The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18
WROTE HIS WITH HIS TOES.
oyE sTGN< TUNE THAT THERE COULD
HE NO MISTdKING.

" .ir, ~ tl,, value Of Testimony by
Experts on Handwriting How ~ Str"nd-
ed Miner Got Passage Money Homc'
with reference to the testimony Of hand
writing experts in the Molineux case the
group OF lawyers who were waiting LOT Jury
to come In fell to talking OF chrographical PEE
cuInrites, and ono Of them maintained in an
sInhorote nrgs,ment that not even a. mans
signature could be beyond doubt. since no man
could with certainty. swear to his own sigma
ture at period Of several years after u
was written To this some OF tho others toST
execution. averring that man could e.
ways tell his own signature oy sort
OF instinct though he might be unable to onsr
n reasopa bic explanation Of how he knew it to
be his own and not forgery. FROM TINS tho
discussion veered to the manner OF holding
and using pen and it's effect upon the char.
octer of the writing as shown by experts. ono
of the group n middle aged lawyer who had
taken NO active part in the discussion until IL
took this form. now produced pocRetoook.
and taking from It a soiled and time-worn Dig
OF PAPER unfoded it and tossed 1t 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 peculiarities OF its formation.
Perhaps some OF you gentlemen who are in-
terested in that sort OF thing would like to
have trial at it,"
Gathering around. the lawyers looked AT
the bit OF paper. 1t was inscribed: Yours
very truly. A. i. Mancher."
The writing was Of an indescribably haehy.
dashine style. the letters being long and mar
row. with many nourishes. and the name end
inK in a pyrotechnic display OF penmanship
One after another the men examined it, and
all agreed that the writing was OF singular
type and one that would be well nigh impos-
sibe to initiate with even approximate ac-
curacy.
MY opinion Of that handwriting" said
lawyer who has had much to do with chro-
graphic experts: would be that 1t was writ
ten by a man who hadn't the full use Of his
fingers; perhaps one whose hand was de-
formed 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! EnCraving?" cried the lawyer.
catching it up and examiping it closely. I'M
possible There's a spreading Of the ink
there and one catch OF a pointed pen that
shows It's pen work.
Pen work it is" returned the other. but
not handwriting. There's little story con-
nected with that bit OF paper that dates back
several years. and contributes one OF the most
successful identfratons I've ever known"
Remembering that you are on OATH" said
an ex-Judge in a professional accent, 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. 1T
goes back several years to the time when was
an express agent out in Montana. In those
days 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. Alter the company had given up few
consiGnments of cash to the wrong persons.
who seemed to have excellent identihcatons.
we shut down pretty close. and unless man
had strawberry marks all over him per dla.
gram received we weren't giving up any PACK
ages OF money that came on from the East 10
bring the prod son home again; As We found
ont aftervard, there was leak in the office
that enabled the crook to put up fake idcnti-
icati9ns on us 1t was was Will. We were going
s@csly ssSrp Just N back from @0see Ss
and he had big, long arms that swung loose
from his shoulders and shSGk Of matted
thin party with bandage over one eye and
miscellaneous cuts all over his face. Take EN-
together. they were as tough a looking pair as
ia seen. even out there, and / wondered il
they had some little game. or were only on the
touch
Tho gorilla came strollinG up to the eoun-
ter and asked II | was the EXPRESS agent. I
him. He seemed cool enough but there was a
Is there u package here for A. L. Man.
Maybe there is, l said. What were you
sxncrtlng il you're MancherS which didn's
Yes In Mancher,', he said eagerly. I
wfs GH bee s ssSt df be 500
Then remembered I'd had letter along
T Wn 9r 1yE that bR he
handwriting, l made up my mind 1t would
have to be all sorts OF unmistakableness before
in front. FOR in addition to my first suspicious
saw he he was b Sd, to shake ,s
anybody to identify your
IN identify him. said the hobo with the
II" moHsa hank H are you r Don said
=. j i'm is all right said the gorilla hastily,
I'VE W. look pretty tough Mr. Agent: but you'd
II don get that money he broke Off and /
saw IisL his t threat workinx; then he looked up
cent t. telegraph for it. and l haven't eaten
simce Yesterday morning.
one slice OF bread. added the rag bearer
70 Ihsy certainly looked the part and began
o'Ss" S IN KfR s sSa rsad v.
s9ns sG fS'n e. ySnEss apd maybe can
r., Not Not q living soul he said We've ip,.
strike il right Then, jim and beat ca D back
noiaT eds t%rns saloons I'm bit ofa
., II" .. FUN bed in bis bis rags and handed out .
hypnotic specialist on it.
,u g. That don't look much like Mancher my
That's my professional name he an
Swercd quietly. My folks name is Mancber
For the love OF heaven he broke out SHARPLY.
Is there money to get me home waiting Tor
me and cant get it and the two OF us starving
to'denthf and he laid his head down sideways
on he counter like sick monkey.
Write your name. said. pushing him q
pad and pen and ink
,Wltha gasp OF hope he grabbed at the pen
ana scratched of his name in shaking hand
looked It over and there was nothing unmis.
taxable about IT, Anybody who was pretty
shook my head. vs."
,a won't do Mancher' told him 'Youn
nave To got somebody TO identify YOU Ifyou'rc
hard up Tor q meal I'll stake you to dollar to
Then what did you want me to wri,em
name forE he cried. That's the name the
tm nr ,r was sent to- IL rs for me. 1t must be
ton OF mo so conld get it?'
" (nmn A sniN lis nrn,n m N il,,, ..i.L .