The San Francisco call., 1897-05-20
CARVALRO THINKS
THEY ARE TRACINGS
The Expert Gives His Opin-
ion On the Deed
Signatures.
It Was Another Dull Session
Of the Fair. Craven
Trial.
More Negatives and Enlarged Photo.
graphs Are Added to the Already
Burdensome Pile of Exhibits.

s~ The hot wave certainly had its effect
upon the Fair Craven trial yesterday, for
6 duner session has not yet characterized
this tedious AMI ng-drawn-out proceed
ing.
The n morning opened with Photographer
Donovan back again on the Witness stand.
He went through the old ceremony CT
Identifying negatives, contact plates and
enlarged reproductions Of James G. Fair s
sigaature-thing that had been turned
cut by his experienced hands and cam
eras. Then David CarvaIho, the New
York hand writing expert, WAS recalled
and he kept the stand throughout the bal
suce OF the day. He resumed his anaIT-
SIS Of the deeds which convey TO Mrs.
Nettie R. Craven two OF the most valuable
pieces OF property and again essayed 10
pick them 10 pieces from the hard writing
expert standpoint Il was all for one pur-
.pose-te show that he thought he believed
these documents were not genuine.
At the outset of the afternoon session
Judge 5 ack took occasion TO mildly re-
buke the attorneys for the plaintiff for not
making more rapid progress He said he
would insist upon there being more OF an
effort 10 expedite matters
CarvaIhO took the stand again, and in
answer 10 Attorney R B Mitchell said
he had made an exhaustive analysis OF
Senator Fairs signature and compared II
with those appearing upon the pencil
will, the republication letter and the dis
puted deeds.
kindly give Us your conclusions as to
the genulneness OF the disputed sigma
lures, and also your reasons for reaching
those conc!usiOns,' said Mr.. Mitchell i'm
pressITely.
In my opinion they are not the genu-
ine signatures Of James G. Fair" said the
expert, with equal lmpressITeuess-
CarvaIhO then went on 10 explain He
had made the startling discovery, accord
ing 10 nj testimony, that Senator Fair
Lifted his pen or pencil seven times IN
signing his name and rarely ever devi-
sled from this rule. There seemed to be
evidences, too, that he yrote it rapidly,
and it would he no difficulty for him to
.scribbl II plainly in the dark.
g. After careful study OF the disputed
signatures CarValho said he was CON-
peIled to confess that IN many respects
they resem bIed marvelously the admit
teily genuine signatures The slight al
legged discrepancies he discovered were
few more lifts" Of the pencil IN the dis
puted signatures than appeared 10 De the
rule with Senator Fair.
CsrvalhO wanted TO assist himself along
II his discourse by referring TO some data
tas, he mad compiled. bat met with
stout objection from Mr.. Foote. An argu-
ment followed. in winch Judge Curtis and
Mr.. DeImas participated In behalf of the
defense's position, ahd the result was that
. the court sustained the objection and di-
rected the expert to depena upon his
memory and ability to find flaws right
there II court Unaided.
Resuming, CaTvalho said he was OF the
opinion that the signature 10 the pencil
viii had been ''retouched" in fourteen diff
ierent places by Tie writer.
The witness SAID that he had discovered
what he termed Irregularities Of pen pres
sure in the disputed signatures, and some
mlsplacements OF the same. He believe
these had been written N q slow and
la6ored manner.
As g wind-up for Carvalho's direct ex-
animation he was asked to state how. in
his opinion. the signatures TO the deeds
were executed.
% Il believe they are drawing "
he said.
Attorney Foote was not ready TO pro-
ceed with the cross-eIam1nation imme-
disrely, SO the case went over until this
morning IN order TO give him an oppor-
tunity 70 confer with his associates