e pen held closely in contact with the
paper and by which a uniform and steady flow of ink is deposited
thereon; thus making what should be the heavier and lighter lines of
one width and density as to shading. This method of tracing and
reproducing signatures is that usually resorted to by novices but is
seldom employed by expert forgers.

Another condition appearing in all traced signatures is the absence of
all evidence of pen pressure when examined as a transparency; this
deficiency occurring as consequent upon the manner of moving the pen
over the paper. While signatures thus made may resemble the one from
which they are copied, the only likeness they have is that of
pictorial resemblance and it will be found to be destitute of all the
appearances and indications of habitual writing in other respects.

Another method of tracing signatures is frequently resorted to by
persons adept in the art, and this consists in making a lead-pencil
copy of the genuine signature holding the paper on which the forgery
is to be produced; tracing the outline of the signature by means of a
pencil, and then with ink to write over the pencil copy. But as the
method necessitates the use of an india rubber to remove the surplus
black lead where not covered by the ink, evidences of the use of the
rubber will be found to occur, and traces of the black lead can be
found by the microscope. While the appearances and conditions are
common to traced signatures, there are in addition to their presence
generally found evidences of pauses made in the writing, the effect of
which will appear not as shading of the lines, but as irregularities
or excrescences produced thereon by resting the hand in its movement,
and by which at intervals more ink flowed from the pen than would
occur when the latter was being moved habitually over the paper. Where
the signatures of the same person exactly coincide when one is laid
over the other in parallel arrangement with a strong light behind
them, this condition of their appearance is very positive evidence
that one of them was traced from the other and is a forgery, as it is
a circumstance which cannot possibly occur in the writing of two
signatures produced habitually.

In considering reproduced signatures and forged writing and in
detailing some of the most common features which are found to occur in
it, it must not be understood that all the phenomena attending the
production of forged signatures can be given