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.
Sarcastically Spoken Of as
Being in Unrhythmical n
-
Time.
~
A Witness Counts the ire
mors in the Different a'
Signatures. r.
G. C. CurtlsS, of Minneapolis,
Takes the Stand for the
Prosecution.

DR.. Tolman resumed the stand yester-
day morning in the COLON case. and
was croSS-eXamined by Judge Shaw.
He said:
"Ihe 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 Il 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.
"If 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.
mir 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.
"Now, 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 III the
act of writings"
"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.. BlaisdelI's writing
indicates considerable vigor for man
of his age?'
"This failure of muscular action
whichproduces these rhythmical tremors
or SpaSmS is. suppose, inevitable, and
always attendant upon old age?'
Yes, sir; but the periods when it be
gins to manifest itself differ in people.
Some begin to fail earlier in years than
Others"
Nov. 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 OF paper used,
and other attendant circumstances
which | might mention. Still, there
would be running through all of The
specimens certain characteristics which
are unconsciously used by the writer.
As matter of fact, most, If not all
their writing of which even they them
selves know nothing about until their
attention is called to them" So
Then you could not give very re-
liable opinion upon signatures unless
you knew. the physical condition OF the
writer when he executed them?'
Yes, if had sufficient number of
samples, because the unconscious char
acteriSticS of the writer would be mani
fest in most, if not all of them. in spite
of his phy steal cOdditiOn. Some might
be intensified and others diminished.
but they would be there in sufficient
quantity to enable me to form an
opinion
1.-The signatures you have examined
have all been furnished you by the
State?"
Eyes, sir"
This closed the cross-exanination,
and Mr.. Wellington asked:
MIR. TOlman, what have you to say
about the variability in Mr.. Blaisdell'S
handWritlng?"
ut is 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
Judge Hooker announced that all sig
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 ad-
mitted as standards for comparison.
This included some written with pen
ellis.
NOW, Mr.. Tolman." said Judge Will
son, "yOu said Yesterday that signatures
written with pencil would not exhibit
as many rhythmical spasms-l think
that was the term you used-as those
would which were written with pen?"
"Yes, SIR
"Now. look at this signature. 1t is
written Wltn peIlcIl, 50 you calHOI
find a large number of tremorS or
spasms in it. as you call them?'
Eyes, SIR
rs not the capital o more angular
than any in the genuine standards"
Yes, SIR" .
"Now, look at this exhibit which is
admitted to be a 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 a very fine.