INITIAL (from Lat. initium, beginning). Beginning ; placed at the beginning. Web ster. Thus, the initials of a man's name are the first letters of his name: as, G. W. for George Washington. Initials are no part of a name ; Monroe Cattle Co. v. Becker, 147 U. S. 47, 13 Sup. Ct. 217, 37 L. Ed. 72. A mid dle name or initial is not recognized by law ; Milk v. Christie & Todd, 1 Hill (N. Y.) 102; Bratton v. Seymour, 4 Watts (Pa.) 329; Al len v. Taylor, 26 Vt. 599 ; King v. Hutchins, 28 N. H. 561; McKay v. Speak, 8 Tex. 376; Long v. Campbell, 37 W. Va. 665, 17 S. E. 197 ; Johnson v. Day, 2 N. Dak. 295, 50 N. W. 701; Hicks v. Riley, 83 Ga. 332, 9 S. E. 771. But see Com. v. Perkins, 1 Pick. (Mass.) 388 ; but the first initial is, and a variance therein is fatal to an indictment ; English v. State, 30 Tex. App. 470, 18 S. W. 94. In an indictment for forgery, an instrument signed "T. Tupper" was averred to have been made
with intent to defraud Tristam Tupper, and it was held good ; State v. Jones, 1 McMull. (S. C.) 236, 36 Am. Dec. 257. Signing of in itials is good signing within the Statute of Frauds ; 12 J. B. Moore 219 ; 2 Mood. & R. 221; Add. Contr. 46, n.; Palmer v. Stephens, 1 Den. (N. Y.) 471. When in a will the lega tee is described by the initials of his name only, parol evidence may be given to prove his identity ; 3 Ves. 148. The fact that the foreman of the grand jury in signing his name to the indorsement of "a true bill" on the indictment, used only the initials of, in stead of his full Christian name, is not ground for quashing the indictment ; Zim merman v. State, 4 Ind. App. 583, 31 N. E. 550. As to the use of an initial in a ballot, see ELECTION. See NAME.