West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1893-09-28
THE COUNTY CLERKS OFFICE.
A Statement From Mr.. .. N. Heer-
mans, the Deputy Clerk Of the
County Court.
KINawooD, w. VA,
Sent. 25, Q3.
To THE EDITOR ARGUS -

| appearing IN laSJ week lSBuO OF
tho ARGUS in relation to the County
Clerks office, and the County
Court. i presume the ARGUS did
not purposolY mislead its readers
regarding the matter, however the
article docs create many wrong inn
presslons. Tho editor OF the
ARGUS states that "snco George A.
Walls resigned MS Deputy, the busl-
ness of the office has been very
badly behind and in bad shape gem
orally." | thank the ARGUS hear
tily for tho inslnuation that the
present Deputy has folded his arms
and done nothing during the six
months nc has been ut work in the
County Clerks Office. The public,
the Clerk and Mr.. Brown himself
know better than that. The work
aud business OF the Office is in ms
good shape as it generally is at this
time of the year, following the
laborious duties of the July term !;
considering, of course, fhe fact that
the new Deputy has not the benefit
of fifteen years Of experience in the
Office. as had Mr. Walls, which
made him competent and thor
ough Deputy.
In behalf Of Mr.. Martin, it is
only fair to say that in tho matter
OF writing up the Court proceedings
he has followed tho customs laid
down by his predecessors. The
ARGUS would create. the impression
that all at once the County Clork
has thrown the affairs Of the County
and the public into "terrible
mess" The very facts which the
ARGUS has mentioned, have existed
as a custom for forty years. Not
recently, but since 6cJor0 tho war it
has been the custom Of the Court
to adjourn as soon as its labors
were over, leaving the proceedings
to be written up by the Clerk dur
ing vacation, and to DO signed by
the President when convenient to
him. An old citizen says that
when General Fairfax was President
Of the Board, be would ride up to
town weeks after tho adjournment
OF Court, and sign the proceedings.
Even Mr.. Walls, who was the
"main-stay" of the county, as the
ARGUS would say, did not have the
proceedings Of the July term ready
for the Court to approve before
adjournment.
There are two reasons why this
custom has been followed. First,
1t enables the County Court to ad-
jouFn nearly two weeks earlier than
it can do il compelled to cit here
until the proceedings are fully en-
tered, to sign them saving Che
County $40 per day OF about 5000
each term. Is this not an item TO
consider? Secondly, as has been
the custom, at the July term the
1000 claims allowed can be entered
into the delivery book, made out
and delivered to the people, most
Of whom arc always very anxious to
obtain their orders early. fully one
month earlier than If the claims
were first to be assorted under the
different heads alphabetically,
entered into tho Delivery book and
also the Court Order book, in order
that the Court can sign them before
their adjournment. Only one per-
son can work at this at q time.
Clerk Martin is IN no way respon-
Ible for this convenient method,
adopted years ago and so recently
discovered to be illegal. II tho
Court is willing to sit here for
nearly month, at the expense OF
the County, the clerks will cheer
fnlly aud even prefer writing up
the proceedings referred to before
adjournment. Neither is this pres
ont Court at all responsible. They
simply followed tho precedent mado
by the Court Of former years. n
in the wrong, tho County Court Is
to be called to halt by tho States
Attorney, as has been done. I 10
not dispute tho lrrogularity Of tie
method. Neither can any ono Dis
pute the great convenience and saw
ing Of money which This method bias
caused Che people generally. each
year IL makes splendid political