Sometimes genuine notes are stolen before they are signed; then the
only thing about them made counterfeit is the signatures. Those who
are familiar with the signatures of the officers of the bank where
notes are purloined, may not be lead into error, as such signatures
usually appear more or less cramped or unsteady; but there is no sure
protection against a counterfeit of this kind for those who do not
have special knowledge of the signatures.
[Illustration: UNITED STATES TREASURY BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.]