The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-15
The Experts Work.
Different Rules Regulating the Accepting
of Money Documents.
Boston Banker.l


good handwriting is getting to be one
of the lost arts. The fathers and GRANDPA
theirs of the present generation, as general
thing, wrote a handsomer and more legible
hand than do the children and grandchiI-
dren. There is one point in penmanship to
which 1 have just been giving some atten-
ton. 1t 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
influence enough to hang cat; and now it
is claimed that some Brussels murderers
have been run down by tell-tale tricks of
their penmanship. The readers of this lit
tie note may be assured that the writer of it
knows individuals who can write other peo-
ple's names so cunningly 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 years since
had two of its bonds presented for redemp-
ton which seemed precisely alike One was
forged bond throughout. The officers
whose names appeared upon these bonds
could not tell (which was which, But
this is nothing. l have man near me who
can write your signature or mine or the sig
nature of any person that may be placed be-
fore him as study so cunningly that nei-
Their you nor l 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 sig-
natures as means OF Identification in pay
ment of checks, etc. The person who pre-
sents a check to Boston bank for payment
must be positively identified before the
money will be paid to him. 1t 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 pay
ing teller of a London bank tries to assure
himself that the face of check is all right
both IN point of signature of drawer and as
regards The drawers balance, and then
siaps out the money to whoever presents
The check 1t matters not whether the
check is payable to order or to bearer. He
demands no Identification in either case.
de only looks upon the back of the order !
cneck TO see if it has the name Endorsed |
Ihls cneck paving custom did not ALWAYS |
prevail in England. At one time the Enc |
lfsh practice in these premises was the same
as ours is now. At that time we copied our
custom from them. They have since pro-
crossed out OF 1t. We remain tied to 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 neger GET
through their business if the Identification |
responsibility was to remain upon them. |
They pressed the matter upon the attention
Of ariiament. Parliament came to their
relief. 1t said, pay checks to whoever pre-
sents them, and Your whole duty is done.
If to-day drop my check in London made