Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-01-27
JoBBERs TO FIGHrTHE MEASURE.
Chamber of Com nerce Adverse to Cutting
on the Authority of Justices.

There was light gathering OF the
members OF the Chamber OF Commerce
last evening. the object OF the meeting
being tOdiScuSs Senate Bill No. ~, prcNl-
Dusty introduced in the House, and now
in the hands OF the Judiciary Commit
tee. which provides for abbrevating the
authority Of Justices Of the Peace in the
matter OF securing claims. The full
text OF bill No. 10 is as follows:
b, y enacted by tho Legislature 0f Vest
Tirgipia. That section sixteen OF chapter
fifty. of the Code of West Virginia Second
edition. be amended and re-enacted so as
to read as follows;
"The civil jurisdiction of Justice shall
not extend TO any action unless the cause
Of action arose in his county. or the defend
ant. or one Of the defendants, re-
side therein, or being non-resl-
dent of the State. is formal, or has
effects or estate within the county, pro-
tridei hJireu,i, that such jurisdiction shall
not extend TO any action where the cause OF
action arose ont of this State, in which the
plaintiff seeks TO enforce against a non
resident OF this State, his claim by attach
mcnt. unless the defendant be personally
served with process, or voluntarily ap
pears in the action. and if the defendant be
I not personally served with process, and
does not voluntarily appear 10 said action
| the same shall a6ate.
Mr.. NJ. Hubbard was made Chairman OF
the meeting, in the absence OF President
! Quarter, Secretary Hazlett being pres
lent. The Secretary said the bill was OF
the deepest concern to all the iO6berS,
land explained the disastrous effect
which would attend its passage; In
effect that it would abolish the iursdic-
ton of Justices, and utterly prevent the
securing OF claims OF less than $40 by
attachment. IL was believed that IL
would have serious effect upon the
. iubberS throughout the State, - there
would be large number OF claims lost
in this way every year. III a
iobber has a claim Of so and some cents
there will be no way Of collecting it, as
the Circuit Court has no jurisdiction
over sums less than $50. 1t was the
opinion Of one of the members present
that the bill was practically Introduced
by one of the prominent railroads here
abOutS. backed by other similar corpo-
rations, the chief object being 70 pre-
vent the attachment Of the wages OF the
employees Of the roads working for
them in other States In other words the
railroad companies do not want TO be
/ bothered by attachments. Another
point In the bill looked upon as
still further emphasizing the end to be
desired was the fact that one would
have to get personal service on the de-
| fcndent, which is not always an easy
thing to do, where the parties live in
other States. Secretary Hazlett said
/ that several of the jobbing houses on
1 the street had written personal letters
TO the representatives 10 get them TO
work against the measure. The bill
! has not yet been reported or printed.
aud is now In the hands OF the Judiciary
Committee, and lest 1t might come up
/ for passage at an early date, the fol-
lowing resolution was drawn up by the
members of the Chamber, read and
passed:
/ Resolrcd. That we respectfully protest
against the passage Of Senate Bill No. ~,
or any bill the object OF which is todeprive
Justice of the Peace Of jurisdiction in
cases OF attachment where the cause of the
action arose ia another State.
The merchants Of West Virginia, by
! their travelling men. are compelled TO sell
7 large quantities OF goods in the adjoining
States and should a bill of this character
! become law they would lose many claims
which they are now able to collect by at
tachments before justices. where they find
the property on credits OF their debtors in
the State The minimum Jurisdiction Of
the Circuit Court being 5000, under law
Of this character there would be no Court
I IL.
OF this character for less sum than so 90
could be prosecuted.
A copy Of the resolution was ordered
to be sent Immediately to the respective
representatives at the Legislature.