CHAPTER VI

METHODS OF FORGERS, CHECK AND DRAFT RAISERS

Professional Forgers and Their Methods—­Using Engravers and
Lithographers—­Their Knowledge of Chemicals—­Patching Perforated
Paper—­Difficult Matter to Detect Alterations and Forgeries—­Selecting
Men for the Work—­The Middle Man, Presenter, and Shadow—­Methods for
Detecting Forgery—­Detailed Explanation of How Forgers
Work—­Altering and Raising Checks and Drafts—­A Favorite Trick of
Forgers—­Opening a Bank Account for a Blind—­Private Marks on
Checks no Safeguard—­How a Genuine Signature Is Secured—­Bankers Can
Protect Themselves—­A Forger the Most Dangerous Criminal—­Bankers
Should Scrutinize Signatures—­Sending Photograph with Letter of
Advice—­How to Secure Protection Against Forgers—­Manner in Which
Many Banks Have Been Swindled—­Points About Raising Checks and
Drafts That Should Be Carefully Noted

CHAPTER VII

THE HANDWRITING EXPERT

No Law Regulating Experience and Skill Necessary to Constitute an Expert—­Expert Held Competent to Testify in Court—­Bank Officials and Employees Favored—­An Expert On Signatures—­Methods Experts Employ to Identify the Work of the Pen—­Where and When an Expert’s Services Are Needed—­Large Field and Growing Demand for Experts—­Qualifications of a Handwriting Expert—­How the Work is Done—­A Good Expert Continously Employed—­The Expert and the Charlatan—­Qualifying as An Expert—­A System Which Produces Results—­Principal Tests Applied by Handwriting Experts to Determine Genuineness—­Identification of Individual by His Handwriting—­How to Tell Kind of Ink and Process Used to Forge a Writing—­Rules Followed by Experts in Determining Cases—­The Testimony of a Handwriting Expert—­Explaining Methods Employed to Detect Forged Handwriting—­The Courts and Experts—­What an Expert May Testify to—­Trapping a Witness—­Proving Handwriting by Experts—­General Laws Regulating Experts—­The Basework of a HandwritingExpert—­Important Facts an Expert Begins Examination With—­A Few Words of Advice and Suggestion About “Pen Scope”—­Detection of Forgery Easy—­Rules Herewith Suggested Should Be Observed—­Expert Witnesses, Courts, and Jurors

CHAPTER VIII

HOW TO DETECT FORGED HANDWRITING

Frequency of Litigation Arising over Disputed Handwriting—­Forged and Fictitious Claims Against the Estates of Deceased People—­Forgery Certain to Be Detected When Subjected to Skilled Expert Examination—­A Forger’s Tracks Cannot Be Successfully Covered—­With Modern Devices Fraudulent, Forged and Simulated Writing Can Be Determined Beyond the Possibility of a Mistake—­Bank Officials and Disputed Handwriting—­How to Test and Determine Genuine and Forged Signatures—­Useful Information About Signature Writing—­Guard