The evening times., 1896-05-20
Department Clerks Who Had Official
Relations With the Eccentric Tes-
tutor Identity the Hand w riting on
the Mysterious Paper-The Law
yers' Objections TO the Statements.

Hdii OF inc ldtttrs lIfe. He had grown
familiar with his handwriting through cor
respOndcnce over the surratt case When
shown the will witness said:
Il would say, beyond doubt that is the
writing and signature OF Judge Holt"
The witness admitted that he had never
seen Judge Holt write. He had no let
ters in his possession, save one written
to Mrs. Ray.
Mr.. Worthington asked that further
examination OF the witness be suspended
until the letter referred to could be pro-
duced
During the controversy that followed
over the production OF the letter, Dr..
Butler said: Judge Holt's signature was
so characteristic of the man that / would
know 1t among thousands
Leave was given to produce the letter ad-
dressed tn Mrs. Ray.
MR.. HIT is POSITIVE.
Representative Robert X. Hit, OF Illi-
nois, had an acquaintance with Judge
Holt, lasting over a period OF thirty
years, he said on the witness sta nd.
He had various opportunities to see and
Judge of his hand writing
The witness took the viii. With the
paper in hIs hand, he arose and said: Il
Holt
How long La sit been since you saw Judge
Holt writc?" asked Judge ~I.so
Fully ten years." replied Mr.. Hit.
Mr.. Hit went on to state that, knowing
the nature OF the testimony he would be
expected to give. he had looked at one Of
Judge Holt's letters TO him this morning.
The letter wa sdated July 25, 1890.
Referring to the will Judge Wilson said
Mr.. Hit. You knew of Judge Hoit's char
acteristics. Look at that paper in your
hand the willard say whether you think
il Is dra wn III such phraseoiogy as hc would
USE"
Messrs Darlington and Butterworth
raised Simultaneous objections to the ques-
ton.
Mr. Worthineton insisted that they had
n right to ask questions of witness who
had known the tcstator for so many years,
To find whether a man OF Judge Hoit's at
tainrnents would bc the creator of paper
50 iIiy dra wn, poorly phrased and wrongly
punctuated-
The question at issue was not the hand
writing alone, but issues were Trained III
The probate court to Geiermlne whether the
tcstator was the real Trainer OF the Will
Both Mr. Darlington and Nj Butter
worth said that the testimony tie caveators
sought to draw out was rightly TO DC
produced from their own witnesses and
lot from the witnesses of the caveatees-
..There is no handwriting that cannot
be initiated said Judge Wilson IN reply,
but each man has peculiar phraseoioGy
and style of his own. We surely nave a
light to question the witnesses. therefore,
to learn whether Il man of ability, culture
and developed attainments, such as Judge
Holt must have had, would draw such
paper"
Judge Bradley sustained the objection.
and counsel for the caveators reserved
their exception. The examination pro-
cecded.
Mr. Hit had not seen samples of Judge
Holt's writing over half a dozen times,
five years ago witness frequently sa W him
make memoranda during the progress Of
csaes in court, aud On other occasions.
CHANGED WITH AGE.
His writing would vary at all times With
regard to certain letters, but there were
general characteristics IN his writing, as
whole, that made it individual said
Mr.. HIT. His handwriting changed with
age"
Another witness on handwriting was W.
S. Yeatman. disbursing officer of the
War Department, who had handled many or
the Official papers signed by Judge Holt
He identified the signature to the will.
The witness went on to explain that the
Judge advocate generals signature varied.
There were records in the department where
the letters IN the signature sioped to the left
as in the name at the foot Of the viii and
in others the slant was to the right.
DIR. .HOwE's KNOWLEDGE.
DR.. Frank t. Howe testified that he had
a lon. acquaintance with Judge Holt. Five
years of this time were spent in the office
Of the judge advocate. lie thought the
writing and signature in the will we re those
of the supposed testatOr.
While not familiar with the handwriting
of Judge Holt, A. E. H. johnson, solicitor
of patents, said he thought he was able Ia
= ell the writing If he were to see it, On
being shown the will, he declared Judge
Holt both wrote and signed it.
Clarence F. Cobb, who has been clerk
n the War Department for the past thirty
7wo wears was the next witness. He had
known Judge Holt intimately and was ac-
quainted with his handwriting. The advo-
cate general and Gen. Brice had a sort of
mutual admiration society of their own,
said the witness. Each was proud of his
L,ps Iscy, Martial Tn n
plain, clear style OF speech.
Il should say this paper is in Judge
Holt's own hand, and is signed by him."
said Mr.. Cobb.
Witness said he first saw the alleged will
.ast February. He went there at the in
stance of Luke Devlin, the executor named
n the paper. Mr. Cobb said in reply TO
Mr. Worthington's questions.
He had seen some OF Judge Holt's hand
writing in Mr. Darlington's office before
looking at the will, and after an hours
examination of the document he reached
the conclusion of the authenticity of the
With the retirement of the witness who
had Just testified Mr.. Darlington said that
the proof OF the genuineness of the hand
writing was complete as far as his side
was concerned. According to his under
standing of the courts ruling yesterday
that was all it was necessary for the
caveatees to do now.
The proof yet to be offered by hts side,
Mr.. Darlington said, was to show that GER
tain relations existed bet tween the testator
and the cayeators that would influence him
In making will.
Such proof, to Mt. Darlington, was
clearly a matter Of testimony in rebuttaI.
In event the court sustained his contention
their examination in chief was closed. An