The hydrochloric acid must be thoroughly removed; otherwise, it will destroy the paper.  Crystallized soda, two parts, and distilled water, one hundred parts, in solution, will counteract the hydrochloric acid, if the document is allowed to float on it for twenty-four hours.

CHAPTER XIV

DETECTING FRAUD AND FORGERY IN PAPERS AND DOCUMENTS

Infallible Rules for the Detection of Same—­New Methods of Research—­Changing Wills and Books of Accounts—­Judgment of the Naked Eye—­Using a Microscope or Magnifying Glass—­Changeable Effects of Ink—­How to Detect the Use of Different Inks—­Sized Papers Not Easily Altered—­Inks That Produce Chemical Effects—­Inks That Destroy Fiber of Paper—­How to Test Tampered or Altered Documents—­Treating Papers Suspected of Forgery—­Using Water to Detect Fraud—­Discovering Scratched Paper—­Means Forgers Use to Mask Fraudulent Operations—­How to Prepare and Handle Test Papers—­Detecting Paper That Has Been Washed—­Various Other Valuable Tests to Determine Forgery—­A Simple Operation That Anyone Can Apply—­Iodine Used On Papers and Documents—­An Alcohol Test That is Certain—­Bringing Out Telltale Spots—­Double Advantage of Certain Tests—­Reappearance of Former Letters or Figures—­What Genuine Writing Reveals—­When an Entire Paper or Document is Forged.

The art of detecting forgery or fraud, in checks, drafts, documents, seals, writing materials, or in the characters themselves is a study that has attracted handwriting experts since its study was taken up.  There are almost infallible rules for the work and in this chapter is given several new methods of research that will prove of the utmost value to the public.

It is not an uncommon occurrence that wills and other public documents are changed by the insertion of extra or substituted pages, thereby changing the character of the instrument.  Where this is suspected careful inspection of the paper should be made—­first, as to its shade of color and fiber, under a microscope; second, as to its ruling; third, as to its water-mark; fourth, as to any indications that the sheets have been separated since their original attachment; fifth, as to the writing—­whether or not it bears the harmonious character of the continuous writing, with the same pen and ink, and coincident circumstances, or if typewritten, whether or not by the same operator or the same machine.  It would be a remarkable fact if such change were to be made without betraying some tangible proof in some one or more of the above enumerated respects.

Books of accounts are often changed by adding fictitious or fraudulent entries in such spaces as may have been left between the regular entries or at the bottom of the pages where there is a vacant space.  Where such entries are suspected, there should be at first a careful inspection of the writing as to its general harmony with that which precedes and follows, as to its size, slope, spacing, ink, and pen used, and if in a book of original entry, the suspected entry should be traced through other books, to see if it is properly entered as to time and place, or vice versa.