Mr.Eisenberg. Why don't you conclude on the basis of that difference that the questioned document was written by a different author than the standard documents?
Mr.Cole. Because it is not nearly enough to raise such a question. There would be required for an opinion that this was made by some other person, a similar body of differences corresponding to the similarities that I have talked about. In other words, if in fact this was in the handwriting of some other person, I would expect to be able to make about the same demonstration with respect to differences as I have already made with regard to similarity.
Mr.Eisenberg. Would you need to find as many differences as similarities in order to say there was a different author involved in the questioned and standard?
Mr.Cole. No; depending upon the character of the differences. A fairly small number would prevent a conclusion of identity or show the hand of some other person, if they were really distinctive differences.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, did you find any evidence in 773 that the author attempted to disguise his handwriting?
Mr.Cole. Were you referring to 785?
Mr.Eisenberg. 785 is a reproduction of 773. You can use 785 to answer the question, yes.
Mr.Cole. There is one faint suggestion of that possibility. It doesn't permit a conclusion that that was the purpose. But I refer to the use of a lower case "t" in the word "texas" in the return address in the upper left corner. Since this writer demonstrates a good knowledge about the formation of capital letters, it is possible that the choice to make a lower case "t" was a deliberate one, and it could have been at that particular point for the purpose of disguise. But I say if that was his purpose, it certainly was not maintained, and would be a very faint effort toward disguise.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, do you consider it unusual for a person to use an alias without attempting to disguise his handwriting?
Mr.Cole. No; I would not.
Mr.Eisenberg. Have you had any experience along those lines?
Mr.Cole. Yes; I have observed a number of aliases where there is no particular effort to disguise.
Mr.Eisenberg. In your capacity as questioned document examiner of the Treasury Department, do you receive for examination checks, the endorsements on which have been forged?
Mr.Cole. Yes.
Mr.Eisenberg. And on any occasion does the endorsement, the forged endorsement, does the forged endorsement indicate that no effort, no attempt has been made to disguise the endorsements?
Mr.Cole. That is a rather frequent condition, that the spurious endorsement is made without an attempt to conceal or disguise writing habit or to imitate the writing of any other person.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, do you know on the basis of your experience whether individuals ever resort to handprinting as an attempt at disguise?
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 tosay——
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 hiswriting habit is revealed mostly by capital letters so you might have him using printed forms for capitals, but cursive forms for most other letters.
RepresentativeFord. Can you tell the difference between a right-handed and a left-handed person by either cursive or capital letters?
Mr.Cole. No, sir; not definitely. Left-handed writers tend to write more vertically, and for that particular left-hand writer who holds his hand above the writing line, this gives a reversal of the pressure on what would ordinarily be regarded as upstrokes and downstrokes, and when you see that reversal this is an indication of left-hand writing. But it is only when you have that special circumstance that you get that signal about it.
RepresentativeFord. Is there anything in any of the writings that you have analyzed of Lee Harvey Oswald of an indication that he was left-handed?
Mr.Cole. Well, I wouldn't say that I could make a determination of whether he was left-handed or right-handed.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, in your expert work do you draw a distinction between a spurious and a forged document?
Mr.Cole. Well, I think of the word "forgery" as having that legal connotation of malice or intent. The production of a false writing with an intention to deceive or defraud somebody else. Spurious writing means a false writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. That is, a writing produced by one hand calculated to look as if it had been produced by another?
Mr.Cole. Well, not necessarily, that situation that you just discussed would involve simulation of the person's, another person's writing. But the word "spurious" could refer to a false writing, the writing of the name of one person by another who had no particular right to do it. But, of course, if the element of an intent to defraud is not there, I suppose in a legal sense it is not forgery.
Mr.Eisenberg. Now, what are the elements which you look for to see whether a person, A, has attempted to reproduce the handwriting of another person, B, with intent to deceive or otherwise?
Mr.Cole. Two categories of differences. One, defects of line quality, by which is meant tremor, waver, patching, retouching, and noncontinuous lines, pen lifts in awkward and unusual places. And the other class of differences is details of the forms of letters, by which I mean that when the person attempting to simulate another writing concentrates upon the reproduction of one detail, he is likely not to see other details. He may, for example, be able to imitate the gross form of a letter but he may get proportions wrong or letter connections wrong.
Mr.Eisenberg. What is the probability that person A could imitate the handwriting of person B without leaving a telltale trace in one of these two categories?
Mr.Cole. I think it is only a very remote possibility. But I would add to that the need for having a fairly extensive specimen of writing. Of course the possibility of a successful simulation is better with smaller specimens of writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Now, did you find any evidence in either category that a person had attempted to simulate the writing of the author of the standards in this case in producing either 773 or any of the other questioned documents which you examined?
Mr.Cole. No; I did not find such indications.
Mr.Eisenberg. And you feel, did you say, there would be only a remote probability that in the absence of such indication such a simulation could exist?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. When you say remote, could you put this in terms of figures?
Mr.Cole. I would say there is no reasonable possibility of it, and I will put it this way: That from my study of these documents, there is no particular element or elements of the handwriting that I can point to and say this could be evidence of simulation.
Mr.Eisenberg. You mentioned before that you need to have a sufficient amount of writing to make that type of determination. Do you feel that the questioned documents provided a sufficient amount of writing for that?
