Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-04-06
Bsisfellaasuus.

- s.'s5.s - 8aisfellaufuns.
.. SIGNATURE EXPERT.
Interesting Facts for Business
SIS Packard, noted as skillful pen
man. writes to- the New Y ork AaR con-
cernfng signature experts" the occa-
sion being late "Taylor will case,
which turned in great measure on the
genuinenesss of the testator's signature;
More than twenty years ago, in Cincin-
natl, l copied the Declaration Of indie
pendence, appending fac siBaites of the
signers names. Mr.. Thomas Stevens,
at that time editor of the Cincinnati
Atlas, took accession in pleasant way
doubt my assertion that 4 had copieaa
signature with a pen. FIlo convince
him, asked him to sign his name on
asheet of paper, which ne did. i'm
mediately wrote ten copies of his sigma
ture, above and below the original, and
handed him the paper for him TO select
his own. After a careful examination
he selected one as his own. He was
wrong. He tried again and again,
with the ersameT result and finally, by
mere guesswefk, he hit the rightone.
And it was remarkable fact that after
he had really discovered his own, he
could see the most astonishing absurd
tiles in all the other.
Some, six years ago Twas speaking
with well knowing publisher Of this
city, who sat as his destSigning some
chechs that the book keeper had pre-
pared for him. The signature was OF
the firm, and was peculiar one, as he
wrote it. casually remarked that was
an excellent signature for a forger. He
promptly responded that the was no
forger could sign that name SO as to de-
Give him. iss a- a-'h
''Oh, yes there is" said L.
"Where is he."
"He is standing at your elbow"
"Do you mean to say,n said he, "that
you can initiate that signature SO l can
not detect the fergery?"
mean to say" said / @that L
think I can do it, and am willing to try
it."
''If you will write that signature, :"
he replied, $50 that 1 cannot distin.
guished it from my own, will. -
4sThere, there, don't be rash; [ should
dislike to take advantage of your pres
ent excitement. If you will just write
the signature at the top of that letter
sheet, we,llsee what a little impudence
can do"
He did as requested. L took the
sheet and went 70 the book-keeper S
desk. Here exchanged it for another
of the same relative position, imita-
ted the signature in a very free, care
less way, not attempting aservile COPY,
but preserving the characteristic
strokes. I then very carfully wrote
underneath it three faithful limitations,
making four signatures, all my own.-
These took to the proprietor and told
him to select his own signature. With
surprisingly little effort he pointed
out the first signature, and at one be-
gan to criticize with severity, my base
limitations. Ae
"Well," said 1, l will confess they
afe ihot as wen done as I expected to
do them, or-as1 could do them If my
nerves were steady. But, really
said ''don't you think that if one OF
these signatures were placed at the bot.
tom of your culinary check your bank
would honor the check"
'Well, no." said he, don't. thing il
would. Re5a gHfsisifFTGT 6l11ss
'tI suppose, said !, ssthere is nc
doubt about the top signature-tha
would bring the cash."
''Oh, yes, 1 should like to see oul
bank refuse that signature for an ordi
nary sum- - = f'"-i f't5s
then went to the book-keeper'
desk and produced the original sigma
ture. nI- E
'sHow about this?" said 1.
He looked at the signature a
my "base imitationsD-ithen at tn
crowd Of interested spectators who hat
quietly gathered around and who wer
beginning to take in the richness of tn
joke, and finally he burst out in an eS
preston which was mixture of as
tonishment, chagrin, merriment, vex
alton and perpleXity, and holding on
his hand with unconditional surrende
written all over his face, he exclaimed
"Sold!ys = rHT Il Il -
That was the enlyWord in the Amer
ican language that could adequateI
express the Situation. g m ri
But the sell was very easy one an
IcQulTeu uO ~6kHf dt etll. - lUe IdcC
that when the original signature wa
compared with forgeries the discreI
ancies were 50 palpabie, that ga way
faring man, tbough q fool,' need. nc
be taken in; and yet Il my friend ha
not been deacQu5 which he was IAN
is-and 4 I had been Is most1orgers,
could have won very nice sum, had
offered TO stake Il on the issue
Finally, to convince the deacon ths
he was not the 6hly fool in the Arm.
called up one Of the other partners. al,
showing him the three false signature
asked him to decide which was the gen,
inc. With great show ofreal discer1
ment he selected the top one, and b.
gan at ence to point out the wea
points in the others, simply by con
pairing with what he considered th
genuine. EssYes,p said he, stthey al
pretty fair limitations, but don't yo
see the length of this 9 and the turn,
this n? Nov, look at the oriqilaaE,. an
see wheethis capital ] sweeps arotn,
There Is an attempt at it in the init:
tions but itis Q weak one."p aO1
"Then you coudn't be imposed upo
by one of these lower signatures?" sal
EsiA57fssslsu ~ . q = sssiis 'ie0'' .=7'
"No' not I. They bear forgery upo
their,vefy face" - -.
swef, how about the first one? n
mistake about that? You would read
~ cash check with that signature?',
HOI. axSor <6ok ;e, <If xr~L%- 4