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.

As forgers differ in their capability as to accuracy in simulation,
all grades of its proficiency come up in the experience of those who,
as experts, are called upon to make such matters a study. At one
extreme will be found to occur signatures written with but little
effort to imitate the genuine signature they purport to represent;
with all the intermediate grades of imitation extending to the other
extreme, wherein a skilful forger will, by practice, so simulate the
signature of a person and with such close resemblance that the very
individual whose name is imitated cannot, independently of attending
circumstances, tell the forgery from the signature which he knows he
has written.

Among the most common forgeries of signatures are those which have
been traced from genuine ones, and these are produced in various ways;
the most common method being to place the genuine signature over a
plate of glass horizontally arranged, with a strong light behind it,
or against the window frame, and then to place over the signature so
positioned the paper on which the forgery is to be made. When this has
been done the papers are held in contact firmly, the pen is dipped-in