River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-08-10
Wrote with His Toes
One Signature That There
Could Be No Mistaking
IN N ~ ~ AZ ~ AZ az az q
MYTH reference to the testimony of
wv handwriting experts in the Moli-


and one of them maintained in an elab-
signature could be beyond doubt, since
no man could, with certainty, swear to
his own signature at a period of several
years after it was written. To this
some of the others took exception,
averring that a man could always tell
his own signature by a sort of instinct,
though he might be unable to offer
reasonable explanation of how he knew
1t to be his own and not forgery.
From this the discussion veered to the
manner of holding and using pen and
its effect upon the character of the writ
ing as shown by experts. One of the
group, a middle-aged lawyer who had
taken no active part in the discussion
until it took this form, now produced a
pocketbook, and, taking from ii soiled
and time-worn bit of paper, uufolded
it and tossed it out on the table.
There is a specimen of writing
said he, that have shown to number
of experts without ever having found
one who could tell me correctly the pc
culiarity of its formation. Perhaps
some of you gentlemen who arc inter
ested in that sort of thing would like
TO have a trial at it,"
Gathering around, the lawyers looked
at the bit of paper. 1t was inscribed:
yours very truly, A. L. Mancher."
The writing was of an indescribably
f1ashy, dashing style, the letters being
long and narrow, with many hourishes,
and the name ending in a pyrotechnic
display of penmanship. One after an
other the men examined it, and all
agreed that the writing was of a singu-
lar type and one that would be we'll
nigh impossible to initiate with even
approximate accuracy.
MY opinion of that handwriting,
said lawyer who has had much to do
with photographic experts, would be
that it was written by a man who
hadn't the full use of his fingers; per-
haps one whose hand was deformed by
rheumatism. There isn't any finger
motion in those words"
You're quite right" returned the
owner of the paper. THE fact is, that
isn't handwriting at all"
"What! Eugraving?" cried the law
yer, catching it up and examining it
closely. Impossible! There's a
spreading of the ink there and one
catch of pointed pen that shows it's
pen work"
Pen work it is" returned the other,
''bGt not handwriting. There's little
story connected with that bit of paper
that dates back several years, and con-
fri nf tho cnpcnScfn1
identifications I've ever known"
Remembering that you are on OATH
said an ex-judge in a professional ac-
cent, "please to relate all that you
know about the writing, on the slip of
paper ] now hand YOU"
We'll, your honor" said the lawyer,
''it goes back several years to the time
when | was an express agent out in
Montana. In those days we handled
good deal of money out there and all
sorts of games were put up on us to get
it, for the country was full of slick
crooks. After the company had given
up a few consignments of cash to the
wrong persons, who seemed to have ex-
cellent identiications, we shut down
pretty close, and unless a man had
strawberry marks all over him as per
diagram received we weren't giving up
any packages of money that came on
from the east to bring the prodigal son
home again. AS we found out after
ward, there was a leak in the office that
enabled the crooks to put up fake iden
tifications on us. 1t was while we were
going our slowest that there came into
I1r rb., IoAlnI
like sickly gorilla just back from
two-weeks' iamboree. He was stunted
and nut-headed and he had big, long
arms that swung loose from his shout
ders and a shock of matted beard all
over his face With him was
tall thin party with a bandage
over one eye and miscellaneous cuts all
over his face. Take EN- together, they
were as tough looking pair as I'd
seen, even out there, and | wondered if
they had some little game, or were only
on the touch.
THE gorilla came strolling up to the
counter and asked if was the express
agent. l said | was and asked him what
] could do for him. He seemed cool
enough, but there was little quaver in
his throat as he said:
lis there a package here for A. L.
Mancher?'
maybe there is l said. What were
you expecting if you're Maucher|
which didn't for a minute believe.
Yes; I'm Mancher.' he said. eager
". 4 was expecting money. 1t might
be 500 or it might be 5000. l sent for
5000
'Then | remembered I'd had letter
along with package for Mancher. say
ing that he could identify himself UNI
mistakably by his handwriting.
made up my mind it would have to be
all sorts of unmistakableness before Id
hand over that package to the simian
hobo in front. for in addition to my
first suspicious saw he was beginning
to ehake.
You say you're Mancher.' I said,
Got anybody to identify YOU!
''I1l identify him. said the hobo
with the bandage.
(Which bank are YOU president Off
l said He moved up. Hold on. Don't
come too close, l told him, and
showed up a revolver.
Jim is all right said the gorilla,
hastily. We look pretty tough, Mr..
Agent, but you'd look tough too if
you'd been through the same. If Ldon't
get that money'-he broke off and
saw his throat working; then he looked
up with pitiful grin and added: 1t
took my last cent to telegraph for it,
and i haven't eaten since yesterday
morning
"'Come so miles on foot, both of us,
on one slice of bread added the rag
bearer.
They certainly looked the part, and
began to soften up little, but / kept
my gun ready.
What's your lay, Mancher?' | said.
Give some account of yourself, and
maybe we can fix this thing. Know any
solid citizen here that can identify
you?'
"'Not living SOUL he said We've
Just tramped in, l tell you. We came
DOT to this country prospecting with
a gang. and we didn't strike il right.
Then Jim and ] beat back. doing odd
turns around saloons. I'm bit of a
mesmerist myself
an - bsc orJ handed