Mr.Cole. They do.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is that individually or collectively?
Mr.Cole. Individually.
RepresentativeFord. All of the illustrations on 784 A, B, and C are taken from Commissionexhibits——
Mr.Eisenberg. 774–783.
RepresentativeFord. Collectively?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. Carrying that question forward, on what basis did you select excerpts from 774 to 783 to reproduce 784 A, B, and C?
Mr.Cole. The chief effort was to collect together in a fairly small space items that were appropriate for comparison through repetition of the same material, and in doing that there was kept in mind the general purpose of giving a good representative cross section of all of the writing habit illustrated in the standard writings.
Mr.Eisenberg. Well, that anticipates my next question, which is, whether this is a representative cross section or was selected in order to reproduce those particular characteristics you find in the questioned documents.
Mr.Cole. I think it is a representative cross section, and I say a part of the effort was to bring here some letters and combinations for convenience of comparison. It was in no way an effort to substitute these charts for the originals.
Mr.Eisenberg. Your actual examination was made on the basis of the originals or the charts, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. Yes; all of the—the chief examination was made upon the basis of the originals and all parts of the originals, not limited to the parts shown in the charts.
Mr.Eisenberg. These charts are only for demonstrative purposes, making your testimony easier to follow, is that correct?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. You discussed briefly, Mr. Cole, or perhaps more than briefly, the use of a photograph as a standard. Now, in the case of 773, a photograph is used as a questioned document, or rather a questioned document consists of a photograph. Are the comments you made on the use of a photograph as a standard applicable to the use of a photograph as a questioned document, that is, can you make a determination on the handwriting in a photograph?
Mr.Cole. With these photographs I think a satisfactory determination can be made. I would not necessarily include all photographs.
Mr.Eisenberg. Yes?
Mr.Cole. Because there is a widely varying quality in photographs.
Mr.Eisenberg. When you say these photographs, do you include the other photographs included among the questioned documents you have examined at my request?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, I now hand you an item consisting of a U.S. postal money order in the amount of $21.45, payable to Klein's Sporting Goods, from "A. Hidell, P.O. Box 2915, Dallas, Texas." For the record I will state that this money order was included with the purchase order in Exhibit 773 which has just been identified, and was intended and used as payment for the weapon shipped in response to the purchase order, 773. I ask you, Mr. Cole, whether you have examined this money order for the purpose of determining whether it was prepared by the author of the standards?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. What was your conclusion, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. It is my conclusion that the handwriting on this money order is in the hand of the person who executed the standard writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Chairman, may I have this money order admitted as 788?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(The document was marked as Commission Exhibit No. 788, and was received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. Have you prepared a photograph of that Exhibit 788, the money order?
Mr.Cole. Yes; I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. And you have produced that photograph for me just now, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. Yes.
Mr.Eisenberg. Was this prepared by you or under your supervision?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is it an accurate photograph of 788?
Mr.Cole. It is.
Mr.Eisenberg. May this be admitted as 789, Mr. Chairman?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 789, and received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, before you discuss your conclusion, the handwriting on 788 seems to have a slight blur in some parts. Could you explain that in any way?
Mr.Cole. Yes; it is my view that this document has been in contact with moisture which affected the ink of the handwriting. Such contact might have been through an effort to develop fingerprints.
Mr.Eisenberg. Was it or is it discolored at this point at all, do you think?
Mr.Cole. There are only two small areas of discoloration on this document, one of them being along the upper edge just above the figure "9," and the other along the right edge just opposite the figure "5." This indicates to me that at one time this document was more deeply stained but has been cleared up by some chemical bleach.
Mr.Eisenberg. Was it in the same condition when you examined it as it is now?
Mr.Cole. It was.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, would you explain by use of charts 784 A, B, and C, and the photograph 789, why you conclude 788 was prepared by the author of the standards in this case?
Mr.Cole. On the photograph, 789, I invite attention to the capital "K" of "Klein's," which compares favorably in form to the "K's" of exhibit—of chart A, items 13 and 14, with the exception of a larger circle at the center of that "K" on the right side of 789, which is not reproduced in the standards, but it is my belief that this writer might well produce such a circular form when a letter is somewhat larger and more freely made.
Mr.Eisenberg. On what do you base that belief, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. That that would be a normal result of greater freedom and a larger writing, it would produce a circular form rather than an angle.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is this based upon your experience with questioned documents and making analyses?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir; now, inthat——
Mr.Eisenberg. Excuse me 1 second. Just to elaborate on that. Do I take it that your experience is such that you have found you can predict forms of letters based upon the samples you have before you, predict forms which may be used in other samples by the same author?
Mr.Cole. Well, within certain narrow limits. That is, having information about the range of variation in the body of standard writing, it is reasonable to make a small allowance for the production of forms not actually illustrated there, as long as they are consistent with the forms that are actually available for examination. In other words, I would regard it as a consistent thing in this writing to occasionally produce a circle at the center portion of a letter "K"; it does not, in my opinion, represent a difference of writing habit.
Now, in that same word we observe a habit heretofore mentioned of increasing the amount of forehand slant, in the letter "i"—that is in "Klein's" of the photograph 789—which has previously been observed in the standard writing. Several examples have been pointed out. For the present, I will mention the one on chart A, item 1 in the word "obligations," the second letter "i" there shows an increased forehand slant. The same is true of the "i" of the word "firm" on the same line.
