The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1922-02-16
statements he had made.

statements he had made. ~.
After the recess Geo. M. Langum
penmanship teacher and hand writing
expert for the defense, from Bis
marck, was placed on the stand, and
after giving his opinion as to the pos
sibility Of Andy Brown having sign
ed the name Of James Farrell, started
lengthy explanation Of his reasons
for arriving at that conclusion. This
occupied the attention of the court
until the closing hour. He will be
cross examined this morning.
When placed on the stand Geo. M.
Langum stated that he had at one
time taught penmanship in the COM
mercial school owned and operated by
r. J. Cation, the handwriting expert
for the state, in Minneapolis and was
familiar with the methods employed
studying specimens of handwriting
by him. He stated that he had been
submitted for some time and from
this study had formed the opinion
that it would have been impossible
Off Andy Brown to have written the
signature of James Farrell.
Disgusting Writing Causes Tremors
He said that he had noted, in his
experience with students and others,
that when anyone tried to change
their style of writing or attempted
to disguise their handwriting, there
was easily distinguishable a percepti-
BILE tremor in the formation of the
letters. That the person so writing
did not write with the easy stroke
and fluent manner usually assumed in
writing and the letters so written ap-
peared cramped. He further stated
that the signature of James Farrell
showed that it had been written in
fluent and confidential manner and
showed no indication of tremors and
was not in any way cramped while
the undisputed handwriting of Andy
Brown, throughout, showed cramp-
ed STYLE As there was no indication
of this style in the signature, and as
an attempt to disguise his handwrit-
ing would accentuate this character
istic, it would have been impossible
for Andy Brown to have written the
signature. The witness then proceed
ed to give a detailed explanation OF
the examination Of the specimens OF
handwriting submitted and the man.
ner in which he had arrived at his
conclusions.
At the opening of court this morn
ing the courtroom was filled but not
crowded as formerly owing to the
blizzard and the fact that the evil
dence being produced is Of technl-
cal nature and not very interesting
to spectators.
George NJ. Langum was returned to
the stand for further direct eXanln-
alton and he continued in his explain
alton Of the reasons for forming his
conclusions that Andy Brown did not
write the signature of James Farrell
on the register sheet of the Prescott
Hotel. This was continued until
1880 when he completed his direct
testimony. A ten minute recess was
taken at the completion Of Mr.. Lam
gums testimony and following the re-
cess F. Leland Watkins was placed on
the stand for cross examination by
States Attorney Green.
The witness said that, at the time
he examined the various exhibits
produced in evidence, and shown to
him by Green, his examination OF
them was only casual and only took
about a half hour. This applied to
the hotel register and exhibit So, the
sheet written by Brown in Green's
office.
In the direct examination of the
witness Mr.. Watkins had confined
himself almost exclusively to the
comparison of the specimens of hand
writing found in exhibit SO and the