The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-11
DODGlNG TIE DEPUTIES.
AN OFFICER TALKS OF THE TROUBLES
OF SERVING PAPERS.

and Debt Payins-How Women some
times Annoy the Courts Representative.
Listen to His Tale Of Woe.
There are many notices that In the
course OF legal proceedings must be
served personally Particularly in big
city like this. where there are many ten
ants In most houses, where there are
many servants. where there is a good
deal OF moving. and many letters go
astray, 1t is necessary to serve notices
personally upon persons who are anxious
not to be served, who do all that they
can to avoid service. and who get con-
federates to help them deceive the un-
fortunate officials who are trying to
serve them with papers
For a man to deny his own identity
and to have it denied by all his family is
common. For him to depart by a back
door or an alley or the roof is equally
common. In divorce cases where the
defendant does not appear it is impossi-
blt to get judgment by default without
the most perfect evidence that the proper
party has been served This has grown
out OF the experiences of many cases
where the officer serving the summons
has either been imposed upon or has
willfully permitted some person inter-
ested to personate the defendant. It is a
good deal more difficult now than ever it
was to get divorce without letting your
husband or wife knoxu If r.
THREE OF A NAME.
A lady in Brooklyn used to get her hus-
band off jury duty in this way: Her
father-in-law, aged over rs; her husband,
aged 45, and her son. aged H. had all
the same name. When the man came
along with his bundle of jury notices he
would say:
"Is Mr.. So and So in?"
Eyes Which do you wish, the old
man or the young one?"
If the man of notices wanted the old
man he got one too old for jury duty.
If he wanted the young one he got the
boy. It never occurred to him that there
was golden mean.
There are lots of people," said dep
uty sheriff, "who never have their names
in the City Directory and who move fire.
quently for the purpose of avoiding jury
duty and military duty and personal
taxes. They think it easier to move than
to perform the duties of citizens. They
surround themselves with safeguards.
They have their letters sent to out of the
way places. They tell servants and land
ladies not to let strangers come near
them. They will play deaf, dumb and
blind to escape notice. They get so in
trenched that they will walk by deputy
sheriff and chuckle.
"Of course, when this sort of thing is
resorted to there is way of service by
publication. but this is only after great
deal of time, money and patience has
been expended to make it apparent that
service is avoided. The difficulty of
serving notices personally is so well rec
nized in the courts that there are many
provisions for service by publication. It
is true that in many cases there is only a
pretense Of serving notice and default
is taken against party for non-appear-
ance when that party has not been served.
In some cases parties have served notices
by publication in obscure newspapers.
But the courts are fully up to that sort
of thing. and in all cases where personal
service is required the fullest and most
convincing proof is demanded, either
that due notice has been served or that it
is impossible to serve it.
"Yet there are many cases where per-
sonal service is indispensable. It is these
that bring the long and weary nights of
watching, the frequent calls, the wild
goose chases, the long hunts, the patient
vigils that make the lot Of the deputy
sheriff miserable. You must find out
where man lives, what are his haunts
what clubs or societies he belongs to.
what is his church, and you must get a
description Of him that will enable you
to recognize him when you see him.
Many a case has been thrown out of court
for incomplete evidence of the service Of
a paper. If you have to serve paper on
John Smith you have got to be sure not
only that you serve a paper on John
Smith, but that the John Smith whom
you served was the identical and actual
John Smith Intended. To be able to do
this it is often necessary to take along
with you the party who knows the one
you are after. This again exposes you to
risk of being observed and avoided. You
get to be known by the neighbors. They
seem to take a natural dislike to you.
They will not give you any information.
he WAITED FOR THE HUSBAND.
81 once went to serve paper on a
man who was not at home. His wife in
nocently told me he would be at home
during the evening and invited me to
wait. I waited. The lady was very
pleasant and entertaining. The evening
passed very pleasantly. / was not in
vited to 60. so remained. 1t got very
late. Then when the husband did come
home he got into towering passion at
seeing stranger sitting up lase with his
wife. But served the paper, and left
the lady to fix it up with her husband as
best she could.
81 have stood in the rain watching for
men until thought my papers would
get wet through. / have had my ears
and toes frozen. I have had women
chase me out of the house with broom
sticks. ! have seen beautiful young
women cry and heard bad men swear as I
pushed papers into their hands that sum-
moned them to court. And yet would
prefer any or all Of these experiences to
the trouble Of running after people who
are keeping out Of the way. 1t is Almost
unsatisfactory business. The man who
wants the paper served accuses you Of
not doing your duty. and you get little
pay and no thanks.
"Of course / have to tell little white
lies now and then to get at my man. l