Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1878-11-30
A LETTER FROM CULP'S
MILLS.
What the Reform Legislature
Should DO-The Substitute for
the County COurt-The Mys-
teriOus Midnight Pedestrian.

terlOuS Midnight pedestrian.
Correspondence oi the Register.
CuLr's Mills, November -.
Having become much Interested in
the legislative confab which has recent
lv appeared in the REGISTER in relation
to the coditication of the laws Of West
Virginia, and the modification of the
discrepancies which now so characterize
our statutes, from the TENOR Of your cor
respondents, as well as that OF the
press, strongly indicate that the coming
session oi the West Virginia Legislature
is designed or intended to bring about
a speedy reformation. Ii there is
any part oi our law which re-
quires change, it is that which
relates to land titles. The celebrated
case OF q. +. Wood, ct al, W. Armour.
trout ct al, have not only fermented this
particular section, but ruptured the ell
tire county. More than 56, 800 acres Ofland
are now, and has been in litigation since
1868, which covers tracts OF lands that
have been in possession for years, and
which has been made to blossom like
the rose, being decorated by the noon
day sun, seems from the partial decision
of the jury at the last term OF the Fed
eral Court, will forever pass from under
their hands, after holding it for more
than a generation and now ii there Is
any matter that should demand the at
tentiou of our law makers, it is
that subject, which will for
ever put Il quietus to the com
plicated land-law OF West Virginia,
which has been embodied in our law
"fresh from the barren fields OF the Old
Dominion" The Legislature, doubt
less, has the Constitutional right to
enact law that will forever displace
the bogus titles that are now in the
hands oi land shylocks, which Is work
ing detrimcnt, not only To this county,
but the entire state, and cut short the
work oi thus,. corporate tools who IN
fest our courts, and insist upon the re-
duction vi the assessed value of sand
lands. In 1868 the Board Of SuperVi-
sors, through the influence of their
recorder, were induced to reduce the
assessed value from III mis-
take not seventy-tive cents to twenty
five, after vain attempt To bulldOze
the legislature. Said amount was i'm
mediately paid and suit ut once instl-
tuted Hence, ii is al once visible that
if such procedure is longer tolerated
in our courts and countenanced by our
legislators, that the future prosperity ol
our State is greatly endangered. Every
Shylock who can obtain "a shadow oi
title" will further augment the difficulty
hy iermenting the impotency of our
land law. Will not Your correspondent,
who is abundantly able, take up this
topic and discuss it i'll connection with
others?
0UR PEoPI u INTRENCHED ALONG THE LINE.
4 more generous, hospitable and law
abiding people is seldom met than We
have in BraXtOn, but Notwithstanding
this tact, loud denunciations are
hurled against Judge Jac kson
ior his repeated leanings or rulings,
and that, too, in the breast OF the law III
favor oi the plaintiffs; and hint con-
tribution in the shape of Il big bonanza.
But this is not probable. Mems pre-
iulices lead them astray when II is really
not perceived by those who vucilerItc 81
loudly. But the idea al giving ny the
old homestead, having occupied II su
long, cleared away the forest, titled
the soil. met their combined disappr"'
hation. Though the law does not justify
IT, vet thew are ready for any emer.
renry that NAV arise: and will spend
their hast cent before they will give = peg
and thrn-hcrc had better stop.
WHAT SHALL We SUBSTITUTE FOR TIL
COUNTY COURT sNsTEN'
For some time our citizens, through
the medium of the press, have been
prayelv discussing the defects ui the
cosptv court system. rs impotent and
| entirely unfit ior the times. Perhaps
no system has ever been inaugurated
| that has proven So inefficient I" the
mass ui the people as this. 1t isnatura
| for the masses L. be ciamorous; but the
implacahle barrier to this system Is not,
! perhaps the worthlessneSs nf the system
rs the manner in which II Is carried on.
| Its jurisdiction is entirely too broad.
I The chancerv business as well As actions
| az law involve legal technicaiities fai
heyand the ability of the average justice
| hence, the handspring oi this difficulty
| is vested in the material which
carries out the provisions a
| the laws, not because they wlltuliy d'
so. hut from want of knowledge OF the
law. The system is probably good, but
the best system extant improperly
managed will iritter down IA ahy-word-
denunciation. | remember one term O
| Court in which some twelve cases wen
decided, or partially so, and motions
made for new trials, which were grsntet
in every instance but one, and TIN
went over hy default only for the wan
| of "A motion. In every either INSTANCE
but this. when an evil was abroad IN tn
land and settling down like pail upoi
the entire country. all heads set togethe
10 bring about speedy remedy
In this all march in ci9'
orous procession with the motto O
Down with the County Court system
fiying OF the mast head, never stoppinl
once 10 substitute more wholesom
one in its stead. Now the question Is
What shall We substitute for the Count
Court system? Let us stop long enougl
to think about q remedy for this eyi
and not talk so much. Why will no
! the judiciary bill, which was defeate'
in that part Of the house which VA
made up of the people-forsaken In
diyidusls, known by the name OF less
eentlemen-meet the desired chsnger
/ We should say somethins OF tn