Mr. Cole. Yes; it is a rather frequent method of disguise.
Mr. Eisenberg. Now, you testified earlier that handprinting can be identified as to author?
Mr. Cole. Yes.
Mr. Eisenberg. Is this common knowledge, that is to say——
Mr. Cole. It is common knowledge among document examiners. I don't think it is common knowledge among others.
Mr. Eisenberg. Might a layman attempt to disguise his handwriting simply by resorting to undisguised handprinting?
Mr. Cole. Yes; he might.
Mr. Eisenberg. What are the usual evidences of disguise, by the way, Mr. Cole?
Mr. Cole. Well, in cursive handwriting the usual evidences of disguise involve some unnaturalness, such as a reduction of writing speed, and other distortions such as writing very large, with an exaggerated freedom, where parts of letters of various words are run together; such as an exaggerated length of lower extensions and upward extensions which tends to intermingle forms and make it difficult to see the details of them; or writing very small, in almost microscopic size where, again, the width of a pen stroke itself tends to conceal details of handwriting; alterations of slant, such as a person who normally writes a forehand slant or slanting to the right, changing to a vertical or a backhand slant. Most efforts at disguise are not well planned. They usually involve a determination to alter the writing along one particular line such as writing very large, very small, or a change in the slant. Other features are the simplification of letter forms. For example, a person attempting to conceal a writing habit may feel that his writing habit is revealed mostly by capital letters so you might have him using printed forms for capitals, but cursive forms for most other letters.
Representative Ford. Can you tell the difference between a right-handed and a left-handed person by either cursive or capital letters?