The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-02-06
Meeting otthc New Orleans bar Association

Meeting ofthe New Orleans Bar Association
"A meeting of the New Orleans Bar AS
ISOLATION was held in the Supreme Court
room, on the 5th day Of February, 1876.
at noon.
A quorum being present, Major New
said that the President, Mr.. Finney,
could not be present, and moved that
Judge Collins take the chair; which
motion being unanimously adopted, the
Judge took the:chair and Sam. p. Blanc,
ESQ.,, was nominated and elected Secre-
tary pro TEN.
The reading OF the minutes Of the pre-
vious meeting was dispensed with, and
Major New handed to the Secretary his
authority, which was written request
upon him, Us chairman Of the Executive
Committee Of the New Orleans Btr AS
ISOLATION, to call d meeting, which re-
quest was as follows:.
John H. New. ESQ. Chairman Executive Com
nttee New Orleans Bar Association: aas.
Siy-The Undersigned, members OF the
New Orleans Bar Association, urgently
request that you call q meeting OF SAID
association for Saturday next at the
supreme OOuTt IOO!u, lOl tIo oAPlooo,
purpose OF considering the question OF
clerks and sheriffs' costs, and advise
the drafting OF such bills and their re-
COMMUNICATION to the Legislature as will
relieve our profession from the exactions
OF said officers.
Signed Henry Denis, G. Z. -Fenner,
H. Renshaw, Jr.. Harry Fl. Hall, Ct.
Duplantier, Jno. Meunier, Chas. Louque,
Victor Olivier, yr.,, Sam. I. Blanc,
Horror and Edward Phillips. @
Mr.. B. II. Forman made a motion that
committee be appointed to draft such
laws as may meet the case.
Mr.. Murphy said it would be useless
to appoint said committee.
Mr.. Bryan thought the Clerks, and
the District Attorney, and the Sheriffs
should be salaried officers.
Major New agreed with Mr.. Murphy
that it would be useless, idle to make q
fee bill. The Clerks did resent any
attempt to cut their fees down. The
Clerk should have q salary, and be sub
jected to examination before assuming
his position as such, to test his qualifi-
cations, us the notaries public are.
Mr.. Benedict said: Although 1t may
be advisable to make such laws, the
clerks would become careless and negli-
gent OF collecting their dues. The city
would be burdened by the difficulty of
paying their salaries. 1 think it would
be detrimental to make the office q So
laried one. The fees in the Fee Bill are
50 low, that the clerks feel compelled
to make charges not warranted by the
Fee Bill. The stenographer received
thirty cents per page, the clerk twice as
much.
By Mr.. Bryan :. 1 had made draft OF
a law to the effect that any clerk or
sheriff who should neglect the duties OF
his Office should forfeit his fees. but did
not bring it.
This brought Mr.. Murphy to his feet
again. He remarked: Nothing has
been said about the costs to the liti
giants. Once an attempt was made to
confine the clerks and sheriffs to the
Fee bill, and one after another OF the
members Of the Bar receded from the
understanding, 50 much vexation was
had about reducing the fees"
The motion offered by Mr.. Forman
did not prevail, and the following reso-
luton, offered by him, with one or two
amendments, was adopted;
Resolved, That a special committee of
five be appointed by the chair to en-
quire what bills are now before the Leg
islature, on the subject of clerks and
sheriffs' costs and to report to this As
to be recommended by this Association
to the Legislature, to regulate the costs
and expenses Of litigation, so as to ef-
/ feet a reduction OF the costs Of litigation,
The chair appointed on said COM
mittee the following gentlemen Messrs.
Forman, New, Bryan, Benedict and
Murphy. The meeting adjourned to
meet on next Saturday at same place at
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