The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-05-29
plain and natural signature

nature used as a basis of compariS(
, and the original note signed $40 WOO
|, men" and the envelope in eviden
shown you would you as an expe
undertake to say that both were wri
ten by the same person?
Al would not.
The testimony of Mr.. MILAN, Il
next witness, proved to be immeteri
to the issue.
W. II. STACY,
SwoaD, said: 81 am correspondent
cleark in the First national bank,
Austin. Have been in the bank b
tween seven and eight years. Hay
general charge of collections and lie
tiers accompanying them. l have
large and varied acquaintance wit
handwriting, and have had OppOrtun
ties to note distinctions and peculiar
ties in different hands, but do nc
claim to be an expert. l would nc
say that the signature, &c. B. StoC
dard," to the paper show
me, and the &c. b. Stoddard
on the first page of said pape
are the same; but l would say tn
signature Immediately above the sig
nature shown me is, in my opinion
by the same party. The last 81 line
appear to have been written by a dit
| terent person., or at a different time
from the rest of the writing above
on the second page, and the writini
on the first page, except in the frs
four lines, appears to have been writ
ZEN by the same person as the last 81
lines of the second page.
notice a similarity in the sig
nature shown and in tn
name &c. B. Stoddard," where it ap
pears on the first page, except in tn
first instance where it appears, bu
not to an extent that would convinc
me they vera written by the SAM
person. l don't observe any similar
ity in the signature, &C. b. Stoddard,
shown me and the letter shown
signed "20 Woodmen." The letter il
in a disguised hand, and the formation
of the letters is effected very mucf
by the fact that the writing is gener
ally in the back hand. The "r"'s il
the signature and the letter are goo(
deal alike, but not more so than thu
rules in penmanship in their forma
ton would require.
Q.-Do you not discover a decided
dissimilairity between the finishing
strokes of the letter ST., in signature
"Stoddord" and the same part of the
same. letters occurring in the letter
signed "20 Woodmen?"
Ayes. l see a marked difference
in this resyect. The finishing stroke
of "r' in the signature makes al
acute angle, while in the note 1t is
generally terminated with a curve
This dissimilarity might in part be
accounted for by the connectsng let
tiers, but it is not necessary to use the
acute angel in connecting with cd. ,
1t is not correct penmanship to use the
acute angle Gas is used in signature)
and it is most commonly not so.
Q.-Compare the letter signed '2O
woodmen" (originaD with copy at
tached to W. Y. Leaders testimony,
and marked "W. Y. L." and point out
any resemblance you may discover
Al see the letter f in the first
word "for" in the copy attached and
marked "W. Y. L." is very peculiar
stroke is carried to the left of the
as in a." find this
same popularity in the letter "f'' in
the word "for" in last line of the Or
iginal. 1t isvery unusual to so form
this letter. though I have seen it so
formed.
Q.-Any other letters showing pecu-
culiarity of form?
A.-The letter ''g" in last line of
both in the word "going" show SINH
larity.
Q.-As to photography and similar
ity?
Question ruled out.
RE-EXAMINED.
The "f' in the letter signed ago
woodnfen" has at the top short curve
while the "f'' compared in
the copyKmarked "W. Y. L." begins
at the top with astraight line upwards
to the right and forming a
sharp angle with the down stroke.
The difference spoken of might be
for by the difference in
the slant of the two letters. The sig
nature &c. b. Stoddard" is not a back
hand, nor what would be called a run
ming hand, but an ordinary hand, with
a slight slant.
The copy marked "W. Y. L." is
more of running hand. The "g" in
the copy marked "W. Y. L." is in de-
cidedly a running hand.
Mr.. Leader jr. testified to delivering
the package of letters from the mail,
but did not know what it contained.
A clerk in the postoflie testified to
the identity of the postoflice stamp on
the envelope containing the"20 Wood
men" note.
F.s. CASPER,
sworn: 81 reside in Austin; / have
known DIR. G. b. Stoddard since Janu-
airy, 1888; have had good opportu-
nifty to become familiar with his hand
writing, and would know his hand
writing when sec it; the letter shown
me signed "20 Woodmen" is not his
regular handwriting. I cannot rec
ognize it. / know DR.. Stoddard's
signature. The signature at the bot
tom of the complaint for libel, shown
me in court, l recognize as DR.. G. b.
Stodeard's signature. have seen him
write his signature. ] also take the
signature &c. B. Stoddard," imme-
diately above the final signature,
to be DIR. G. B. Stoddard's signature.
l recognize the ninth and teath
writing of the name Sc. b. Stoddard,"
on the first page of the complaint, as
the writing of DR.. G. B. Stoddard.
recognize the last five and half lines
of the complaint as DIR. G. b. Stod-
dard's writing.
The case was continued until nine
o'clock this (Friday) morning.