Evening star., 1932-05-22
|4IAFS|E' Letters
CALLED GENUINE
U. S. Handwriting Experts
Compared Missives With
Original Ransom Note.
BY REX COLLIER.

Reports by two Federal experts On
Handwriting identtfication-Dr. william
Souder Of the Bureau Of Standards and
B. @. Farrar Of the Treasury-helped
to convince Col. Lindbergh he was deal
ing with the actual kidnapers Of his
baby through the intermediation Of Or.
John F. Condor.
Lindbergh decided to meet the de-
mand for $4,000 ransom after the
Government authorities on forgery had
announced their conviction that the
hand responsible for the original ran
som note also wrote the letters received
by "Jafsie."
DR.. Souder and Mr.. Farrar went TO
New York at the request Of Col Lind
bergh and examined the notes inde-
pendently. Neither knew the verdict
Of the other, but It has been learned
both experts agreed that the handwrit-
ing In the Jafsie letters and the ransom
note found on the windowsin was the
work Of the same person.
Made Two Visits.
Both Of the Government officials re-
fused to discuss their findings in the
case when questioned yesterday. Mr..
Farrar admitted having examined the
notes, but DR.. Souder would neither
confirm nor deny his participation In
the Investigation.
Mr.. Farrar said he made two visits
to New Jersey In connection with the
kidnapping case. His first trip was to
attend the Governors Conference at
Trenton during the first week Of In
VeStigation, and the second Journey
was TO the Lindbergh home to examine
the letters.
The Treasury expert said he studied
the notes not alone to identify the writ
ing, but to learn, if possible, the ma
t1onaltty and other characteristics of
the author. He said his report In thts
connection was confidential and was
turned over to Col. Breckenridge, Lind
bergh's adviser.
Paid Own Expenses.
The scope Of DR.. Souder's analysis of
the writing could not be learned.
Mr.. Farrar said he acted in an un-
ofhctal capacity and paid his own ex-
penses. declining to accept any fee for
his services. ~
He declared the much publicized
Newark post card, purporting to be
from the kidnapers and marked by the
misspelling Of Lindbergh's name, was
obviously a fake" He added It Was
written by a left-handed person, imply
ing the original ransom note was the
work Of right-handed person.
Writer Man.
1t Is understood Dr. Souder and Mr..
Farrar both reported that the author Of
the letters was man. There have
been reports from time TO time that the
writing was that Of woman, but State
police in New Jersey have denied this.
Further proof that the Jafsie letters
were written by the person who scrib-
bled the fateful ransom note was found
in the fact that the incoherent corre-
spondence bore the mystic symbol Of
interlocking circles designated in the
ransom demand
Those who have examined this SYM
boil say it differs somewhat from repro
ductions published in the newspaper.
The two large circles apparently we're
drawn with the aid of silver hah-dol-
lars. The circles just overlapped and
red ink was smeared over the overlap
ping portion as though by cork taken
from a bottle of red ink. The over
tapping section was punctured and there
were small holes outside the large
circles.
Garment Clinched Case.
The final bit of evidence that i'm
PEELED Lindbersh to risk everything on
the Jafsie negotiations was the sleeping
suit received In. the mails by Dr. Con-
don The suit was similar to the one
worn by the baby the night it was
stolen, but it cannot be positively
identified. -
DR.. souder is well known not only
as a forgery analyst, but as an expert
on typewriter Identification and foren-
sic ballisties, or firearms, Identification.
He has testified in many important
cases.