The combination of letters in the word "sporting," that is, the combination "port," are illustrated in the standard writing, chart A, item 2 in the word "support," item 3 in the word "port," in item 4 in the word "transportation," and here we find very close agreement in all details of those letter forms. With respect to the letter "p," the absence of an under extension, that is, theabsence of any part rising above the arched part of the letter on the writing line, and the circumstance that the body of the letter or arch, as it is shown here on the photograph 789, is not brought all the way into the staff, it is made almost as a pure arch form with no movement in here towards the staff, which is the same movement we have here on chart A, item 3 in the word "port," repeated also on item 4, and in the two "p's" of item 2. Now, there is a distinctive method of making the connection between the letters "o" and "r," by drawing a very straight line, horizontal line almost exactly paralleling the base of the word across from the letter "o" to the "r" on the photograph 789, and this movement is also repeated on chart A, items 3 and 4, in the combination letters "or" also in item 2 in the same combination of letters.
This writing demonstrates the habit in the figure "5" of a considerable exaggeration of the final stroke of the letter, or the cap stroke, a horizontal stroke at the top of the letter observed on the photograph 789, and shown in several places in the standard writing, some of which have already been mentioned, one being on chart C, item 7, and on chart B, items 1 and 9, the figure "5."
Also in this writing, we find that highly distinctive "x" form in the word "Texas," involving the production of a shallowU-shaped form with the crossbar passing across the second point of thatU-shaped form for the word "Texas." This is the basis for my conclusion that the questioned writing on the money order is in the hand of the author of the standard writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, I now hand you Commission Exhibit 135, which, for the record, consists of the purchase order to Seaport Traders from "A. Hidell" for the revolver which was used in the murder of Officer Tippit.
Mr. Cole, have you examined Commission Exhibit 135 to determine whether it was produced by the author of the standards in this case?
Mr.Cole. I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. What is your conclusion?
Mr.Cole. It is my conclusion that this handwriting is in the hand of the person who produced the standard writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Have you taken a photograph of 135?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir; I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. Would you produce that, please?
Was this photograph prepared by you or under your supervision?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is it an accurate reproduction of 135?
Mr.Cole. It is.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Chairman, may I have that admitted as 790?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 790, and received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, could you explain your reasons for your conclusion by reference to the charts 784 A, B, and C, and to the photograph, 790?
Mr.Cole. On the photograph 790 I invite attention to the first line of handprinting, which has a long horizontal line drawn through it. Toward the ends of that line there is an amount which appears to read "$1.35," and I draw attention to the form of the dollar sign, which sign has already been mentioned in other writing, and here we find that same feature of subordinating theSpart of the dollar sign to the crossbars, the crossbars being, or the verticals being made in such a way as to practically obliterate theS-shaped part. There, again, that is a feature of writing habit of the author of the writing on 790 which corresponds with the habit in the standard writing shown on chart B, item 6, second line, in the amount "$2.00."
Next, I draw your attention, in the approximate area as that just discussed on 790 there, to the amount "29.95." Now, with respect to the form of the figure "2" we observe a rounded cap or top to the letter and a rather prominent loop to the base, and it is observed that the leftward extension of the cap of the letter is considerably short of the amount of leftward motion across the base. This corresponds to the form and placement of parts as shown in the standard writing chart B, item 1, in the combination "2915."
In that same amount, on the photograph 790, again we observe the exaggeratedlength of the cap of the figure "5" which corresponds to the standard writing, chart B, item 1, the figure "5" there.
The dollar sign which was previously described is repeated in the amount "$10.00" on the left side of the photograph 790, and I believe that the treatment of the verticals there is the same, that is, an unusually heavy pressure, but it appears that the pen was not delivering a normal quantity of ink at that point. Nevertheless, there is this same effect of almost obliterating theS-shaped part of the dollar sign.
Now, moving on down to the bottom part of the photograph 790, and considering first the form of the "B" in the word "Box" on the address line, here again we observe that tendency of a fairly small upper lobe relative to the size of the lower lobe of the "B," and this is repeated in the standard writing, one place being chart B, item 1, in the "B" of "Box."
The word "DALLAS" on the photograph 790 shows capital "L's" which have a compound curve across the base: that is, instead of a simplified form of letter, where there would be a simple straight line across the base, we have first a rising stroke and then a stroke that curves downward towards the writing line. This compound curve across the base of "L's" is repeated in the standard writing, chart B, item 1 and 9, in the same word "DALLAS."
Again, on the photograph 790, the second letter "A" in "DALLAS" illustrates a habit previously mentioned of using a downstroke to begin the left side of the "A," which stroke is almost exactly traced, and this too is repeated in the standard, chart B, item 1, the second "A" of "DALLAS." Opposite the printed word "State" on photograph 790, the word "Texas" again shows this mixture of capital forms and lower-case forms, specifically the use of a lower case "e" in combination with capital letters, which is true in the standard writing, chart B, items 1 and 9, in the word "Texas."
This constitutes my reasons for believing that the questioned writing shown in the photograph 790 is in the hand of the author of the standard writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, there seems to be a very varying amount of blackness or color in the ink on Commission Exhibit 135, which is shown up in your photograph. Do you have any explanation for that?
