St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-30
RHYTHM IN FORGERY.
The Defense in the COLON
Case Makes Light
of 1t.
Sarcastieally Spoken Of as
Being in Unrhythmical o.
Time.
A Witness Counts the ire
mors in the Different 'a'
Signatures. e
G. C. CurtlsS, of Minneapolis,
Takes the Stand for the
Prosecution.

lie said:
1.-THE stretching of one of these photo
graphs on the cardboard for the pur-
pose of mounting it would not make
any appreciate difference in the length
or depth of the signature. The uniform
characteristic of Mr. Blaisdell's sigma
ture is heavy downward pressure"
''If you found that in large number
of Mr.. Blaisdell's signatures this did
not occur YOU would consider your
theory considerably shaken. would you
not?'' insinuatingly queried Judge
Shaw.
eff it were III large number, yes,
sir" promptly replied the witness.
You have formed some opinion from
the signatures that have been selected
by the prosecution
Mr.. Jamison quickly interpOsed an
objection TO any intimation that the
prosecution had selected signatures.
''Mr. BlaiSdell," he said, lis here with
all the signatures you wanted, and yet
you have never asked for them.'
The question was admitted. however.
and Mr.. Tolman replied that he had
formed his opinion from the signatures
presented i'll court
Nov, Mr.. Toman," said Judge
Shaw. you gave us yesterday avery
scientific and interesting lecture on
tremorS or rhythmical spasms as applied
to Mr.. BlaiSdell's writing. Did you
form your opinions on that subject
from an examination of Mr.. BlaisdelPS
penmanship, or from seeing him in the
act of writing"
Another examination of the writ
ing"
You saw him before you made such
an examinations
mo, sir: | examined his penmanship
in New York before ] saw him."
"You said that Mr.. Blaisdell's writing
indicates considerable vigor for man
of his age?'
''Yes, sir.''
"rhis failure of muscular action
whichprOduceS these rhythmical tremOrS
or spasms is, | suppose, inevitable, and
always attendant upon old age?"
Eyes, sir; but the periods when it be-
gins to manifest itself differ in people.
Some begin to fail earlier in years than
Others"
Now. would not Mr.. Blaisdell's hand
writing vary?" ~
Most certainly it would. The hand
writing of all people varies. The con-
ditiOns which affect it are numerous,
such as the physical condition, mental
condition, kind of pen or paper used,
and other attendant circumstances
which | might mention. Still, there
would be running through all of die
specimens certain characteristics which
are uncOnSciouSly used by the writer.
As matter of fact, most, If not all
people who write have peculiarities in
their writing of which even they them
selves know nothing about until their
attention is called to them" s5
Then you could not give very fe-
liable opinion upon signatures unless
you knew. the physical condition of the
writer H'hen0h executed them?'
Eyes, if had sufficient number of
samples, because the unconscious char
aeteristics of the writer would be mani
fest in most, if not all of them, in spite
of his ply steal cOdditi0n. Some might
be intensified and others diminished,
but they would be there in sufficient
quantity to enable me to form an
opinion"
THE signatures you have examined
have all been furnished you by the
state?"
Eyes. SIR"
This closed the cross-eXamination
and Mr.. Wellington asked:
MIR. Tolman, what have you to say
about the variability in Mr.. BlaiSdeifS
handwriting?"
.'ltis very small for man of his age
and experience. and is confined within
certain lines which are pronounced and
unmiStakable."
Mr.. Tolman then stepped down and
Prof. Ames remounted the witness
stand.
Before he resumed his testimony
Id a CT G-
natures which had been presented to
Mr.. Blaisdell on the stand, and which
he had identified so far as to say that
he thought they were his. should be adj
mitted as standards for comparison.
This included some written with pen
ellis.
s.Now, Mr.. Tolman." said Judge Will
son, 'yOu said yesterday that signatures
written with pencil would not exhibit
as many rhythmical spasms-I think
that was the term you used-aS those
would which were written with pen?"
Eyes, Sir.''
"Now. look at this signature. 1t is
written with a pencil, so you cannot
find a large number of tremorS or
spasms in it. as you call them?'
"Yes, sir.n
SIS not the capital o more angular
lDdIl any III tnc RoHuIHO oloiiu'Iu US!
Yes, Sir"
"New, look at this exhibit which is
admitted to be genuine signature. Is
it not light in the down strokes?"
.Yes, but it appears to me to have
been written with two different pens.
In making the signature l think Mr.
Blaisdell started in with very fine.
stiff pen, but, not finding it suitable TO
his purpose, he changed it. In fact,
l think the fine pen stuck through the
paper and retarded the movement OF
his fingers"
Here the witness was shown Exhibits
A to A 50 inclusive, being admitted
genuine signatures of Mr.. Blaisdells
and was asked if he did not find the
same peculiar "d'' which he spoke of
yesterday as being in the disputed sig
nature. particularly the loop at the top.
The witness answered: iis-
Eyes, find much the same loop, but
the downward stroke is heavy, as it is
in all of Mr.. Blaisdell'S signatures which
/ have examined, and that is not :the
case in the disputed signature"
Here and at other points in the testi-
mony the signatures were handed to
the jury for examination, which took
much time. ~ ~.
"Mr. Ames," said Mr.. Wilson, ex-
hibiting still another genuine signature
to the witness, ''is that not a hair line?n
.'No, sir; do not so regard it." ii-;
Judge Shaw now took the witness in
hand and commenced to fire questions
at him in a quick, nervous manner,
scarcely giving him time to answer one
before he found himself confronted
with another.
"Mr. Ames, you said one of the stand
ards was made with fine pen and for
that reason it had fine lines?" -
eyes. SIR,
ibid you not say that the disputed
signature was made with fine pen?''
mo. sir. / did not"
swell, then. Mr.. Tolman said So"
'sNe, sir, said medium pen," inter-
ieeted Mr.. Tolman.
eff you came across genuine sigma
lures of Mr.. Blaisdell which have the
characteristics of the disputed sigma
ture would you say that they were alb
normalr'
81 have not seen any such as yet, and,
therefore, 1 am unable to express an
opinion upon the subject"
At this point the attorneys got into a