The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-06-17
Interesting Facts for Business Men.


). S. Packer, noted as skillful penman,
v!tes to the New York HAL concerning
signature experts" the occasion being the
late Taylor will case" which turned in
great measure on the genuineuess OF the tes-
lntor's signature:
More than twenty years ago, in Cincinnati,
I copied the Declaration of Independence.
:rpendiug fac simiIes of the signers' names.
Mr. Thomas Stevens, at the same time editor
uf the Cincinnati .4aGs, took occasion, in
p!earant way. to doubt my assertion that
Lad copied the signatures with pen. To
convince him, / asked him to write his name
,n a sheet of paper, which he did. | imme-
Gistely wrote ten copies OF his signature
above and below the original, and handed
Linn the paper to select his OWE. After
careful examination he selected one as his
own. He was wrong lie tried again and
again, with the same result, and finally, by
mere guess work, he bit on the right one
And it is a remarkable fact that after he had
really discovered his own be could see the
most astounding absurdties in all the others.
Some six years ago, was speaking with
q well-known publisher of this city, who sat
at his desk signing some checks that the
book keeper had prepared for him. The
signature was Of the firm, and was peculiar
one, as be wrote it. L casually remarked
that it was an eegan: signature for forSer.
lie promptly responded that there was 10
iorger that could sign that name 30 as 70 de-
ceive him.
30. yes, there is," said l.
"Where Ia heP'
"He is standing at your elbow"
"Do YOU mean to say" retorted he, "that
YOU can initiate that signature so that l eau
,.,t Setect tho forgery ~
Il mean to say" said l, THAT think |
can do it, and am willing to try it"
IF you will write that signature" he re-
rlied. $50 that canno: detect IL from my
own, | will"
.rThere, there, don't be rash l should
dislike TO take advantage Of your present
excitement II you will just write the sig
nature at the top of that letter sheet, We'll
see what a little impudence can do"
He did as requested. l took the sheet and
went to the book keepers desk. Here l ex-
changed 1t for another OF the same kind, and
in the same ra'atve position initiated the
signature in very free, careless way, not
attempting a seryie copy. but preserving
the characteristic strokes. | then very care
fully wrote underneath 1t three faithful sig
natures, all MY own. These L took to the
prnprietor, and told him to select his own
signature W itN SUI l'LlsLbS lttI0 SL4OiI A0
pointed cut the first signature, and at once
began to criticise with severity my base i'm
itatiOns.
"Well," said |, 81 will confess they are
not as well done as l expected to do them.
or as | could do them if my nerves were
steady. But, really" said |. ''don'T you
think if one of these signatures we're placed
Mt the bottom Of your ordinary checks your
bank would honor the check ~
well, no." said he, II don't think it
would"
Il suppose said l, there is no doubt
about the top signature-that would bring
the cash ?"
"Oh. yes, should like to see our bank
refuse that signature for an ordinary sum-"
| then went to Tie book~keeper's desk and
produced the original signature.
How about this F' said /.
He looked at the signature-then at my
"base eimitations''-then at the crowd Of in
terested spectators who had quietly gathered
around. and who were beginning to take in
the richness Of the joke, and finally he hurst
out into AL expression which was a mixture
of astonishmont,' chagrin, merriment, vexa-
tion and perplexity, and, holding out his
hand with unconditional surrender written
all over his face, he exclaimed, "SOld!"
That was the only word in the American
language that could adequately express the
situation.
But the sell was very easy one, and re-
Quired no skill at all. The fact is, that when
the original signature was compared with
the forgeries, the discrepancies were SO pal
pable that "a wgyfaring man, though a
fool ;" need not be taken in. and yet, if ny
friend had not been-what he was and is
and if | lad been as most forgors. | could
have won very nice sum, had l offered to
stake it on the issue.
Finally, TO convince the deacon that he
was not tbs only fool in the firm, l called up
one Of tho other partners, and, showing him
the three false signatures, asked him TO decide
which was the genuine. With a great show
Of ready discernment. he selected the top
one, AID began at once to point cut the weak
points Of the others. simply by comparing
them with what he considered the genuine
YES" he said. "they are pretty fair imita-
tions, but don't you see the length of this 6
and the turn of this M Now look at the
original and see where this capital swoopes
around. There is an attempt at it in the
limitations but it is a very weak ope."
Then you couldn't be imposed upon by
one of these lower signatures % said l.
No. not l. They bear forgery upon their
very face"
We'll, how about the first one? No mis-
takes about this? You would readily cash q
check with that signature? 2"
"Oh. yes, that is all right. Any body who
ever saw the deacon's sign manual could
tell at glance"
So the deacon divided up his chagrln with
the junior partner, and felt bettsr or worse.
forget which.
The fact is. no man is safe in swearing to
his siguature-pot even Horace Greeley TO
his own-Gor no man writes twice alike, al
though he may preserve the characteristics.
And l would give very little for the testi-
mony of "experts." unless backed by pretty
strong collsteral evidence. 1t would not be
difficult, ordinarily, to identify body OF
writing, such as a page. or even dozen
lines. but to decide as to the genuiness Of a
single word or signature is more than |
would like to do if either life or happiness
depended upon it.