Mr.Cole. I think the pen was not functioning properly, that very heavy pressure was used on the document to bring the ink down from the pen, and we can see that the writer is reacting to this, for example, in the word "Box" on the address line, where you have only a moderate quantity of ink and then as you move along to the figures "2915" you observe that heavier pressure is used. In other words, it is my view that the writer observed that the pen was tending to fail, and that he increased pressure in order to persuade more ink to come down from the pen.
Mr.Eisenberg. There also seems to be a doubling of lines in some parts, such as the "J" in "A. J. Hidell," and the upper area also of "A. J. Hidell."
Mr.Cole. Yes; that could very well be for the same reasons, because if you move to the upper part of this exhibit there are other places where the pen almost failed. You have strokes that have a shallow center with ink only on the outside borders of strokes.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, can you make out the writing which is printed in and then crossed out in this exhibit?
Mr.Cole. Well, a part of it.
Just below the printed word "Snubbie" there appears to be a line of writing which says, "1 AMMO," if that is "A-M-M-O"—the second "M" is somewhat indistinct. And then there is parenthesis, BOX of 25, close parenthesis, dollar mark, 1.35. Then just below that there is a line of writing, the first word of which I cannot make out, that is, I cannot make any intelligible word of it, but the second word appears to be "holster." In other words, the word "holster" would lie just above the words "total price" and then there follows some figures which appear to be "1.95."
RepresentativeFord. Is it your judgment on this exhibit that at the point where the applicant is required to give his age that it is "23" or "28"?
Mr.Cole. I would read that as "28."
Mr.Eisenberg. Can you make out the date which is next to that age, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. Well, I read the first part of the date as 1/27, and I am unable to read the last figure, which is through a part of the very heavy dotted line.
Mr.Eisenberg. Do there seem to be one or two figures?
Mr.Cole. It looks like a single figure there following a diagonal.
(Discussion off the record.)
RepresentativeFord. Back on the record.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, I now hand you an item consisting of part of an application for a post office box, dated "box opened October 9, 1962," and also dated in the lower right "October 9, 1962," with the signature "Lee H. Oswald" and I ask you whether you have examined that item?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir; I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. May I have that admitted as 791, Mr. Chairman?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(Commission Exhibit No. 791 was marked and received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. Have you compared it with the standards in this case, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. What is your conclusion?
Mr.Cole. It is my conclusion that the handprinted name "Lee H. Oswald," the address "3519 Fairmore Ave.," and the signature "Lee H. Oswald" on this document are in the hand of the person who executed the standard writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Have you prepared a photograph of 791?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir; I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. Can you produce that?
Thank you. Is this photograph which you have handed me an accurate reproduction prepared by you or under your supervision?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir; it is.
Mr.Eisenberg. May I have this admitted as 792?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(Commission Exhibit No. 792 was marked and received in evidence.)
RepresentativeFord. Continue.
Mr.Eisenberg. Before we go any further, what is your conclusion concerning the words "Dallas, Texas" appearing after "Fairmore Ave."?
Mr.Cole. It is my conclusion that that wording is not in the writing of the author of the standard writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. And that in "2915"?
Mr.Cole. That is not in the handwriting of the author of the standards.
Mr.Eisenberg. Do you have any idea who inserted that?
Mr.Cole. No, sir; I don't but I think in the handling of this kind of material it happens from time to time that a postal clerk may complete a document.
Mr.Eisenberg. Now, with reference to 792 and 784 A, B, and C, could you explain the reasons for concluding that 791 is in the handwriting of the author of the standards as to those portions which you have designated as being in the handwriting of the author of the standards?
Mr.Cole. In the printed name at the upper left of the photograph 792 the capital "L" of "Lee" shows a compound curve across the base, which has previously been mentioned as a handwriting habit found in the standards, one example being on chart B, item 9, another example on chart C, item 4.
The name "Oswald" shows the use of capital forms except for the letters "ld." This particular use of a mixture of capitals and lower-case forms is found on chart C, item 1, at the top line where the final forms "l" and "d" are lower case forms.
I will mention also the particular writing movement used for constructing the letter "d," referring to the photograph 792. There is first a moderately long downstroke, and then without lifting the pen there is a rising movement which at the same time moves towards the left to complete the body of the letter. This method of construction is also observed in the standards, chart C, item 1, top line, in the "d" of "Oswald." Since there is a slightly more open effect at the base in this standard "d," the method of construction can be seen clearly, but it was made in the same way in the photograph, as shown by the photograph 792.
In the word "Fairmore," it is observed that on the photograph 792 there is atendency to reduce the size of the small letter "i" and, of course, this is again an example of the use of the lower case form in combination with the capitals. The size relationship and the particular mixture of this form with capitals is shown in the standard writing chart C, item 5, in the word "deportations" and in the word "diet," also in item 9 in the word "curtailment."
The word "Fairmore" also shows the use of a lower case "e" in combination with capital letters, which has been observed frequently in several parts of the standard writing, one example not mentioned heretofore is item 3 of chart C in the word "discharge."
