(Testimony of Alwyn Cole)
Mr. Cole.
of the handwriting shown on 773. It simply involves the technique of developing the negative and making the print. It doesn't add to or take any away from 773.
Representative Ford.
It doesn't change the quality of the handwriting?
Mr. Cole.
No, sir.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Mr. Cole, could you please explain by reference to 785 and 784A, and B, and C, why you concluded that the author of the standards reproduced in part on 784A, B, and C was also the author of 785?
Mr. Cole.
There is an agreement in details of the formation of letters which I think are distinctive to this writer.
In other words, it involves unusual departures from the conventional or copybook method of forming letters. One example is the capital letter "A" on 785 in the name "A. Hidell." The stroke on the left side of that capital first a down stroke, which is almost exactly retracted by an upstroke.
In other words, this is more than necessary to give the bare outline of letter, and this extra stroke is a characteristic of the standard writing, it may be observed in a number of places on the charts A, B, and C. One place where it may be observed is on chart "C," item 8 in the capital "A" in "Orleans." We have a downstroke on the left side of the letter which is almost exactly retracted by the upstroke.
Mr. Eisenberg.
This downstroke starts just above the left side of the bar across the "A," is that the downstroke you are referring to?
Mr. Cole.
Yes, that is correct.
Representative Ford.
Would that also be true in chart C, item 4, in the in "Harvey"?
Mr. Cole.
Yes. As a matter of fact, virtually every "A," capital "A" produced in the standard writing has that feature. There are some few that lack it, but it occurs often enough to show that it is a habit of this writer, and it corresponds with the "A" shown on 785.
Now, not all features of this writing are regarded as being useful for identification. Some of the more simplified forms naturally have less individuality. That would be true of the capital letter "H" in "Hidell." While I don't see any significant difference, neither does the letter have any identifying feature.
When we pass over to the letter "i" though, in "Hidell," we see a feature which is distinctive, and that is the emphasis on the first stroke of the letter, the elongation of the approach stroke. Here again is' something which the writer does as a matter of habit, it is not an essential feature for producing a legible "i." And we also have the circumstance that most small letter "i's" show an increase in forehand slant. Both of these features, the emphasis of an approach stroke and the increase in forehand slant, are found in the standard writing.
Representative Ford.
Would you explain in lay terms what you mean by "an increase in forehand slant"?
Mr. Cole.
A slant to the right.
One place where that may be observed in the letter "i" is on chart A, item 8, in the word "it." Another place where rather an exaggerated effect of the elongation of the approach stroke may be observed is on chart A, item 3, in the "t" of the "the." Of course, this requires a similar movement as that in producing the letter "i," and this elongation of the approach stroke agrees with the effect found on 785.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Mr. Cole, in chart A, item 8, the word "in" appears. Do you see the same elongated approach stroke in that word?
Mr. Cole.
It is not elongated, but it is made somewhat with extra pressure. We also have an instance of extra pressure on "i"--there is a very small bulb of ink which indicates an extra pressure on the beginning stroke. I might point that out as being a feature of the approach stroke shown in the letter "t" on chart A, item 3.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Proceed.
Mr. Cole.
Now, I won't mention each and every letter in this writing. When I pass over a letter, the meaning is that at that particular point I don't find anything distinctive with respect to writing habit, although at the same I do not find any significant difference.
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