PREFACE

But few writers in the United States have expended their genius in the field of disputed, forged, or fraudulent handwriting.  In France and Germany the subject has been more studied, and in both languages several valuable books have appeared, while in this country it is only recently that disputed handwriting has been looked upon as one of the sciences.

Up to the time of the publication of this work nothing has appeared in the United States on the subject of disputed handwriting, short magazine and newspaper articles sufficing.

Interest in disputed handwriting and writing of all kinds is being rapidly developed, and is a study and research with which the banker and business man of the future must and will be perfectly familiar.  A place will be made for the science among the permanent, necessary, and most helpful studies of the day.

No effort has been spared by the author of this work to make every feature of handwriting accurate.  This work is the result of years of practical study in the field of disputed handwriting, and personal application has demonstrated that the facts and suggestions given will be found absolutely correct.  The aim has been to make this the standard work on this subject.

In conclusion, the author wishes to acknowledge a debt to the leading handwriting experts of the United States and Europe for many suggestions that have materially assisted him in the preparation of this work.  We trust it will prove a material aid to the bankers, business men and professional men of the United States.

The author.

DISPUTED HANDWRITING

CHAPTER I

HOW TO STUDY FORGED AND DISPUTED SIGNATURES

All Titles Depend Upon the Genuineness of Signatures—­Comparing Genuine With Disputed Signatures—­A Word About Fac-simile Signatures—­Conditions Affecting Production of Signatures—­Process of Evolving a Signature—­Evidence of Experience in Handling or Mishandling a Pen—­Signatures Most Difficult to Read—­Simulation of Signature by Expert Penman—­Hard to Imitate an Untrained Hand—­A Well-known Banker Presents Some Valuable Points—­Perfectly Imitated Writings and Signatures—­Bunglingly Executed Forgeries—­The Application of Chemical Tests—­Rules of Courts on Disputed Signatures—­Forgers Giving Appearance of Age to Paper and Ink—­Proving the Falsity of Testimony—­Determining the Genuineness or Falsity by Anatomy or Skeleton—­Making a Magnified Copy of a Signature—­Effectiveness of the Photograph Process—­Deception the Eye Will Not Detect—­When Pen Strokes Cross Each Other—­Experimenting With Crossed Lines—­Signatures Written With Different Inks—­Deciding Order of Sequence in Writing—­An Important and Interesting Subject for Bankers—­Determining the Genuineness of a Written Document—­Ingenuity of Rogues Constantly Takes New Forms—­A Systematic Analysis Will Detect Disputed Signatures.[1]