The signature "Lee H. Oswald" along the lower line shown by the photograph 792 compares favorably in all details with the signatures in the name of "Lee H. Oswald" in several standard charts, being on chart A, item 15; on chart B, again item 15; also on chart B, item No. 1; and on chart C, item 6, the next to the last line. Now, one distinctive feature of this signature is the writing movement employed in the combination of letters capital "O" and the "s" following, where the "s" form is rather blurred or corrupted. It does not give a complete capital "s" form, but instead the upper part of the "s" is represented only by a line which is approximately horizontal, sinking downwards to the base of the "s," and then a looped form at the base.
Mr.Eisenberg. You said a capital "s" form; did you mean that?
Mr.Cole. No; I meant that it is not a complete "s" form. It is somewhat slurred or blurred with respect to a true "s" form. This particular method of slurring the form is clearly illustrated on chart B, item 1, in the name "Oswald" and is also shown on chart B, item 15, in the name "Oswald."
(At this point Senator Cooper entered the hearing room.)
Mr.Cole[continuing]. In the signature shown by the photograph 792, in the capital "L," we observe with regard to the base loop, this would be the lower half of the letter, we see a vertical aspect of that base loop. Now, in a more conventional or, say, a copybook form of a letter "L" you would find the base loop with a horizontal aspect, that is, stretched out along the writing line. Here we find a vertical aspect of that part, which is reproduced in the standard writing on chart A, item 15.
That last reference was to the base loop of the capital "L" of the signature "Lee H. Oswald" as shown by the photograph 792 as compared with chart A, item 15.
Now on the photograph 792, we observe that between the two upright strokes of the letter "H" there is a very thin diagonal line of joining. This is repeated in the standard writing, chart B, item 1, top line. Now, again in this "H" as shown on 792 we see this more or less vertical aspect of the treatment of a looped formation near the base of the right side of the letter "H," that is, instead of moving fully to the left to give a normal cross bar, there is only a base loop there which, I say, is made in a vertical direction. This is repeated in the standard writing, chart A, item 15, in the middle initial "H."
The "w" of "Oswald" shown by the photograph 792 is characterized by a rather full rounding across the base of the letter, and this degree of roundness is shown in the standard writing, chart B, item 15. There is a horizontal stroke which constitutes the letter connection between "w" and "a" shown by the photograph 792, and this method of making a connection is repeated in the standards, chart B, item 15.
Mr.Eisenberg. You say "w" and "a"?
Mr.Cole. "w" and "a".
The size relationship between the letter "l" and the letter "d" as shown by the photograph 792 is the same as that found on chart A, item 15. The relationship of the body of the "d"—by which I mean that part which would ordinarily rest on the writing line, and in a conventional form would be more or less circular—and the upper extension is also similar as between the photograph 792 and chart A, item 15. In other words, there is practically no roundness of the body. Again, we have got an emphasis of the more or less vertical strokes for what should be a rounded portion for the body.
This constitutes my reasons for believing that the questioned writing as shown by the photograph 792 is in the hand of the person who executed the standard writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Any further questions on this application?
RepresentativeFord. No questions.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole. I now hand you an item consisting of a change-of-address card addressed to the "Postmaster, Dallas, Texas," dated May 12, 1963, relating to Post Office Box 2915 in Dallas, Tex., setting forth a new address at Magazine Street, New Orleans, and signed "Lee H. Oswald," and I ask you if you have examined that change-of-address card?
Mr.Cole. Yes, I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. May this be admitted as 793, Mr. Chairman?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(Commission Exhibit No. 793 was marked and received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. Have you compared that change-of-address card, 793, with the standards in this case?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir; I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. What is your conclusion?
Mr.Cole. It is my conclusion that the author of the writing on Exhibit 793 is the same person who executed the standard writings.
Mr.Eisenberg. Did you prepare a photograph of 793?
Mr.Cole. I did.
Mr.Eisenberg. Can you produce that?
Is this an accurate photograph, an accurate reproduction, of 793, prepared by you or under your supervision?
Mr.Cole. Yes, it is.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Chairman, may this be admitted as 794?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(Commission Exhibit No. 794 was marked and received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. By reference to the photograph 794 and reference to your charts 784 A, B, and C, could you discuss the reasons which led you to your conclusion concerning this change-of-address card?
Mr.Cole. Handwriting habits shown by this exhibit, and I am looking now at the photograph 794, have been mentioned heretofore. If it is agreeable, I will simply review these in a body before proceeding to the standard writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Chairman, is that agreeable?
RepresentativeFord. You may proceed.
Mr.Cole. On line 1, shown by the photograph 794, the use of a lower case "l" and "d" in combination with capital letters, the compound curve across the base of the "L" in "Lee," the exaggerated length of the comma between the two names; below, in the word "BOX," the somewhat larger upper lobe of the capital "B"—excuse me, the somewhat smaller upper lobe of the capital "B" as contrasted with the larger lobe of that letter; in the "O" of "BOX" the connection or the closing of the "O" fairly high on the left side instead of towards the center or the right side, the same habit being also illustrated in the "O" in the combination "P.O."; the form of the "2" with the rather prominent base loop; the exaggerated length of the cap of the figure "5"; in the word "Dallas," the compound curve across the base of the "L"s; the circumstance that the "A" begins with a down stroke which is almost exactly retraced; the circumstance that the word "Texas" includes a lower case "e"; the use of the small letter "i" in combination with capital letters in the word "Magazine"; and similar features to those just described in the word "New Orleans."
