Sharpies.] 4:7^ [Dec. 20, 



made the changes, but said that he had made them before the signing of 

 the will. 



On examining the writing with the microscope, I became convinced 

 that the alterations were in part at least made with a different ink. If 

 writing is done with a thin ink such as is used in fountain pens, and 

 which is generally made from some aniline preparation such as induline 

 ornigrosine, it will be found that the ink acts in a very peculiar manner. 

 The coloring matter collects on the edges of the stroke, and these are 

 much more intense in color than the centre of the mark. The stroke may 

 be defined as a road with a hedge on either side of it. This peculiarity is 

 found in many other inks when they are first applied to the paper. But 

 as the ink ages, in the case of the so-called chemical inks the centre of the 

 stroke becomes dark and the contrast disappears. In the case of the inks 

 which undergo no chemical change, the contrast is permanent. The 

 examination under a microscope serves to demonstrate these points to an 

 expert and fully satisfy him. But unfortunately neither judges nor juries 

 are experts, and you can never rely on either of them to see things that 

 are perfectly plain. It struck me that by the aid of the photograph I 

 could bring out these differences. I first tried enlarging the photograph. 

 The printer produced a good picture, but in his desire to make a good 

 print he spoiled it for my purposes. I got him to make anoth^ trial, 

 telling him I did not want a good picture, but one that was very much 

 under exposed. This brought out the differences in the ink well. The 

 portion written with the aniline ink had almost disappeared, except the 

 edges of the stroke. That written with the chemical ink was almost as 

 distinct as in the first print. I also made a number of contact prints, ex- 

 posing the paper under the negative a very short time, and in this manner 

 getting prints in which the contrast between the two inks was very 

 marked. Lantern slides were also prepared from the negatives. Tliese 

 also showed the differences in the inks very plainly. In practice I would 

 suggest that two negatives be made of the writing, a strong and a weak 

 one ; that prints be made from each of these in the way above spoken of, 

 that is, gradually increasing in strength, and that several lantern slides 

 be made from the nc^gatives in the same manner as the prints. These 

 slides when projected on the screen will serve to bring out the differences 

 in the inks of which I have spoken. The court and defense in this case 

 became fully convinced that the writing was done with a different ink, 

 but the defense was equal to the occasion, and having found out what 

 kind of ink would answer the purpose, they swore that there were two 

 kinds of ink on the table where the will was written, and that the 

 alterations were made from the ink in the second bottle. This second 

 bottle was used only for the alterations ; all the signatures were made with 

 ink similar to that used in the body of the will. One witness swore 

 positively that the alterations were made at a different place, and with 

 such an ink as I described ; that is, an ink that had been exposed to the 

 air for a long time. 



