Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-03-09
NOR BUILDERS.
COUNTY COURT PROCEEDING S.
TATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.,
Jefferson County, Set:

Continued rom last week.
To the WOrshlpful Count! Court OF Jefferson
County, West Va:
GENTI.EMEN The undersigned. commit
tee appointed by your order OF January 3Oth,
1888, 10 examine the records and papers in
your Clerks office, pursuant To the provis-
ions OF Sec. | OF Chap. III OF the Code, having
made as thorough an examination OF SAID
records and papers rs the limited time which
could be spared from their other duties per-
mitted, beg leave 10 report as follows:
The records OF deeds and other writings re-
uuired by the Statue 10 be recorded in the
Deed Books are properly kept and carefully
iudeXed according To the Campbell Index
system" Decd Books Nos. 10, l. and Is, of
the aute-bcllum series, however, need rebind-
ing in order That said feCOIuS TIE preserved.
OF the VIII Books, Nos. ), and OF the Sc
rics before the war and the record known as
the ..Recorders will Book, are sadly In need
OF rebindng, some of them so much so that
unless the matter receive prompt attention
there Is danger that valuable records may be
lost. The last named book il literally drop
ping To pieces. The same may be said OF the
list OF FlduciaIies, very valuable record, re-
uuircd by the statute TO be Kept, ana (as are
also the other records OF the ofIice) in we j.
bound book. Some Of the older OF these re-
cords are without complete indexes. and
there is no general index to the VIII Books
or 10 the FlduCiary accounts. AS the Court
Is aware, these FlducIary accounts were re-
corded before the late war In the VIII Books,
since the war they are recorded In books pro-
Vlded Tor the purpose, ana included among
them are the apprdisement returns and the
sale lists OF personal representatives. As
Inere are eighteen VIII Books covering the
period before the war, ana eleven volumes OF
FlduciHry account is since lSbl II Will be readily
seen how very valuable and convenient
would be well arranged general index TO
all tuese records. inasmuch rs the County
mas purchased the right u use the Campbell
index Tor ali purposes, your committee rec
OmMeud that separate Indexes Oi that sort be
provided for all the VIII books, rom tine date
ol the erection OF the COudty to the present
time and the Accounts OF Flduciarles, as well
those TO be found in the old VIII books, as
those recorded IN the records known as me
Accounts OF FiducIaries' since the close OF
the war
Your committee also urge that similar in
drXes be provided for the books IN which are
recorded Releases and for the Judgment Lien
DOckvts, especially the latter. Ii seems TO us
That no record In the office requires "A Camp.
bells IndeX-to be made readily accessible
than the Judgement Lien Docket, Tor the rea-
son that there being several entries on each
tagc required by law To be indeXed both
witys, an ordinary index soon becomes almost
40 VouminOus rs the record Itself
Your committee would next call the atten-
ton OF the Court TO the provisions OF sec. 10
Oi Cnup. 81 OF the Code, and suggest that the
Court mas not strictly complied with the re.
qulrements of the statute IN Keeping is rec
ord OF the proceedings Of the Court. IL APP
pears to the committee that all orders OF the
court, as distinguished II ON orders made by
the Clerk, IN has Office, during the recess OF
tue Court, have been entered In the same
order DOCK, and thus the purpose OF the stat
ute, which cOntemplates tnat all proceedings.
other Than those relating 10 the police ana
fiscal affairs Uf the County, and the like.
snOuid be found recorded in "A separate vol
ume, Is frustrated. Tor IL appears that all the
proceedings OF the Court are recorded IN the
same UUok, whatever the character OF said
proceedings.
Moreover, your committee feel constrained
TO invite your attention to the condition of
n =
book" la order that the records OF the
Clerks Oflicc be easily accessible as re-
CURED by the Statute, IL is OF inc INST impOr-
lance that they De lvSlbie. Ia the pages of
the look reIciICG To "A practice OF crOwding,
iuIerlinedliOu aud erasuTe, has been carried
To such an extent that the entries, III many
instances, ale ne IDLE. Inasmucn as the
great majority OF personal fepi cseutatlyes OF
estates quaI1y before The Clerk IN his Office.
during Inc recess Ol Tie Court, u II ifu pOrtanL
that tnis defect In the record IL speedily coz
rected. IL might even be worth while, that
some of The more imperfect entries ne Trans
clibed upon The unOccupIed pages VI the
vOiuIne.
Your attention il called 10 SC. 10 Of Chap.
10 OF Tie Code, requiring all UiLIcldl and fidu-
ciLry bonds taken by the Court or in the
Office, To be recorded IN a BOOK 10 be kept Tor
the purpose, TO be labeled "Isecurd Oi Bonds
This statute has not been complied with
There seems 10 he 10 such book Ia tie office.
There Is, indeed, record Ia winch sheiins
bonds appear 10 have been recorded formerly,
but even this Is Incomplete.
Your attention Is also invited to the pro-
visions of secs 30 aud 81 Of Chap. 30 OF the
COuc. InVIe seems 10 nave ". ca Vcry par
tial compliance with the prOvIs:Olis UG Iurs.
sections Oy either The COurt Or tne CIetK
whilst the reports ca tile Sheriff, wneu ap-
proved or Corrected by the Court, nave new ~
been entered IN full III tue proper order BOOK
OF the Court as required by SCI. 81. IL II
mt. II 10 De regretted that TIE stccOuuts kept
In the oliice do not, al any tiHIc. snow Clearly
the inauclal condition OF tile County, 80 lar
as what may be termed It's nOdtiLg debts 10
cO.lcernsj. Tie bUyk containing tie ac-
counts with the sheriff sreiIIs 10 he correctly
KEEP. As lar as IL goes, bat PRIOR 40 .,oEen.ber
~ orders ISSUED, showing the number aud
amounts OF tie orders Issued from time ~
time, those paid anu returned, tnDS.. still gu
standing aud the like, 80 that tie floating IN
uebtedness Of the County may. at any time
he reaully ascvriained. The Deputy Clerk
called our attention 10 a book begun In No.
vemDer 1871. containing such a list as Is above
suggested, which. If regularly kept, will In
time correct IL "A great extent the defect
above referred 20. In this connection, your
committee would call your attention TO the
Incomplete manner in which the County Or
ders. PAID by the sheriff and returned 10 The
Court, are cancelled. They suggest that such
cancellation be done by cutting, 80 as not to
render them iIleglble, or by a stamp which
would print the word cancelled" across the
face OF lie order. For the Law on this point
the Court Is referred TO See. 81 Of Chap. -
above cited.
Respectfully submitted,
SAM'L HOWELL,
JOSEPH TKAPSELL,
Committee.