The San Francisco call., 1897-07-27
ISAAC HOFF MANS
HANDWRITING
Its Peculiarities Pointed Out
by Expert Reich
man.
He Receives a Setback at the
Hands of Ex-Judge Louder
back.
Vexatious Delays Cause the Trial of
Theodore A. Figel to Drag
Painfully Along

The defense in the case of Theodore A.
Figel charged with cmbezzlement had
hand writing expert John Reichma on
the rack nearly all of yesterday. They
pro bed him for hours for some weak point
upon which to base motion to strike out
his testimony to the effect that the $95O0O
receipt is forgery of the name OF Isaac
Hoffman.
The unhappy expert was made to tell
his history from his birth, give an Okla
homa exhibition OF his ability as an i'm
itator of writing, and many other things
disagreea bic TO him, but apparently pleas
ant for half dozen other writing experts
who are to be called by the defense later
on.
George Goetinger was the first witness
in the morning. He is the clerk Of the
Rothchild & Ach firm of attorneys. He
simply identified the $4,000 receipt handed
by Theodore A. Figel.to Joseph Rothchild.
Charles f. Hunt, accountant for the
London, Paris and American Bank, testi-
fed only as to the correctness OF the tags,
checks and other papers already pro-
duced in the case.
Expert Reichman said:
Il was born in Frankfort on the Main,
Germany. l came TO this country and
lived for twenty-five years at Houston,
Tex. Later l went 10 Fresno, and have
been a resident of that city ever since
about ten years. In Fresno L was cashier
of the Farmers Bank. At one time | was
City Treasurer of Houston, Tex.
my business required me to study
handwriting. | was called upon very fre-
quently in court cases to give my opin-
ion as to handwriting. l never made a
special business of being an expert. In
this case my examination was mace with
one other case. The W. A. Sanders case
is one l specially remem ber. John
Wootton, who had disappeared, and who
has never been heard OF since, was aid to
have left a will, which proved to be for
gery. | was an expert in that case, and
used the microscope as l have in this case.
Sandersis now serving term in the peni-
ten tiary."
Witness, led on by Judge Louderback
recited a dozen minor cases IN which he
n ad been called as an expert in hand
writing. There were score OF cases,
however, of which he had nothing to say,
as the parties who employed him out OF
court did not care to have him testify.
Witness expressed desire for a black
board, as he could better illustrate the
difference he observed in signatures oil
the signature on the $500 receipt.
There are certain characteristics in
the handwriting OF Hoffman that do not
observe here" SAID the witness. For
| instance Hoffman made peculiar stroke
of the pen in the connection between the
capital letter I'll and the letter o.
Judge Campbell said he had been eight
years on the bench and he had never yet
had to call in a blackboard. However il
it was blackboard that was wanted, black
board would be had. Then ensued a half
hours delay while the bailiff, the clerk, a
couple OF policemen and eX-Judge Murphy
went foraging. When the desired board
was secured. there was no chalk, and
another hali-hour passed. So moves on
the trial of Theodore A. Figel, the most
peculiar case ever heard in the Police
Court, it being a conglomeration of en-
bezzlement, forgery and murder all rolled
in one, the entire testimony, according to
agreement between counsel. IN the en-
bezzlement and forgery cases to be &C
cspted in the more serious case.
Taking his place before the blackboard
the expert explained that Isaac Hoffm n
had two ways of signing Ho, the two first
letters in his last name, and that in all
the exemplars placed before him as
genuine not single one showed the cross
stroke OF the letter II connected with the
letter o, as in the signature OF the receipt.
Again the last the last three letters, M, a.
n, in the name on the receipt were spread
over more space than in any of the ac-
cepted signatures.
The expert witness was quite in earnest
and emphatic, especially when speaking
of the "Ho" connection that never oc-
Cured in any of the genuine signatures.
Ex-Judge LouderbacK Immediately be-
gan running over bunch OF several hun
dred Cancelled checks and produced one
made in favor of Eeineman & Co. for $50,
in which the connection showed as in the
receipt.
The witness will be heard again this