Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-05-19
A POEM PRESENTED.

having been written by Cluyerius.
A POEM PRESENTED.
A poem, written in delicate charac
ters, was handed Mr.. Quarles, and he
said to the best of his knowledge and
belief it was written by the prisoner.
lie hadn't ANY doubt in his own
mind" There were words in the poem
that unmistakably connected Cluverius
with the writing.
Mr.. Quarles was asked to compare
the postal-card writing with the writing
in the letter and note any similarity.
The words "dear," night" the let
ter "w," and the syllable "ing" were
similar. Mr.. Quarles cited a good many
more similarities. He would say the
poem was written by the prisoner. 1t
had that general appearance.
To Judge Crump: The last letter re-
ceived by witne. from accused was
in August, 1884. The letters were
brief business-letters, written probably
on note-paper. A comparison Of his
letters was the most positive method Of
identifying his handwriting. lie had
pursued this method.
To Colonel Aylett Yes, his business
asa cashier and bank officer caused him
TO study handwriting, and especially
signatures. 1t was part OF his profess
sion to do this.
Judge Crump excepted to all these
questions, and the Court overruled each
exception.
The court recessed for five minutes.
James ID. Craig.
Mr.. Craig took the stand when the
court reassembled. Was a resident of
Richmond business was a general ac-
countant or book-keeper. Have been
connected with three banks in his life.
His business was such as to make him
a judge Of handwriting. Ten or twelve
years Of his life had been spent in
banks.
The postal-card was shown Mr..
Craig, but before he could answer Mr..
Pollard objected. He said the postal
was not in as evidence; that il occupied
the same position that the other letters
did.
Oh, no, " said Mr. Meredith - the
postal-csrd has been read and admitted
as evidence"
81 think not" said Mr.. Pollard, who
insisted on his objection.
hr. Meredith finally convinced Mr..
Pollard that the postal had been read.
Mr.. Craig said Mr.. Meredith had in
sisted on his visiting his house, where
he showed him the letters and postal
card.
CLUvERIUs DID 1T.
Mr.. Craig compared the writing on
the envelope and the letter with the
postal-card, and said:
If Cluverius wrote one he wrote
the other. | haven't the slightest
doubt in the world about the signature.
The word Cluverius is unmistakable. ;"
Nos. 4, 5, 6, and I, letters Of Cluye-
rius, were shown Mr. Craig, and in An
swsr 10 questions from Nr. Meredith he
said, " If Cluverius wrote the postal
he wrote all the others" There was
an individuality that characterized the
address on the envelopes that was rarely
to be found in fsur addressed envelopes
anywhere.
The poem was shown him and was
identified. 1.-The general appearance
of the handwriting was different, but
this was owing to the state of mind
OF the writer" Mr.. Craig said
all the words with gh bore q striking
resemblance. The letter d in Della
ware, in the poem, and ID in dear
on the postal were greatly alike. A
man in copying anything wrote differ
entity from one who composed as he
wrote. j haven't any doubt but that
the man who wrote the postal wrote
the poem.
Counsel for defence steadily objected
to all that had been said.
TO Judge Crump: l used the same
means Of comparison in determining the
handwriting here presented me that |
have used in determining matters In
yolving the identity of handwriting
whenever it came up before me in bank.
THE JUDGE AND THE WITNESS.
Judge Cyump procesded To rigidly