The San Francisco call., 1897-07-28
WAR AMONG THE
WRITING EXPERTS
The Defense in the T. A.
Figel Case Shows It's
Hand.
Dave Carvalho Says the Hof-
man Receipt Signature
Is Genuine.
Ex-Judge Louderback Claims to Be
Backed Up by Gumpel and
Kytka.

Under the lash of adverse criticism the
defense in the case of Theodore Figel,
charged with embezzlement, gave the first
intimation yesterday OF the kind of battle
they intend waging against the prosecu-
ton.
The latter so far have bent their efforts
more to prove forgery than to clinch the
embezzlement charge. Whether it is with
the purpose of laying foundation Of
civil suit has not yet developed, but the
TACT remains that more attention is beng
paid to the $500 receipt which Figel
claims was given him by Isaac Hoffman
and which the other side claims is
forgery than 10 numberless alleged en-
bezzlements and even the claim that de-
fendant committed murder.
In an issue of one of the afternoon
papers Monday a statement was made to
the effect that the great Eastern expert on
handwriting, David n. Carvalno, had
been employed by the defense to examine
the Hoffman receipt and that he had not
been retained to testify, as he found that
the signature was a forgery. To refute
this, ex-J Judge Louderback yesterday pro-
duced the following letter from the ex-
pert, with the accompanying remark that
Expert Kytka, who was paiu for his
by them as a witnes IS because he gave his
opinion that Hoffman's signature was
genuine, and that the defense would put
him on the stand TO prove it. Here is Car
valho's letter:
SAN FRANCISCO, July %, 1897.
Hon. Davis Observation-Disclosures SIR: At your
request today made a careful examin ton
OF the receipt dated May 49, 1897, for $4,000.
and signed Isaac Hoffman III juxtaposition
with certain standards of Mr.. Hoffman genu-
inc signature in the presence OF Judge Camp
bell. have to report TO you as my opinion
and judgment that the signature to said in
strument was signed by the same person who
wrote the exem plars which were submitted 20
me, and il Mr. Hoffman wrote the exemplars
Mr.. Hoffman is the same person who signed
said receipt Isaac Hoffman Answering
your request relative TO my giving testimony
in this case, regret TO stale tnat my home en-
gagements are mandatory and am compelled
10 leave for New York tonight having COM
pleted arrangements so 10 do some days ago.
Yours, respectfully, DAVID N CARvALHo
So much for the first clash between the
handwriting experts.
Attorney Ach, when the court session
began yesterday, called expert Peter Davis
Horton, a writing teacher OF Oakland who
spent thirty years in the study of CHR
ography. He testified to having exam
ined the $9560 receipt and to having COM
pared The signature thereon with the ac-
cepted signatures of Isaac Hoffman. In
his opinion the signature on the receipt
was forgery. He gave black board dem
onstrations showing the Hoffman charac-
teristcs in writing which he claimed he
could not observe in the receipt submitted
to him.
In explaining himself the expert used
few words not generally heard in a police
court, as Judge Campbell stated, some of
them being: "Conoidal," ''heterogene-
Gus, "rubric" and others, the strangeness
causing ripple OF laughter.
''Is there any cross-examination, Gen
eral 2" asked the court of Attorney Barnes. |
Let him go, he's not through yet," an
swered counsel.
You may laugh. gentlemen" put in |
the witness, you may not understand |
what Pm talking about. but that's not
my fault nor that OF the dictionary"
On cross-examlnation by Barnes, wit |
ness testified that he had been a witness |
in the Davis will case and he had declared !
the will forgery. He also worked on the |
Durrant murder case, but he was not |
called as witness.
Nv ho gave you that case2 Was 1t Cap |
tain Lees?" asked the court.
Witness gave no answer.
You were given some papers to e1-
anime and you were not called on to tes- |
tify-is that il?" said Judge Campbell. |
Again no answer was made
Witness mentioned the Fair Will case. !
the Martin case and others he had worked |
upon.
You've always had good jobs, then ?" |
asked Barnes
Again no answer. Tho case will be re-
sumed this forming.
One person In two millions is killed in
railway travelling.