The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-09
EXPERTS SWEAR
IN KOCH'S CAUSE
Continued from First Page.

pie on this bottle was not the hand
that wrote the words on these exhib-
it's"
Mr.. Curtiss then gave to the Jury
detailed explanation of his reasons,
pointing out many fine points Of diff
Ference.
On cross-examination by General
Childs, the witness consistently failed
to find any stroke or loop of any letter
proved to his expert eye that they were
made by the hand that wrote the word
in question. On redirect, he said that
there was a general similarity in
some respects in the three downward
strokes Of the letter "m' and the Same
was proved of the two downward
strokes of the letter "p," but the COM
bination of the two, he declared, was
entirely different.
Can you detect disguised handwrit-
tng9' asked the counsel for the de-
Tense
"Not always said the witness.
"But you are an expert and can give
an expert opinion, can you not?''
"Well, is there anything in the
writing on the label Of that bottle to
indicate than an effort was made to
disguise the handwriting
"Nothins whatever"
"You do not mean to say, do you,
professor, that in your comparing Of
handwriting you are absolutely infal-
lible7" asked General Childs.
IT am human,' said the professor.
emo Similarity Says Witness.
W. w. Davis, cashier of the Mankato
Savings Bank, who said that it was q
part Of his business to detect differ
ences or similarities in handwriting,
testified that he had examined the word
"Sample'' and the words on the paper
of the defendant S account books.
"What is your opinion regarding
them9'
"In my opinion there is no similari-
ty,'' said MI. Davis.
| On discrimination, Mr. Childs
elected that this witness had not had
occasion to compare handwriting other
than signatures, and that he had ex-
amined the exhibit for only about fif-
teen minutes in the presence of Sena-
tor Somerville, Professor Curtiss and
| Henry Somsen. He declared that the
word "sample' could be written as
easily upon the curved label on the
bottle as upon a fiat surface.
:. John R. Thomas, cashier of the Man
in his opinion, the man who wrote the
Koch accounts did not write the word
"sample.' Cross examined by Coun.
| ty Attorney Wilson, the witness said
that he was not handwriting expert;
his study of handwriting, he said, had
been confined mostly to signatures.
Mr.. Wilson asked the witness to look
the letter "p'' in certain word on a
page of Koch s account books.
,"Do you, or do you not notice any
similarity. Of form between the two
letters 'p' in question7''
~ do not said Mr.. Thomas .
"Now, Mr.. Thomas" said MI. vii
son, "wouldn' It there of necessity be
written in the same languages',,,
! Yes, l. suppose sO,' said the wit
ness.
Agrees with Curtiss.
J. R. Brandrup, head of a local bust
ness Gss college, appeared 2P9 tS as handwriting
garding. the exhibit that Professor Cur
tiss had, and gave similar reasons
L A fine point was raised by Mr. Will
son when counsel for the defense wa
questioning Mr.. Brandrup. The wit
ness was asked about a certain lette
on an exhibit, in comparison with on
in the word Hsample'' "
II object to that question if it refer
evidence,' said Mr.. Wilson,
tfBut this paper is in evidence sal
; over, "Exhibit w ~
but the letter in question is not o,
| 'W1'," said Mr.. Wilson. cit is O,
the opposite side and only one side wa
placed in evidence
Judge Cray, appealing to the court re
porter, found that Mr.. Wilson was right
and the question had to be withdrawn
Charles A. Hers, a New Ulm contrac
tor, who accompanied Professor Fische
to the Koch home Sunday night to Sc
how the lights Of the city affected tn
Koch premises, gave substantially th
same testimony as Professor Fischer.
t Jokers Send Hammers.
General Childs, asked TODAY about
: hammer which he received thru th
/ mails from Hudson, Wis, last Nigh
q said: -
: "There are many jokers in the Ian,
d This hammer, from all that I can lear
: was sent by one Of them. 1t has d
t bearing on the, cases.
J. Since the first trial, counsel on bot
sides have received several hammer
) and since none Of them has been intr
: duced in evidence, it is apparent thu
y they all came from wags.
The unique hammer in the collectio
is one received by Mr.. Abbott. It
8 a child's toy hammer, about two inch,
l, long and has one claw broken off.
O was neatly done up in cotton in a sma
r box, and Mr.. Abbott is preserving
e as a souvenir