The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-11-14
FOUND TIE WRIT AT last
Another Proof of the In
efficiency of Nc
Phillips.
SIX MONTHS DELAY CAUSED.
Said He Had Never Seen the Paper,
but Was Confronted With
His Receipt.
TX MONTHS DELAY CAUSED.

Each day as it arrives produces more
evidence of the inefficiency of the admin
istration of the office of Sheriff of this
county. Lawyers and business men re-
joice at the continued exposures of
the abuses in this office and
they congratulate themselves on
the prospect of change at an early
day. The NEWS is warmly commended
everywhere for Its fearless course in por-
traying to the public in dispassionate
manner the exact condition of the Sher-
ifs office. and God speed' to its mission
is the greeting Of all lawyers.
If any person desires to corroborate this
assertion let him approach any group Of
lawyers and ask their opinion. went
into several law offices today and
found the heads of the firm
jabilant over The NEws's expos
ures, and the clerks were equally
delighted. They had been caused SO
failure of the Sheriff to properly attend
10 his business that they could not help
feeling pleased at the prospect OF this
office being thoroughly cleansed
by THE NEWS, backed by public
opinion. THE News today will show to
disgracefnlly conducted office. The neg
lect in this case has no parallel in the his
tory of any office which has come to the
notice of The NEWS
ANOTHER CASE OF NEGLECT
A New York hrni OF lawyers employed
the well known firm of Babbitt & Law
renee of this city to cause an attachment
to be issued against the property of a
debtor. In every case where suit by
attachment is begun, haste of the most
rapid nature Is requisite feature to pre-
vent the defendant from placing the
goods to be levied upon out Of the juris-
diction of the Sheriff. The papers in the
attachment proceedings were properly
drawn by Messrs. Babbitt & Law
renee and were handed Sheriff Nc
Phillips with positive instructions
that no delay should take place
and that the writ should be executed i'm
mediately. sAfter this WAS. s.done. Babbitt
& Lawrence heard no more about the
case for nearly six months, and they had
concluded that their New York employers
had effected settlement. TO the
surprise of Messrs. Babbitt & Lawrence
at the expiration of nearly six months
they received sharp letter from the New
York law firm asking why they had not
begun the suit in attachment as re-
quested. Babbitt & Lawrence replied
unat they had, and then they began an in
vestigation.
Sheriff Nc Phillips was asked about the
case. and ne had the cool audacity to tell
BabbitI & Lawrence that they had never
given hlfn the writ to execute. When
the lawyers recovered from the
effect off this effrontery and brazen dec-
laration, Babbitt g. Lawrence produced
proof that Sheriff McPhillips had been
paid his fees for serving the paper This
overwhelming evidence that he had re-
ceived the writ of attachment dlscon-
certed Sheriff McPhilllps and he made
the plea he has So often made, that cit
must have been misIaid."
BEGGED FOR MERCY.
He promised to searcn for it. The in
dignatiOn of the law firm at McPhillips'
course in this case was great, and he was
told, in forcibe language that the
carelessness of the Sheriff had
barassing position with their clients. Nc
Phillips begged like whipped schoolboy
for mercy and began search for the
missing important paper
1t was found after a long search and
then McPhiiiips condescended to execute
1t. Thus, after delay of six months. O
writ of attachment that had required i'm
mediate service, was finally executed.
When l called on Mr.. Babbitt today
and asked him if the above story was
correct he reluctantly admitted it was.
McPhillips when he sought the office,
for he then supposed McPhillips
would make a good Sheriff. He reluct-
antly said he was compelled to admit
that he had been mistaken and that he
bad been disappointed in McPhillips as
Sheriff.
GOOD EFFECTS PRODUCED.
'The work The NEWS is doing is hav-
ing a good effect" said man at the
Court House today. 81 have not seen
anyone drunk in the Sheriff's office In
three or four days, and 1t looks to me ms
il the Sheriff had given orders to
have his papers arranged in meth
odical manner. 1t Is too bad
that McPnillips did not employ capable
man TO take charge of his office when he
was absent. His income from the Office
is very large, and there is DO excuse for
his parsimonious action OF employing
cheap help, which he knew at the time
and knows now is incompetent for want
of experience.