Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-15
signature Experts.

Packard to the editor of the New York Mail
In your leading article for Monday, on the
Taylor viii Case" YOU express very whole
some opinion that the testimony of experts in
the matter ofidentitying autography should be
taken with several grains of allowance; and
you very aptly cite the well-remembered self
qualification of sub-Treasurer Cisco. If any
tolera0ly expert penman wishes to test this mat
ter to his full satisfaction, he can do so at little
cost or trouble 1t will not be denied that ordi-
narily every man Is the best Judge of his own
signature. AT all events, not one person in a
thousand who can write his own name will have
the least doubt that out of hundred drafts of
his own signature, only one being genuine, he
can select the real autograph without possibility
of mistake. Now | am not much of dabster
in this way, but would not be afraid to wager
small sum that in three several trials, such as
shall be decisive, can succeed at least twice in
deceiving any person who may try it in regard
to the identification of his own signature
More than twenty years ago, in Cincinnati,
copied the Declaration of Independence, append
ing fac SMILES of the signers' names. Mr..
Thomas Stevens, at that time editor of the Gin
cinnati Atlas, took occasion in pleasant way to
doubt my assertion that had copied the sgua-
lures with pen. To convince him, | asked
him to sign his name on sheet of paper, which
he did. Immediately wrote ten copies of his
signature, 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 same result, and finally, as mere
guess-work, he hit the right one And it was
remarkable fact that, after he had really dscov-
cred his own, he could see the most astonishing
absurdites in all the others.
Some six years ago was speaking with 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 he wrote it.
III. H. 49,
signature for a forger. He promptly responded
that there was no forger that could sign that
name so as to deceive him.
ooh, yes, there is" said l.
"Where is hep
''He is standing at your elbow"
'You do not mean to say" he said, "that you
can initiate that signature so cannot detect the
forrgery~
it, and am willing to try it."
off you will write that signature" he replied,
$50 that cannot distinguish it from my own,
wilP-i
"There, there, don't be rash. | should dislike
to take advantage of your present excitement. If
you will just write the signature at the top of
that letter sheet we'll see what little impudence
can do"
He did as requested. l took the sheet and
went to the book-keeper's desk. Here l ex-
changed it for another of the same kind, and in
the same relative position initiated the sigma
ture in very free, careless way, not attempting
servile copy, but preserving the characteristic
strokes. | then very carefully wrote underneath
it three very faithful limitations, making four
signatures, all my oWn. These took to the
proprietor, and told him to select his own sigma
ture. With surprisingly little effort he pointed
out the first signature, and at once began to
criticse with severity my base limitations
'Wel," said |, 81 will confess they are not as
well done as | expected to do them, or as
I y.
steady. But really said |, "don't you think
that if one of these signatures were placed at
| the bottom of your ordinary check your bank
would honor the checkP
"Well, no." said he, 81 don't think it would"
81 suppose" said |, "there is no doubt about
| the top signature-that would bring the cash 2"
"Oh, yes; should like to see our bank refuse
| that signature for an ordinary sum-"
| then went to the bookkeeper's desk and pro-
| duced the original signature.
"How about this~ said l.
He looked at the signature-thenI at my
| "base imitation" 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 burst out in
an expression which was mixture of astonish-
ment, chagrin, merriment, vexation and per-
plexity, and, holding out his hand with uncon-
ditional surrender written all over his face, he
exclaimed, "SoldP
That was the only word in the American
language that could adequately express the sit
uation.
But the sell was very easy one, and required
no skill at all. The fact is that when the origi-
nal signature was compared with the forgeries
the discrepancies were so palpable that "a way
taring man, though foo" need not be taken
in; and yet if my friend had not been a dea.
con, which he was-and is-and if had been
as heartless as most forgers, could have won a
| very nice sum, had offered to stake it on the
| issue.
Finally, to convince the deacon that he was
| not the only fool in the firm, | called upon one
Of the other partners, and showing him the three
| false signatures, asked him to decide which was
the genuine. With a great show of ready dis
| cernment, he selected the top one, and began at
| once to point out the weak points in the Others
| simply by comparing with what he considered
| the genuine. eyes," said he, "they are pretty
fair limitations, but don't you see the length Of
tins and the turn of this nj Now look at the
original, and see where this capital sweeps
around. There is an attempt at it in the imita-
ton, but it is very weak one"
"Then you couldn't be imposed upon by one
OF those lower signatures % said l.
very face"
well, how about the first one2 No mistake
about thatP You would readily cash check
with that signature"
"Oh, yes, that is all right. Anybody who
ever saw the deacons sign manual could see
that at glance"
SO the deacon divided up his chagrin with the
Junior partner, and felt better-or worse, Pve
forgotten which.
The fact is, no man is safe in swearing to a
slgnature-not even Horace Greeley to his own
for no man writes signature twice alike, al.
though he may preserve all the characteristics.
AND would give very little for the testimony
OF experts, unless backed by pretty strong col
lateral evidence. 1t would not be difficult. ordi
narly, to identity body of writing, such as a
page or even dozen lines, but to decide as to
the genuineness of single word or signature is
more than | should like to do, if either life or
happiness depended upon it.
Miscellaneous Items.
A stranger in Albany offered $40 TO any man
VINO would get him wife. The nffar WIG in