the representation of objects in nature, he soon tires of mere mechanical repetition of the same things in a given sequence, and strives to convey some ulterior idea by the manner of joining these parts.  This gives life and language to sculpture and painting, and gives character to handwriting.  Tracing signatures is one of the most common and dangerous methods of forgery.  Some specimens of traced signatures are illustrated and explained in an Appendix at the end of this book.

CHAPTER III

HOW FORGERS REPRODUCE SIGNATURES

Characteristics Appearing in Forged Signatures—­Conclusions Reached by Careful Examinations—­Signatures Written with Little Effort to Imitate—­What a Clever Forger Can Do—­Most Common Forgeries of Signatures—­Reproducing a Signature over a Plate of Glass—­A Window Frame Scheme for Reproducing Signatures—­How the Paper is Held and the Ink Applied—­How a Genuine Signature is Placed and Used—­A Forger’s Process of Tracing a Signature—­How to Detect Ear Marks of Fraud in a Reproduced Signature—­Prominent Features of Signatures Reproduced—­Method Resorted to by Novices in Forging Signatures—­Conditions Appearing in All Traced Signatures—­Reproduction of Signatures Adopted by Expert Forgers—­Making a Lead-Pencil Copy of a Signature—­Erasing Pencil Signatures Always Discoverable by the Aid of a Microscope—­Appearances and Conditions in Traced Signatures—­How to Tell a Traced Signature—­All the Details Employed to Reproduce a Signature Given—­Features in Which Forgers are Careless—­Handling of the Pen Often Leads to Detection—­A Noted Characteristic of Reproduced Signatures—­Want of Proportion in Writing Names Should Be Studied—­Rules to Be Followed in Examining Signatures—­System Employed by Experts in Studying Proof of Reproduced Signatures—­Bankers and Business Men Should Avoid Careless Signatures.

In detailing matters which experience suggests as importantly connected with the examination of disputed signatures, there are none more essential to a proper consideration of the subject than an understanding of those characteristics often appearing in forged signatures, and by which they are distinguished as such.  When the features occurring as a concomitant of most forgeries are understood, their appearance may suggest a short and easy route to reach a conclusion:  yet the careful and conscientious examiner will, even with these indications present in a disputed signature, institute a very careful and detailed study of the latter by comparison with the standard writings; and with as much effort as if the indications of forgery were not present.  To make these features positive evidence, each other developed detail must also tend to the same deduction, and each detail must be compatible with every other feature, and all point to the same conclusion.