Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-18
ASSERTS RUBY
FORGED CHECKS
HANDWRITING EXPERT ON THE
STAND
THE PROSECUTION CLOSES ITS
CASE
Defense Prepares to Spring Several
Surprises When the Trial
Again Opens Monday
Morning

wife, fioorwalkers and cashiers in de-
partment store, stenographers and a
handwriting expert made up the list of
witnesses yesterday in the trial of Ruby
2. Casselman, charged with forgery,
and when the expert concluded his tes-
timony shortly after 8 o'clock the prose-
cution announced that 1t had closed its
case.
What the defense has in store for
next week could only be gathered by
the questions of Miss Casselman's at
torney and If his plans Gs indicated by
these interrogatories are carried out 1t
is evident they will include alibis, coer-
cion, perjury and a general run OF
crookedness which will make this al
ready highly interesting case one to be
not easily forgotten.
Standing room only was the condition
that met many persons yesterday when
they reached the court room, even some
time before the commencement or the
trial, and tn chamber was filled during
the entire session of court.
The person about whom, perhaps. the
most interest centered-outside of the
young defendant herself-was Prof.
Daniel T. Ames. the handwriting expert
whose name has become famous In con-
nection with cases of national note. The
examination of Prof. Ames took up
practically the entire day.
Mrs. J. o. Koepfii, wife of a director
of the First National bank. was the
first witness. She denied that she had
placed her signature on check Miss
Cassleman is charged with forging, but
said she had written the letter from
which her name is said to have been
copied.
Bank President Testifies
M TrIIf1+t x,vasfdapf oF Tho fa nj
related the circumstances surrounding
Miss Casselman's arrest on December
81. The young woman, he said, had
told him the check was given to her
by ]. w. Blanchard and that she and
Blanchard were furnishing an office In
Blanchard hall. When he reminded her
that the city jail was not at all a pre-
possessing place for a girl of her ap-
pearance, she asked for a private con-
ference. This was held. he said, In his
office, and Miss Casselman told him
she had been forced to make the check
by a man named Smith.
Then Clarence w. Taylor, q clerk in
Hamburger's store, testified that the
young woman had passed a check on
him on November 30 last. This check
was made payable to Albert Walter and
purported to be signed by G. S. Poppe.
Neither of these men were known to
the bank on which the check was
drawn, and w. II. Heyden, floor
walker, said he did not place his o. X.
on the back Of the check before 1t was
handed to Taylor A silk waist was
purchased and the person who pre-
sented the check received $3.50 in
change.
Another check for $25, bearing the
signature of Walter, but which was not
cashed becauce OF the workings of the
cashiers doubtful mind, was also In
troduced. The woman who presented
this check, according to J. ]. McCann,
another f1oorwalker. disappeared while
the investigation was being made.
Writings Are Photographed
When court met in the afternoon
judge, jury, counsel and other inter-
ested persons found confronting them
on the wall near the jury hox eight or
ten photographs of checks alleged to
have been made by Miss Casselman,
and two exhibits of the handwriting of
the young woman, which she acknow-
legged were written by her, one at the
direction of the district attorney and
the other q letter to Miss Fannie Davis.
one of her staunchest supporters.
These photographs vary from three
feet in length by from two to three feet
in width. Prof. AmeS, the handwriting
expert, was then called upon to desig-
ildle III WIldL pdrtlCuldTS tue hLOWH
handwriting of the defendant corre-
sponded with that on the forged checks.
Prof. Ames stated he had already
made an examination of the writings.
with the tifty-two letters of the al
phabet, small and capitals" he said. 'it
is very difficult f ,r person to disguise
each of them. The writer of the large
sheets wrote with great facility and
had considerable genius in forming let
10 htVT hnp orn Paxu n bfrn0 xxYht tOI
show the force of habit. A number Of
pupils in school follow similar sys-
tenn and their writings are much alike,
but let these same pupils go out and be
employed in the different walks of life
and their writings will conform to their
environments"
Habit, he said, guides the hand that
makes a signature and when person
undertakes to make the signature of his
neighbor it will be found Impossible to
do so, for habit steps In and prevents,
and even after long study forged sig
nature, only resembles the genuine in
some parts.
Concluding his statement Prof. Ames,
with long pointer In hand, indicated
what he declared to be similar charac-
teristics in the disputed and undis-
puted writings of Miss Casselman,
curves, shades. compound curves and
tracings entering into the testimony in
q manner which showed evidence of the
most careful study. But try as she
would, he said, 1t was impossible for
the defendant to disguise her handwrit-
ing, and declared the most prominent
characteristic to identify the forged
checks with Miss Casselman is the let
ter ''y."
Professor Ames ForgetfuI
But when the cross examination of
Prof. Ames was begun 1t was discov-
cred he had overlooked the peculiar
manner in which the young woman
crosses. or rather attempts to cross, the
.etter IT." and also gentle undulation
found in the words written on one of
the Walter checks bore no resemblance |
Do NOT F.