Now, all of these things on the charts Exhibit A, B, and C
Mr.Eisenberg. I don't think you need to point to them in detail, since you have already pointed to those items.
Mr.Cole. Yes.
I also find a substantial agreement in details of the signature, "Lee H. Oswald," as shown by the photograph 794, and signatures shown in the standard writing, with particular regard to the signature of chart C, item 6, next to the last line.
This constitutes my reasons for believing that the writing on Commission Exhibit 793 is in the hand of the person who made the standard writing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, there seems to be a double line in several of these letters on the reverse side of this change-of-address card, such as the "D" in "DALLAS," the "e" in "Texas" and so forth. Can you give any explanation for that?
Mr.Cole. Well, I think the double line is more evident in the address "4907 Magazine Street, New Orleans, La."
Mr.Eisenberg. Yes?
Mr.Cole. And a possible reason is that the writer was dissatisfied with the width of the line as shown on the two lines above. While I regard it as having a fair legibility, the only explanation I can see is that for this particular document the writer wanted a heavier writing and, of course, one way to get it is to go over it again.
A thing of this kind can also be related to a writer's knowledge of the functioning of a certain pen.
If he knows that the pen he is using usually gives a heavier line, and for a particular writing he sees a thinner line, he may then make some modification in his handling of the pen and get the kind of line he wants.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is this similar to the retouching you mentioned earlier as being an evidence of forgery?
Mr.Cole. I would say no, since it is done in such an apparently spontaneous and confident manner. There is not the slightest evidence that any effort was made to conceal the presence of this retracing. I think I should say that generally the person producing a false or spurious writing does retouching in order to correct some imperfection of a letter, that is, he criticizes his work as he goes along and if he encounters a part which he thinks is incorrect with respect to form, he may then retouch it in order to correct it. It would be very unusual in any false or spurious writing to see any extensive retracing.
Mr.Eisenberg. Any further questions on this card?
RepresentativeFord. No further questions.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, I now hand you an item which appears to be a selective service system notice of classification with the name "Alek James Hidell" printed and the same signature, and a photograph which appears to be the photograph of Lee Harvey Oswald—and I state for the record that this item was obtained from the wallet of Lee Harvey Oswald following his apprehension after the assassination and the murder of Officer Tippit—and I ask you whether you have examined that item?
Mr.Cole. I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. May that be admitted as 795, Mr. Chairman?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(Commission Exhibit No. 795 was marked and received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. When did you first examine that item, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. May I refer to a note?
Mr.Eisenberg. Yes, certainly.
Mr.Cole. I first saw that item on December 6, 1963.
Mr.Eisenberg. Did you make an examination at that time?
Mr.Cole. I did.
Mr.Eisenberg. At whose request was that?
Mr.Cole. At the request of the Chief, U.S. Secret Service.
Mr.Eisenberg. What was your conclusion at that time?
Mr.Cole. It was my conclusion that that is not an original document but that it is in fact a photographic reproduction of some original document.
Mr.Eisenberg. Did you draw any conclusions as to how the reproduction might have been prepared?
Mr.Cole. Yes; it was my conclusion that a photograph was made of some original document, and that the resulting film negative was retouched for the purpose of blocking out certain parts, and by that I mean that the person processing a negative in this way would take an opaque compound and where you had clear areas of the negative, the negative, of course, showing clear areas where there was black on the original, that he would cover up this clear area of the negative so that in a resulting print nothing would come through. This would be a way of eliminating information which was actually on the original document.
Mr.Eisenberg. Such as the name of the person to whom the document had been issued?
Mr.Cole. Yes.
Mr.Eisenberg. Draft board and so forth?
Mr.Cole. Yes; then a print would be made of that retouched negative, and this, I believe, is such a print.
Mr.Eisenberg. There is information on this item consisting of the name "Alek James Hidell," a selective service number, and so forth. Could you draw any conclusion as to how this information had been put into the item if the card was prepared in this way?
SenatorCooper. What information, do you mean the name?
Mr.Eisenberg. Yes; the name "Alek James Hidell," the selective service number, the date of mailing, the signature of the member or clerk of local board, color of eyes, and so forth, all of the information appearing in print or color on the card.
Mr.Cole. That information was typed directly onto the photographic print which isExhibit——
Mr.Eisenberg. That is 795?
Mr.Cole. 795.
Mr.Eisenberg. Does this item consist of one or two photographic prints, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. There are two photographic prints, one for the front and one for the back, and they are pasted together.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is it on ordinary photographic paper?
Mr.Cole. Yes.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is there evidence that more than one typewriter had been used in inserting thesignature——
Mr.Cole. Yes.
Mr.Eisenberg. Excuse me, the name, and some of the other information which I have referred to?
Mr.Cole. Yes, at least two typewriters were used. This may be seen clearly by the record of the selective service number, which includes a fairly light typewriting and then a heavier typewriting.
Mr.Eisenberg. Have you produced a photograph of Exhibit 795 or have you taken a photograph rather?
Mr.Cole. Yes, I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. Would you produce that?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. Thank you. Was this photograph prepared by you or under your supervision?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is it a true and accurate reproduction of 795?
Mr.Cole. It is.
Mr.Eisenberg. May this be admitted as 796?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(Commission Exhibit No. 796 was marked and received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. This is the front of 795, is it, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. Yes.
