The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-01-24
EXPERTS ANALYzE
K|DNAPER'S NOTES
Compare Handwriting With
That of Hauptmann.
BY w. C. WEBER

II ingly innocent triviallties as
l. failure to dot an T." cross IT.
the slant Of letter, byphen, may
prove a deciding factor in sending
man to the electric chair convicted or
the crime of numbering little Charles
Ilndbergh. son 81 the famous aviator.
Those tiny. individual characteristics,
which handwriting experts assert are
ineradicable In each persons writing,
are being fought over point by point.
curve by curve, as the state Introduces
what come observers calm is strong
evidence that Bruno Richard Haupt-
mann, Brunx ex-carpenter, was author
Of the notes which resulted in payment
Of the $4,000 ransom money by DR..
j. II. "Jafsier Condor.
Huge photostatic ansargements OF
certain words and letters from the
ransom letters and from Hauptmanns
admitted writings have been hung In
the courtroom for the information or
the jury. The sheets, each 9 feet IN
height and feet In width have been
tackled to the wall behina the witness
| chair where the kidnaper's ladder lind
rested earlier In the trial. The adj
mitted writings and yhe disputed writ
| ings are shown In parallel columns
| marked "Hauptmann writing and
| ransom notes.
| Albert s. Osborn, seventy-six years
| old and slvery-haired, testified In a
| clear, resonant voice lint 1t was his
| opinion the ransom notes were all writ
/ ten by the writer OF tie various papers
signed by Richard Hauptmann, and that
all fourteen OF the ransom notes were
written by the same writer.
Osborn was positive In his statement
that Hauptmnnn penned the notes
The expert proved coed witness, de
spite his deafness which forced attor
neys to speak very loudly when nd
dressing him. He Identified hlmsel'
as an expert In 30 states and in Can
ada and England, and ,s the author
Of two books on the subject OF hand
writing. In several verbal exchanges
with defense attorneys be- proved him
self more than match
In explaining his comparison, Osborn
gave an exposition on the general basil
for comparison Of handwritings. Char
ncterIstics In handwriting. he said, ar
the same as the characteristics of any
thing else. There are nn,ny things b
which handwriting might be identifie
exactly as a man, VI an antomoDil
or horse is Identified. by general dc
scriptlon. and then by individual mark
and scars and by characteristics whic
In combination make 1t apparent thf
they are not the result OF acciden
he continued.
When pupils learn the same systel
OF writing. II they learn to write pc
fectiy. enc writing cannot be distil
guIshed nom another. tut that dot
not occur. Osborn pointed out Wri
Ing. he said. begins ms an acquire
qualification. II Is An acquired hab
, first initiating the forms. and then Il
forms become more easily made. unit
, finally writing becomes Succession
habltual motions. Certain identic
habitual motions were Is be seen
both tho writing on the ransom not
and the accepted writing done
Hauptmhnn, Osborn dee AIRED.
The letter *" was pointed out at Il
. start. AR. Osborn showed that 1t w
clear. open tx" looking more III
!, zee" and that 1t wasn't an x" at a
/, The It" he testified. showed decId
!. German characteristics, n did the L
ters II" and "a Hauptmann had
: peculiar habit OF finishing words In
. awkward way with strokes that
!. too long. Osborn said. and also us
, hyphen between the two words
New York" In the ralisom notes.
q said, he found only three OF the !
= IT'S" were crossed, and the same W
q true OF a4eyery large number OF I
= samples Hauptmann wrote Tor the I
q lice Only seven OF the small is
e the ransom notes were dotted, and
.. same proportion held true IN hau
e mann's admitted writing. Osborn G.
le tinued, and several sheets did not 10
dotted 81 at all.
Another instance Of similarity Whl