New-York tribune., 1911-11-19
TRICKS OF THE FORGH
His Old Methods Revealed, HI
Always Finds New Ones.

New York City has proved so eas,
field in which TO work that clever FORGE,
have cleaned up many thousands of don.r.
recently. making some OF the biggest bant,
their victims. As consequence Of tbi,
activity william Il. Joyce. president of ~.
National Surety Company recently issn,d
statement that hereafter a rider gouls
be issued on the policies Of that COMPANY
stating that the company would not h
responsible for losses I'm any case unlss,
mans account had stood for at les,,
fifteen days.
The direct cause of this rider was notc.
generally circulated among the local lanp.
that forger was going the rounds. In.
machinery operated consisted Of fors.s
certified checks, which banks ordInant,
accept without question
Forgery has great attraction 10 a Ger.
tain element OF the criminal world Som,
are so skilful In this line ot work a. io
get past the most eagIe-cycd bank teILg
but always. when the microscope is broligh,
into play. It Is possible to detect the fraud
Or, IL not the microscope, then more mod
ern testing appliances are used.
Here is A secret divulged By man W.,
has made a study OF handwriting 40 pef.
son ever yet wrote his name twice akf
In some small or big detail ono signature
always differs from another. Therefore,
when the same mans name appears tgics
alike-as II does I'm the course Of business
events. when the forger gets after a little
easy coln-there must be a matter ~ trsc
ing. IL stands 30 reason that the oEact la..
simile Of the one has been gained by tie
overlsy, or tracing. process.
When a man undertakes to write an
other mans name. in tho free hand sty's
OF Jim the Penman, there is always mo-
ticeable to the practised eye a cramplns
movement, or a radical departure from thv
way in which the name should be wit
ten. Such a small thing as the particular
position OF tho dot above the 81, Tor iG
stance. will reveal forgery, or the crossing
OF the st." or the shading OF UP or dow
strokes A man will overlook the fac
that the name he is writing, when writer
by it's owner, always leaves the straigh
line at a certain letter and returns ol
! another certain letter. Some business mel
place after their signatures on checks
period, some comma. some a rough star
others a short or long dash. maxim,
the genuineness of the signature depen
more upon this slight characteristic thai
the name itself
Forgers do not get into the game viii
the rapidity with which they would jgml
on board q moving streetcar They pre-
pare themselves for the line OF work the
intend TO follow. The composition Of inM
is studied carefully; sometimes they leau
the art Of engraving, or the making o
paper. With the common branches OF tb.
business bankers have made themselye
conversant, that they might thwart thos
criminally inclined. As soon as forge.
finds a new way Of working his game u,
expert finds a way to detect H. Still, 30
spite Of these precautions, as shown TIA
other day. forgerles continue, and the foi
lowers OF the trade get away with th'
goods.
Another forgery Of a unique characte
recently came TO light. \ man entered
store and bargained TO make purchase
He had no currency, he said, and drew
check for 500. He stated, however that IA
had no intention Of defrauding the com
pany-that he would not take his purchas
until the company had found his check Va!
uable for the amount stated. The compan
indorsed the check, and sent IL by specia
messenger to the bank. There the mes
senger was informed that the check W.
worthless. The man, returning 10 the sto
on the following day, was Informed OF th.'
He explained that he had made out IN
check on the wrong bank. As he ha
money with him at that time he paid 10
his purchase, taking also the check TIA
had been returned. When the company
few days later, received check maFhe
IN. G." or words TO that effect II meta
phorically kicked itself for permitting u
man 10 have the check back for WIN ti
| Endorsement on the back or II, ne Hdd "
posted the check and received us IdV
value. .
The men who practise this game 90 ne
always aim for big sums. Not long ago
nervous little Frenchman was IN a dep4rt
ment store in Boston. Suddenly he va
hurrified TO find that ne had orushe
against and knocked over vase maTke'
slS 49, The foorwalker told him he mus
paw for the damage. The Frenchman wen
he had only small change. He did. now
ever, find an express draft I'm his oloOoA
He said he didn't want to break this draii
! which WAS for so. but finally, altnous
reluctantly, permitted the doorWalker Y
deduct the amount Of the damage from j
receiving the rest in cash. That's the stoil
part OF that episode for the draft wa
worthless, as the company atter"ard iouh
out.