The Clifford Irving hoax of the Howard Hughes autobiography

Abstract

The problem was to determine whether Howard R. Hughes, Edith Irving, or Clifford Irving wrote the questioned material Exhibits Q-1 through Q-35. The findings were as follows. 1. Howard R. Hughes was eliminated as the possible writer of the questioned handwriting on Exhibits Q-1 through Q-35. Although there were pictorial resemblances between Hughes' handwriting and the questioned material enumerated above, significant characteristic differences were also present which unequivocally eliminated him as the writer. 2. Edith Irving was identified as the writer of the "Edith Sommer for deposit only" endorsement on Exhibit Q-11. 3. Edith Irving also very probably wrote the "Hanne Rosenkrantz" on Exhibit Q-27 through Q-34, but the questioned writings were restricted to the examination of poor quality photocopies which did not provide proper basis for the handwriting comparison. 4. There were indications that Edith Irving also may have written the questioned endorsement "H. R. Hughes" on Exhibit Q-3 and the questioned signatures "H. R. Hughes" on Exhibits Q-4, Q-5, Q-6, Q-7, and Q-35, by simulating the handwriting of Howard R. Hughes on those questioned exhibits. She could not be identified, however, based on the available handwriting specimens obtained from the federal grand jury on 8 Feb. 1972. 5. Clifford Irving was identified as the writer of the questioned material on Exhibits Q-1, Q-2, Q-8, Q-9, Q-12a and Q-13a and Q-13b, Q-14, Q-15a through Q-15c, Q-16a and Q-16b, Q-22a through Q-22i, Q-23, Q-24, Q-25, and Q-26. A study of the questioned handwriting with the known handwriting of Howard R. Hughes revealed a definite attempt on the part of Irving to simulate the handwriting of Hughes, having seen Hughes' writing in earlier issues of Time-Life.