Mr.Eisenberg. Have you also taken a photograph of the rear, the reverse side?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir; I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. This was prepared by you or under your supervision?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is it a true and accurate photograph?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. May this be admitted as Exhibit 797?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(Commission Exhibit No. 797 was marked and received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. Do you have extra copies of that?
Mr.Cole. I am sorry; I do not.
Mr.Eisenberg. Could you hold these photographs so that the Commission can see them, and illustrate your point concerning the use of more than one typewriter?
Mr.Cole. The selective service number shows typewriting which has a fairly light deposit of ink from the ribbon. It also shows typewriting with a somewhatheavier deposit. Now, there is a clear difference in the design of the figure "4" which shows that two different typewriters were used.
Mr.Eisenberg. Can you think of any reason why that might have been done, why two different typewriters were used?
Mr.Cole. Well, here again the typewriter shown by the typewriter impression has a rather poor legibility and it is my theory that a person producing typing of such limited legibility might well move the job over to another typewriter having a more heavily inked ribbon. I might say also that it is quite difficult to type on this glossy photographic paper. The ink won't come down from the ribbon nearly as well on such a surface as it does on ordinary bond paper.
Mr.Eisenberg. Now, you have also reproduced the back, the reverse side, of 795 in your photograph 797. Is the typewriting on the back, illustrated in 797, that contained in the light-impression typewriter shown on the front, or the heavy-impression typewriter?
Mr.Cole. The lighter impression.
Mr.Eisenberg. You can tell that how, Mr. Cole?
Mr.Cole. Well, it is illustrated, first of all, by the extremely small deposit of ink, and second by the circumstance that we can see the same design of figure "4" in a part of the address between this frame, which is the design of the figure "4" of the lighter typewriting on the face of the document.
SenatorCooper. Could I ask you, is it correct that the typewriter which you say was used, which gave a light impression, the "4" is closed at the apex?
Mr.Cole. That is correct.
SenatorCooper. And the heavier typewriter which was used which produced the "4," the "4" is open at the apex?
Mr.Cole. Yes.
Mr.Eisenberg. Carrying that question forward, the reverse side shows the "4" closed at the apex, does it not?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. There seems to be some erasure under the name "Alek James Hidell" which is typewritten in the front side, as well as a faint letter or two. Did you draw any conclusions as to that material?
Mr.Cole. Well, in this area there is also in addition to typewriting already mentioned, there is evidence of a rather sharp indentation of typewritten material, which could result from the blow of a typewriter key against this paper without the interposition of any ribbon at all. Most typewriters have an adjustment called "stencil" whereby you can prevent the ribbon from coming up in front of the type bar, and there is a complete line of indentations along there which reads "Alek James Hidell," and one very interesting feature is that just to the left of the indented name "Alek" there is a capital letter "O."
I don't say at that particular point there was any completion of a name following the letter "O" but we do have this clear indentation of the letter "O."
Mr.Eisenberg. Have you prepared a photograph which brings out those details a little more clearly than in the original, 795?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir; I have. This photograph was made by a very low angle of illumination, a raking light across the document which shows up the indentations.
Mr.Eisenberg. This was prepared by you and under your supervision?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. It is a true and accurate reproduction of 795?
Mr.Cole. It is.
Mr.Eisenberg. May this be admitted as 798?
RepresentativeFord. It may be admitted.
(Commission Exhibit 798 was marked and received in evidence.)
SenatorCooper. Could I ask a question? You referred to an indentation representing the letter "O." Could you point that out and indicate the exhibit upon which you identified the letter "O"?
Mr.Cole. Here. I point to an area approximately two typewriter spaces on the left of the visible letter "A" of "Alek."
SenatorCooper. On Commission Exhibit 795?
Mr.Cole. Yes; correct.
SenatorCooper. Were you able to determine whether that indentation representing "O" was made by a typewriter or does it represent a letter which was still visible from the original card of selective service classification?
Mr.Cole. That is a typewritten letter "O," sir. I think that nothing is visible on that line from the original.
Mr.Eisenberg. Referring to your photograph, 798, there seems to be—the word "James" seems to be printed more than once, as does the name "Hidell," in stencil. Is that your observation, Mr. Cole, also?
Mr.Cole. Yes; that is true.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is there any other material that was printed in stencil, on the stencil setting, of the typewriter?
Mr.Cole. Yes; there is a writing of the serial number which is also in stencil form.
Mr.Eisenberg. Anything else? We are referring now just to the front of the card.
Mr.Cole. Yes. The date of mailing also shows an indentation.
Mr.Eisenberg. Can you think of any reason why the use of the typewriter on stencil may have been done?
Mr.Cole. I can mention reasons that I have observed on other documents which might apply to this one, and that would be an effort on the part of the operator of the machine to find a correct place for beginning typewriting, but I am obliged to say that on those other examples I have never seen such extensive stenciled writing. I would say that a single letter should give a person a pretty good idea of the position for beginning writing, and it should not be necessary to write out this material in full.
Now another theory for applying indentations to this type of material might be, say, previous experience with trying to write on a glossy surface, and knowing that you don't get enough ink from a ribbon on such a surface and possibly an intention to apply a rather sharp indentation and later fill that in with pigment. I am a little doubtful if it would be successful but one might attempt to try it, because various kinds of printing are made in that way, first by producing an indent, and then working a pigment down into the indentation. I would say on this particular document, I don't see there was any evidence that the preparer of the document went through with any such plan.
