Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-13
chtroxraph1ea1 Experts

A well-known New York banker makes some interesting observations and suggestions
 in the Exeter(N. H. Neaos Letter regarding penmanship as a means of identification. He
 says: GA good handwriting is getting to be
 one of the lost arts The fathers and grand
 fathers of the present generation, as 8 gen.
 eral thing, wrote a handsomer and more
 legible hand than do the children and grand
 children. There is one point in penmanship
 to which have just been giving some atten-
 tion- It relates to the testimony of hand
 writing. Not long ago man was hanged in
 New England by handwriting experts. AS
 class. such experts ought not to have infiu-
 ence enough to hang cat. And now 1t is
 claimed that some Brussels murderers have
 been run down by tell tale tricks of their
 penmanship. The readers of this little note
 may be assured that the writer of it knows
 individuals who can write other peoples
 names so cunningly that these other people
 cannot decide whether the signatures are
 their own or not. I have actual cases ir
 mind where this puzzle has been tried. One
 notable instance must mention. The State
 of Massachusetts not many years since had
 two of it's bonds presented for redemption
 which seemed precisely alike. One was a
 forged bond throughout. The officers whose
 names appeared upon these bonds could not
 tell which was which
 ''But this is nothing. I have a man near me who can write your signature or mine, or the signature of any person that may be placed before him as study, so cunningly that neither you nor I can tell which is which. It is lucky that he is an honest man, or he might do dangerous work with your name on big check or note. Bankers in the United States place little reliance upon signatures as 8 means of identification in payment of checks, etc. The person who presents check to Boston bank for pay ment must be positively identified before the money will be paid to him. It is in vain for him to offer, as evidence that he is the right man, any handwriting testimony. And it does not make any difference whether the check is payable to bearer or order. Identi- fcation in both cases is demanded. In Eng land one finds most marked difference from this way of doing business. The paying teller Of London bank tries to assure him self that the face of check is all right, both in point of signature of drawer and as re- gards the drawers balance, and then slaps out the money to whoever presents the check. It matters not whether the check is payeb ble to order or to bearer. He demands no iden- in either case. He only looks upon the back of the order check to see if it has the name indorsed. This check paying cus- tom did not always prevail in England. At one time the English practice in these prem ises was the same as ours is now. At that time we copied our custom from them. They have since progressed out of 1t. We remaia tied to their old style. We shall get out of this rut one of these days. The great bank ers of London long ago found they could never get through their business if the i'd en- tifeation responsibility was to remain upon them. They pressed the matter upon the attention of Parliament Parliament came to their relief. It said. pay checks to who- ever presents them, and your whole duty is I lone If I, to day, drop my check in Lon- ! don, made payable to order of W. B. Mor- | Till, the first rascal that picks it up in the | streets, and puts Mir. Morrill's nams on the \ back, may collect that check-and get im- \ prisoned for life for so doing. 1t is, of | course, the imperative duty of any person who has lost 8 check to have it's payment stopped at once.''