan comunicarse entre si hasta que se haya efectuado el último reconocimiento.

Cuando fueren varios los que hubieren de ser reconocidos por una misma persona, podrá hacerse el reconocimiento de todos en un sólo acto.

ART. 371. El que detuviere ó prendiere á algún presunto culpable tomará las precauciones necesarias para que el detenido ó preso no haga en su persona ó traje alteración alguna que pueda dificultar su reconocimiento por quien corresponda.

ART. 372. Análogas precauciones deberán tomar los alcaldes de las cárceles y los jefes de los depósitos de detenidos; y si en los establecimientos de su cargo hubiere traje reglamentario, conservarán cuidadosamente el que lleven los presos ó detenidos al ingresar en el establecimiento, á fin de que puedan vestirlo cuantas veces fuere conveniente para diligencias de reconocimiento.

ART. 373. Si se originare alguna duda sobre la identidad del procesado, se procurará acreditar ésta por cuantos medios fueren conducentes al objeto.

ART. 374. El juez hará constar, con la minuciosidad posible, las señas personales del procesado, á fin de que la diligencia pueda servir de prueba de su identidad.

CHAPTER III.

THE IDENTITY OF THE DELINQUENT AND HIS PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

ART. 368. Whosever shall make a charge against a specific person must identify the same judicially if the examining judge, the complainants, or the accused himself have reason to consider this proceeding necessary for the identification of the latter with regard to those making the charges, in order that there may be no doubt as to what person the former refer.

ART. 369. The identification shall take place by placing before the person who is to make it the person to be identified, producing said person in union with other similar external circumstances. In the presence of all of them or from a point where he can not be seen, as the judge may consider more advisable, the person to make the identification shall state if the person to whom he may have referred in his declarations is in the group, and in an affirmative case he shall designate him in a clear and specific manner.

In the record made all the circumstances of the act shall be stated, as well as the names of all who may have composed the group.

ART. 370. If there be more than one person to identifiy another person, the proceeding mentioned in the foregoing article must be held separately as to each of them, without their being allowed to communicate with each other until the last identification has been made.

If there be several to be identified by one and the same person, their identification may take place at one proceeding.

ART. 371. He who shall detain or arrest a presumed criminal shall take the precautions necessary in order that the person detained or arrested shall not make any changes in his person or dress, which may render his identification difficult by the proper person.

ART. 372. Similar precautions must be taken by the wardens of prisons and the heads of detention establishments; and if any regulation dress be used in the institutions under their charge, they shall carefully preserve the clothing worn by the persons arrested or detained upon entering the establishment, in order that they may clothe them as often as may be necessary for purposes of identification.

ART. 373. If any doubt should arise as to the identity of the accused, said identity shall be sought to be established by all means which may be conducive to this object.

ART. 374. The judge shall make a record, with the greatest minuteness possible, of the personal description of the accused, in order that the record may serve as proof of his identity.

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ART. 375. Para acreditar la edad del procesado y comprobar la identidad de su persona, se traerá al sumario certificación de su inscripción de nacimiento en el registro civil ó de su partida de bautismo, si no estuviere inscrito en el registro.

En todo caso, cuando no fuere posible averiguar el registro civil ó parroquia en que deba constar el nacimiento ó el bautismo del procesado, ó no existiesen su inscripción y partida; y cuando por manifestar el procesado haber nacido en punto lejano hubiere necesidad de emplear mucho tiempo en traer á la causa la certificación oportuna, no se detendrá el sumario y se suplirá el documento del artículo anterior por informe que acerca de la edad del procesado, y previo su examen físico, dieren los médicos forenses ó los nombrados por el juez.

ART. 376. Cuando no ofreciere duda la identidad del procesado, y conocidamente tuviese la edad que el código penal requiere para poderle exigir la responsabilidad criminal en toda su extensión, podrá prescindirse de la justificación expresada en el artículo anterior, si su práctica ofreciese alguna dificultad ú ocasionase dilaciones extraordinarias.

En las actuaciones sucesivas, y durante el juicio, el procesado será designado con el nombre con que fuere conocido, ó con el que él mismo dijere tener.

ART. 377. Si el juez instructor lo conceptuase conveniente, podrá pedir informes sobre la moralidad del procesado á los alcaldes de barrio ó á los correspondientes funcionarios de policía del pueblo ó pueblos en que hubiese residido.

Estos informes serán fundados, y si no fuere posible fundarlos, se manifestará la causa que lo impidiere.

Los que los dieren no contraerán responsabilidad alguna, sino en caso de malicia probada.

ART. 378. Podrá además el juez recibir declaración acerca de la conducta del procesado á todas las personas que por el conocimiento que tuvieren de éste puedan ilustrarle sobre ello.

ART. 379. Se traerán á la causa los antecedentes penales del procesado, pidiéndolos á los juzgados donde se presuma que pueden constar; y respecto de los procesados que hayan residido en la Península é islas adyacentes con posterioridad á la creación del registro central de de penados de 2 de Octubre de 1878, se pedirán también al Ministerio de Gracia y Justicia por conducto del de Ultramar.

El jefe del registro en el Ministerio está obligado á dar los antecedentes que se le reclamen ó certificación negativa en su caso en el improrrogable término de tres días, á contar desde aquel en que se reciba la petición, justificando, si así no lo hiciere, la causa legítima que lo hubiese impedido.

ART. 375. In order to show the age of the accused and prove the identity of his person, a certified copy of his birth record in the civil registry or of his baptismal certificate, should he not be inscribed in the registry, shall be produced at the sumario.

In every case, if it be not possible to ascertain the civil registry or parish in which the birth or the baptism of the accused should appear, or his record of birth or baptism should not exist, and when by reason the accused stating that he was born at a point at some distance, it should be necessary to employ much time in order to produce the proper certificate at the cause, the sumario shall not be stayed, and the document mentioned in the foregoing article shall be supplied by a report of the official physicians or of those appointed by the judge as to his age and after his physical examination.

ART. 376. If there be no doubt as to the identity of the accused, and he is known to have attained the age which the penal code requires in order that he may be held criminally liable to the fullest extent, the proof mentioned in the foregoing article may be dispensed with, if the production thereof should offer any difficulty or occasion any extraordinary delay.

In the subsequent proceedings and during the trial the accused shall be designated by the name by which he is known or by that which he claims.

ART. 377. If the examining judge should consider it advisable, he may call for reports as to the moral character of the accused, of the ward mayors or of the proper police officials of the town or towns in which he may have resided.

These reports shall set forth the reasons therefor, and should it not be possible to state reasons, the cause for not doing so shall be stated. Those who shall give these reports shall not incur any liability whatsoever except in case of malice duly proven.

ART. 378. The judge may furthermore take testimony as to the conduct of the accused of all persons who, in view of their acquaintance with him, can give information thereon.

ART. 379. The criminal antecedents of the accused shall be produced in the cause, being requested of the courts where it is presumed they may be of record; and with regard to persons accused who may have resided in the Peninsula and adjacent islands after the establishment of the central register of criminals of October 2, 1878, they shall also be requested of the Department of Grace and Justice through the Colonial Department.

The chief of the register in the department is obliged to furnish the antecedents requested of him, or a negative certificate in a proper case, within a period of three days, not subject to extension, from the date of the receipt of the request, stating, should he not do so, the legitimate cause which prevented him from furnishing the same.