RepresentativeFord. For the record, I do have to leave to attend the House session, and Senator Cooper, will you preside as chairman?
SenatorCooper. Yes; I will be glad to do so.
(At this point Representative Ford departed the hearing room.)
Mr.Eisenberg. Referring to your photograph 798 again, the word "James" in "Alek James Hidell" seems to have been printed twice, as you stated before, and the second time it seems to have started—at least twice—and the second time it seems to start after the first "James" has stopped. Is that your observation?
Mr.Cole. Yes.
Mr.Eisenberg. Referring back to your theories or the possible theories you mentioned as explanations of the printing by stencil, would the placement of the two "James" on the upper line indicate whether or not either of those theories might be applicable?
Mr.Cole. Well, of course, the repetition of these names is somewhat opposed to the theory that a person might prefer to ink it in later. But, of course, it is possible that he could not see it very well, and that he might think he could make a selection of either one or the other for inking in.
Mr.Eisenberg. Does the word "James" appear to have been stenciled more than twice?
Mr.Gore. Well, there is some overlapping or superimposition of indentations in the first record of the indented name "James." It could have been as many as three times in the stencil operation.
Mr.Eisenberg. Now, Mr. Cole, have you produced a photograph of the reverse side of the selective-servicecard——
Mr.Cole. I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. That is, 795?
Mr.Cole. I have.
Mr.Eisenberg. And was this taken by you or under your supervision?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. And is it a true and accurate photograph of 795?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Chairman, may this be admitted as 799?
SenatorCooper. It will be admitted.
(The document referred to, previously marked as Commission Exhibit 799, was received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. This is an additional photograph of the reverse side of 795?
Mr.Cole. That is correct. The one last mentioned was also made with a very low angle of illumination raking the light across the document.
Mr.Eisenberg. The "one last mentioned" being 797 or 798?
Mr.Cole. 799 was made with the low-angle illumination to bring out the indentation.
Mr.Eisenberg. That is as opposed to 797, which is the reverse side of the photograph introduced as 795?
Mr.Cole. Yes.
Mr.Eisenberg. And that had a normal illumination?
IrCole. Yes., correct.
Mr.Eisenberg. By use of this 799 photograph, could you read to us what was stenciled, insofar as possible?
Mr.Cole. Opposite "Color of Eyes" there is discernible the indented typewritten letters "CT." This is just to the left of the visible letters "GR." Then opposite the "Color of Hair" there is an indentation of the word in capital letters "BROWN." Just above the visible "9" for the inch figures of height, there is a second indented "9." Opposite the word 'weight" there is a small letter "i" as an indentation.
Mr.Eisenberg. Is "i" the lower case of the figure in the typewriter which produces "1" in upper case?
Mr.Cole. No; it is the lower case "l" which is used for the "1" on most typewriters. In the frame above the wording "Local Board Stamp" there is visible typewriting and indentations but I think this is probably all one typewriting act, the ink coming down from the ribbon only in a rather irregular fashion. Just outside the frame on the right side there is an indentation of the abbreviation "ST."
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Cole, did you have occasion to examine these cards at a subsequent time—this card, I am sorry, the Selective Service notice of classification, or spurious Selective Service classification, 795?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir; I did.
Mr.Eisenberg. At that time did you examine the negatives which I now hand to you?
Mr.Cole. I did.
Mr.Eisenberg. For the record, these are a set of negatives which were found at one of the premises inhabited by Lee Harvey Oswald. Mr. Chairman, may I have them admitted as 800? I would like these negatives which Mr. Cole examined and which were found in one of the residences of Lee Harvey Oswald to be received as 800.
SenatorCooper. It is so ordered.
(The negatives referred to were marked as Commission Exhibit 800 and received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. Did you also examine this card which I now hand you, which for the record is a Selective Service System notice of classification in the name of Lee Harvey Oswald, found in the wallet of Lee Harvey Oswald following his apprehension after the assassination and the murder of Officer Tippit?
Mr.Cole. I did examine this card.
Mr.Eisenberg. Mr. Chairman, may this card, which is Oswald's actual Selective Service System notice of classification, be admitted as 801?
SenatorCooper. So ordered.
(The document referred to was marked as Commission Exhibit 801, and was received in evidence.)
Mr.Eisenberg. Now what did your examination of the negatives and thecard show, in relation to your earlier examination, conducted simply of the Exhibit 795?
Mr.Cole. May I say something off the record.
(Discussion off the record.)
SenatorCooper. Back on the record.
Would you please state on the record your reasons for making your prior answer to the question of counsel?
Mr.Cole. I have some question whether this is actually the card which I had previously examined, although I am sure I did examine a Selective Service card, and it will take just a moment of close examination of this one to determine that, and I would suggest that if there are any other Selective Service cards available belonging to this group or grouped with this card that I should see them at the same time.
SenatorCooper. Your statement is then that you just desired toexamine——
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
SenatorCooper. This card and any other Selective Service card that may be available?
Mr.Cole. Yes, sir.
SenatorCooper. I suggest that the Commission recess for a sufficient time to permit the witness to examine the Selective Service card.