Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-04-18

Mr.. Albert 5. Southw0rth. the writer Of
the following Communication, is al expert
in handwriting, having an Office At NJ. ;
Court Square, and living IN the Charles
town district.
To the Editors Of the Boston Iournoi:
Previous to the trial of John p. Phair | re-
ccivt-i Il despatch from a distinguished cN-
Judge of Vermont To meet gentleman dcsir
ing my professional services. From former
business interviews understood that the quc>-
toned handwriting- would be presented 10 me
for analysis and my opinion an expert. |
obeyed the summons and met gentleman who
introduced himself Il assistant or associate
counsel in the John T.. rhair ease. His name
| have forgotten. He took me tu the Adams
House and called upon the clerk for Il certain
register. which was handed to him. lie then
led me to retired seat and took from hi-
pocket a letter from Phair. in which II" alleged
in positive terms that he never wrote the name
" +. F. Smith. =. Adams. Vt upon The
Adams House register, nor WAS h" there under
the date upon which said name Was written.
This letter. in phair'~ own handwriting. in the
hands Of hi> own counsel. WAS To bo the stand
ard for comparison. With such pcrllnacliy
aud address had PhaiI averrcd his innocence
that benevolent individuals had contributed 4
small sum Ia drtray the expenses of h- c"un-
sci 10 Boston and 10 procure expert testimony
upon the qu STONED signature in the Adams
House register. The characteristics in the
hand of the standard letter and the name regis
tered II. 7. smith, II. Adams. Vt" were
identical. Supervising either upon the other
To lie Viewed Il Il trans parcncy, similar letters
and movements or succession Of movements
were the same in curves, angles and loin-
ingS. and in principle. in every minui" par
ticu!ar. Ihi~ WIS true of every part of
the letter standard. To explain: From any
letter or writin. of phair'>. having the letters
fhut lao mako ~. ba
name of f. +. Smith. 81. Adams. Vermont. the
name may he made up letter BY letter and ar
ranged - to bc almost identical with that
upon the Adams house register. There could
be no chance for any forgery. After a time of
close observation and comparison hy super
posing and iuXtapo>ition, the gentleman said
there could be- no doubt but that the letter and
signature upon the register Were by the same
hand. Details | have len out. and have not
quoted words. but only substance and mean-
ing. If Phair wrote the letter shown me Icy 4
gentleman ~ knowlcdglng himself IN Ihair'S
interest. lac wrote the name before referred To
on the register. There was no disguise OF
hand IN standard or signature. The hand l.
one of practice enough not 10 lose from school
and copy exercises. but not one of much prar-
ticc beyond. 50 Is To improve in readiness bv
experience.
| was treated III very gcntlcmanly manner
by Phair'S counsel, with no expectation that hr
would need my further assistance. desire
now 10 make this reference Ia the case for the
purpose Of allaying in the public mind the cX
element arising from honest doubling a. 10
the identity OF The two signatures. T.. r. Smith.
81. Adams. and John Z. Phlir. That they are
Identical i dcmun-trable fact, not an opinion
dependent upon preponderaIing testimony.
Let me close by saving that | am proud of my
native STATE, in all her dispositions of this long,
much asitatcd and important case of the uu
consciousness, Of her Jurors. of the
candid, vet vigorous and last rulings of her
Judges, or the trust aud confidence repo>cd
by her legislator, in the state courts, and of
The moderate forchcarance aud mcrcilul l,n-
rncy Of her high executive officers.
Very respectfully,
NLRIEI :. SOI-IHMnEIM.