Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-04-05
The Experts Work.
DIFFERENT RULES REGULATING THE AC
CEPTING OF MONEY DOCUMENTS.


A good handwriting is getting to be one
of the lost arts. The fathers and GRANDPA
theirs Of the present generation, as a general
thing wrote handsomer and more leglbIe
hand than do the children and grandchl!-
dren. There Is one point In penmanshIp to
winch have Just been giving some alien
ton. 1t relates to the testimony of band
writing. Not long ago man was hanged
in New England by handwriting experts.
As a class, such experts ought not to have
influence enough to hang a cat and now it
is claimed that some Brussels murderers
have been run down by ttll-tale tricks of
their penmanship. The readers of this lit
tie note may be assured hat the writer Of It
knows individuals who can write other peo-
pies names cunnlngly that these other
people cannot decide whether the signatures
are their own or not | have actual cases
IN mind where this puzzle has been tried.
One notable instance | must mention. The
State of Massachusetts not many wears since
had two OF It's bonds presented for redemp-
ton which seemed precisely alike One was
q forged bond throughout. The officers
whose names appeared upon these bonds
could not tell winch was which But
this Is nothing. | have a man near me- who
can write YOUR signature or nine or the sig
nature OF any person that may be placed be
tore him a. study 80 cut nlngly that neil
ther YOU nor ] can tell which is which 1t
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 slg
natures a. means OF identification IN paw
ment Of checks, etc. The person who pre-
seuts check To a Boston bank for payment
must be positively identified before the
money will be paid to him. IL is IN vain for
hum 70 offer evidence that he is the night
man any handwriting testimony. And it
does not make any difference whether the
check Is PAYABLE to bearer or order lden,l
tication IN both cases is demanded In Eng
land one hnd, a most marked difference
from this way 4 doing business The pay
ing teller Of London bank tries to assure
himself that the face Of a circk is all right,
both In point of signature of drawer and ~
regards the drawers balance. aud then
s.aps out the money To whoever presents
the check. II matters not whether the
check Is PAYABLE to order or To bearer He
demands no identification IN either case
lie only looks upon the back of the order
ctrcs To If 1t has the name ndor,ed
! ms check paying custom did not AWAY,
pre'al ~ England At one time the Eng
l!Sh practice IN these premises vas the same
as ours is now. At that time We copied our
custom from them. They have since pro.
gres,rd out Of H. We remain tied 10 their
old style. We shall get out Of this rut one
Of these days. The great bankers of Lon
don long ago found they could nsy-r get
through their business If the identification
responsibility Was to remain upon them.
They pressed the matter upon the attention
OF Parliament. Parliament came To their
reIief. IL said, pay checks TO whoever pre-
sent, them. ana your whole duty IS done.
If | to-day drop nv check IN London made
payable to order of W. b. Morrill,. the frs,
rascal that picks It up IN the streets and
puts Mr.. Morrill's name on the back may
collect that check-and get imprisoned for
life for so doing. 1t is. of course the I'M
Perauve duty OF any person Who has lost a
check 10 have Its payment stopped at once