The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-06-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

The Supplemental Maine Digest by Edward
P. Cofin ESQ.,. of Skowhegan, has most
completely satisfied the wants OF the legal
profession of Maine In that regard and met
the hopes with which its author has modest
ly offered 1t to his brethren. Bridging over
the wide gap from the sixty-eighth to the
last volume of the Maine Reports, classify
ing and arranging the principles enunciated
In the recent decisions of our highest court,
1t has made those thirteen volumes immedi-
ately available for easy reference and has
traced the growth of judicial principles as
applied to our developing social, Industrial
and mercantile conditions.
Following the larger work of Plaisted and
Appleton and, like them, having for his aim
summary presentation of our law, the au-
thor OF the book now before us would de-
serve communication for following, in gen.
eral, the order and division of subjects of the
older work to which this is a supplement.
He has evidently been reluctant to change
what had gained authority by long use and
has departed from his model only in in
stances where an evident gain was to be
made in logical exactness or compactness.
brought the two heads Crimes and Criminal
Procedure; Aquatic Rights and Rivers and
Watercourses unite to form Waters; Insol-
vent Estates, following the Revised Statutes
more closely, are brought under Probate
Court; Municipal Courts are ranked under
Courts. The same simplifcation might have
been made in putting Officers, under which
come decisions on sheriffs and those exercis-
ing similar powers, under the more compre-
hensive title Public Officers.
Indications are plentiful that our author
has been no mere copyistin his work. The ar
rangement of the large body of decisions grow
ing out of the insolvent laws shows the dis
elimination and grasp of mind well trained
in legal principles and familiar with their
application. The now famous Count ont
opinion of the justices has given Mr.. Coffin
an opportunity to show his eminent fitness
to do the work he has undertaken and we
have summary of great value to practition-
ers or students of constitutional questions.
Tax Titles are properly thought worthy to
stand by themselves.
In matters of detail we find everywhere
thoroughness and care. A rare power of
Calculating the precise point decided by an
opinion is shown in the separate paragraphs
and 1t is obvious that the author has gone to
the body of the report and not contented
himself with the reporters note unless II
seemed to him to present the gist of the case
with all necessary qualifications. Other in
dications of originality and excellencies are
the Tables of Statutes Expounded and the
double Table of Cases, while the numerous
cross reference headings are of great assis-
lance in hunting down presidents.
We congratulate Mr.. Coffin most heartily
on his able completion of the task he has set
before himself and feel sure the Bar owe
him debt which will grow heavier as in
creasing use shall disclose the good points of
his digest.
fhe mechanical execution of the book is
fully up to the best standard of law publish
ers. The paper is good. the type selected
so that attention is quickly called to the i'm
portant words and the page is pleasant to the
eye.
Supplemental Maine Digest; being Dr.
gest of the Decisions of the Supreme Judicial
Court Of Maine, reported in Maine Reports,
volumes SO to 81 inclusive. By Edward P.
Coffin of the Somerset Bar. Portland. Me. !;
Mcclellan. Mosher & Co., 1890, Royal 800,
sheep. PIP. viii 1-543.