The anti-monopolist., 1875-08-16
Law on the Island Of Jersey.

Of the actual absurdities Of the island law
perhaps not a bad instance is the celebrated
"Clameur de Haro," which 50 much inter-
ests the inquisitive visitor that it may al
most be regarded as one of the lions of Jer-
sey. However attractive to the antiquary,
this proceeding is for practical purposes
fraught with Infinite clumsiness and wrong.
In England if man in the actual posses
sion of property begins to pull down or al
ter buildings, cut timber, or do any similar
act to the prejudice Of any other person in
terested, the latter states upon oath in an
affidavit the facts which give him the right
to interfere, and applies to Vice-Chancel-
lor for an Injunction. But the Jerseyman
under the like circumstances, neither pleig-
ing his oath to any facts, nor submitting
his case to any judgment except his own,
enters upon the disputed premises, falls
down upon his knees, and exclaims aloud,
"Haro. Haro, q aide, mon prince; on me
fait tort" The word s.Haro" is explained
by the local antiquarians to be corruption
| of "Ah, Rollo," the Rollo thus invoked be-
ing Rollo, first Duke of Normandy, and an
cestor of William the Conqueror. At the
sound of these cabalistic words all worL-
men are bound by Jersey law Immediately
to quit the spot, and remove their tools, and
the place must be left exactly as it is until
the matter is adjudicated on by the Royal
Court. The Jerseyman is thus, in fact,
his own Vice Chancellor, and himself issues
out Of his own mouth whatever injunctions
he thinks he stands in need Of But his
iniunctions have far wider operation than
those of the English Judge, for while in
England the party in possession may, upon
| hnv hn mi i'm
dissolved within o few days, in Jersey years
may, and often do, elapse before the decis
ion of the Royal Court can be obtained
During all this time the buildings must bs
left to crumble, the timbers to rot, and the
presump,ive but ousted owner TO settle a:
hest he can with his builders or laborers fol
as much as they had executed of the inter
rupted works. 1t is true, that he who has
as a Jersey law-book expresses it, "wiihou
Just grounds called on the name of Rollo.
is liable by the island law to be amerccd
and to payment of costs; but this is but poo
comfort to the party whose enjoyment o
his property has been interrupted.
i A still more marvellous device for tn
Illustration of justice obtains in many case
of insolvency. Instead Of ratable dis
tribution of the debtors property among
, his creditors. list is made Of the liabili
/ ties in the order in which they were IN
| CURED. The option is then given to tn
creditor lowest on the list to make hmsel
| tenant, after Decree" ss it is called-that
) to say. take over 10 himself the whole Q
, the debtors property, on his undertaking
/ to make payment in full of the whole Of tn
I debts on the list coming before his own
/ This, Of course, would be losing bargain
Z for the creditor unless the insolvent's prop
/ erty were more than sufficient to pay a
). these preceding debts in full. But If th
b creditor refuses he thereby looses Al rigf
e to receive anything whatever, and his del
! is extinguished. The same offer is the
' made to the creditor last but one on th
d list, and if he refuses the process is carrie
4 on until, by the extinguishment Of the deb
e Of the creditors refusing. it at last hecom'
L the interest Of some creditor to msks hin
q self tenant To do this with any degree
1e prudence. it is Of course indispensable tn
+, the creditor should be . man Of business
le and moreover, should have local knoviedg
Of enabling him to judge pretty accsrate
ID what is to be expected from the reansati'
n of the insolvents property to be made ov
h to him. Neither any creditor OUTSIDE Z
,e island. nor even the widow nor Tph'
i creditors on the spot, neither trustee
e, executor, could in any ordinary case pr
:" IDENTIFY incur the risk or responsibility
ed becoming tenant Accordingly, under Il
nd system Of insolvency, al these classes
It creditors 60 to the wall, and, as rue, Z
ly astute man Of business comes in fos VI
d. ought to be their share of the assets. The
ng are men Of this class in Jersey who are =
to to have amassed considerable fortunes
nd .smaking themselves tenants. ."-kFest
he Magazine.
A Titusville woman named her cat "Des