San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-06-25
FORGERY AN INCREASING CRIME.
Methods of Transferring Signatures Di-
rectly and with Tracing Paper.

When Bulwer LyttOn wrote the pen down
rs mightier than the sword the playwright
must have had in mind, along with great
literary lights, free lances of the quill. so to
speak, gentleman whose cunning plumes and
points were devoted to no legitimate line in
the profession, yet nevertheless carved goodly
fortunes by crafty use of pen and ink. Mems
brains were subtitle and hands initiative then
as now, but till comparatively few years
since means were lacking to bring the art of
forgery up to the exact science it is rapidly
becoming with expert skillful rogueS.
1t was with a view of finding out the
favorite modes of counterfeiting signatures
and the possible protection property has
against this foe that an authority on such
matters was interviewed.
The gentleman said he believed there was
no crime increasing more rapidly than that
of forgery, the frequency of its occurrence
appalling those whose business it is to be re-
sponsible for the handling of money. He
then explained few of the difficulties under
which bank tellerS labor. Every one has
signature book, and by the likeness to the
writing of each depositor he must pay drafts
drawn on their account. In the hurry and
press of a busy day it becomes impossible to
scrutinze every check with exhaustive care.
He looks to see that the general character of
the writing tallies with his sample, but has
not the time to apply tests of any kind Half
of his security rests in recognizing the party
authorized to draw against the deposit, but,
as is well known, these confidential agents
are often the ones who forge their employers
names.
T., Ill -. c,n
standing of the term. Experience sharpens
their senses generally, and they are therefore
quick to note any glazing incongruity, but
nine times in ten the keenest can be deceived
by neat bit of transfer work.
There are several distinct methods of coun-
terfeiting signatures. The old fashioned way
was to initiate individual writing so closely
that detection was supposed to be defed.
Practice and a natural gift for imitation
could do a good DEAL but the process is reck-
oned too slow in these advanced days, trans
fer direct OK by tracing being far more expe-
ditious and surer in the long run. To trans
fer direct one must possess an original sigma
ture every time the deception is practiced.
Now that photography has become so easy
an art, all the counterfeiter need do is to re-
produce by means of his pocket camera an
indefinite number of exact copies of the
original handwriting, and from these the
tidiest sort of transferring on to checks can
be done. When ready for work he takes
tracing paper, or a slip of the ordinary kind,
soft and thin in quality, shaves soft lead
pencil or rubs lampblack thereon, and his
homely materials are prepared for serious
effort.
The prepared paper is carefully tackled be-
yond the outer edges of the draft, to steady
without mutilating it. On top of this the
photographed chirography is placed. With
light yet firm hand each line of the sigma
ture and writing necessary to filling in the
check is traced. When removed, behold
every upward and downward stroke, curve
and individuality of the writing is repro
duced in light lines, pale and yet sufficiently
clear to guide the pen with correctness we'll
nigh infallible. 1t is in this last touch with
the ink that a steady nerve is required. Hest
tation and faltering fingers invariably leave
broken lines, leading to instant detection,
and right here is the degree of safety man
possesses who writes big, bold, uncompro-
missing hand, admitting of no patchwork i'll
counterfeiting.
1t is the slow, painstaking signature that
the forger seizes upon as easy prey, where he
can follow the letters at leisure
Where it is impossible to get more than a
single original specimen of the required writ
ing, tracing paper makes that single sample
useful more than once.
To look at the matter impartially, one
would say the forger had number of points
in his favor. The suit between The London
Times and Parnell proved pretty conclusive
ly that the best trained eye can be totally de
ceived by an educated hand 1t does very
well to argue that hand writings are as dis
similar and individual as the human counte-
nance. At the same time chirography is
subject to duplication utterly out of the
question with face or figure. OF course, if
one had page or dozen sentences by which
to judge the authenticity of a deed, then de-
lection is comparatively easy matter, for it
requires one really expert to keep up the fic-
ton to such length. But for a single SEN
tence it is different, and few men are found
who can write twice exactly alike.
From time to time suggestions are heard
for the better protection of money, but SO fer
not one has proved feasible Most men would
prefer to suffer an occasional loss than endure
the inconvenience of handling money them
selves, or making its collection a personal
duty. Until the good genius comes along
able to contrive a mote by which circulation
of currency can be made compatible with
more accurate methods, the matter will have
to stand as now.
One danger has been cut off of late, that of
raising drafts A little machine is in vogue
by which all the space on either side of the
amount as originally written is thoroughly
MOI tod af
tional figures Many business houses take
this precautionary measure and much fraud
is thereby avoided.-New Orleans Times