Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-30
PROCESS-SERYERS ARE Willy
They Must Have Grit and Cum
ming to be Successful.
SOME OF THE TRICKS PRACTlSED
Women Often More Fortunate
Than Men.


Now York Advertiser.
The difficulties which lawyers expert
ence in securing the service of suhpnnas
has given rise to n class Of persons in
New York who devote their time and en-
ergy to the serving of papers. The pro-
cess-seryer, as he is called, must be Il man
of grit and cunning. Sometimes the pro-
cess-seryer is u woman. Where diplo-
macy and tact are required, women are
more successful than men, frequently.
The business of the pruceSS-servrr is by
no means confined to the poorer classes.
He is often called upon TO outwit the
merchant and the millionaire, and he
seldom fails in his object. The process
server is a valuable aid in eases where de-
lays are dangerous, and if his methods
are questionable sometimes, the good re.
suits are nndeniable.
Much difficulty was experienced in
serving n paper on the wife of n we'll
known General. After repeated at
tempts the process-server hid nnder II
snowbank and waited the approach of the
family sleigh. The woman caught sight
of him and nudged her husband, who in
turn instructed the coachman to drive
round the house to the rear door. The
process-seryer followed quickly and us
che woman was about TO enter the
kitchen door, he bounded nimhly
up the stop and placed his foot
between the door and the door
jamb, preventing hcr from closing
the door. Then followed trial of
strength between the two, to which the
general and his coachman, who compla-
Gently sat in the sleigh. were interested
spectators. Tho womnns strength gave
way finally, the door flew open. and the
process-servcr was prccpitatcd to the
floor. He served the summons. however,
and, after leaving the house. he was
chased by the husband, who called out to
him to wait and he arrested
The papers served in suit against the
Manhattan Railway Company brought
many experiences to the process servers.
One of these men had occasion TO serve
the President of telephone company,
who is also n director of the railway
company. He was told that The official
was not in. Without word the PROCESS
server jumped over the office railing and
made for the private office. The clerks
ran after him, tisslc rnsucd and he was
thrown to the floor. Tables were upset,
ink bottles We're spilled and there was
general confusion. At this inncturc the
official poked his head out of the door to
see what the row was about. The nrn-
eess-server managed TO free his right hand
in which he held heavy bundle of papers
With quick movement he fired them 1T
the officials head and caught him full in
the face, at the same time calling out the
summons.
Tho official said: II like your grit, but
] don't like your method of doing bust
ness
The countryman dodge is by no means
confined to the slcuths and Sherlock
Holmeses. The process-server has put it
to good use many times. A well-known
capitalist has a brother-in-law who look.,
very much like him. The process-server
summoned the hrothcr-in-law by mistake
one day and concluded to get posted as to
the capitalists appearance before he tried
again. He bought a number of illus.
trated newspapers containing cuts of the
great man and they differed so that he
found himself more in the dark than ever
He then went to the elevated railroad
station nearest the capitalists office, dis
grised as Il countryman. After proffcr.
ing his nickel to the gatckeeper and in,
him off his guard, he engaged the man in
conversation, and said that he had becr
greatly disappointed in his visit to New
York, as he had hoped to see Mr.. -
the great capitalist, and had failed. TIL,
gateman told him that the capitalist came
along that way daily about 6 p. m.
Go way said the countryman
"Then I'll wait"
The subterfuge succeeded, for when thu
capitalist appeared, his arm full of bun
dies, the paper was served on him.
A proeess-server who had found il i'm
possible to see a comic opera queen whom
he mad been sent to summon as witnes,
went to the stage manager, offered him
self as super and was engaged. A
night he made his appearance with TIL
rest of the extras" but at the fall Of th
curtain he played star part. Before til,
singer could go to her dressing room tn,
paper was served and the down-troddel
super" made n triumphant exit.
The proeess-server unearths strang
facts in his Investigations. 1t was nee
essary to serve papers recently on an in
sllrance man. He could not be seen n
his Office, and no one knew where he wen
when he left his office in the evening. TIL
process-seryer discovered that the insu
ance man of the daytime played the par
of colored comedian in Il continuoil
performance show at night. Even hi
most intimate friends were astonished n
the disclosure.
A proeess-server was called unon I
serve German expressman who lives i
New Jersey town and whose office is i
this city. Knowing that pancr had hec
issued for him the man avoided his ofrfrr
As service is not legal unless made i
the State, it was necessary for thp nrf
cess-servers to lure their victim ncrns
the river. They succeeded in doing !,
by pretending they had a large number n
Trunks to be transferred. The eypres,
Han. eager for the job, came to town fra,
w. suburban home one cold winter NOR,
aSr. He met his supposed customers i
his office with great cordiality. Afte
having enjoyed his wine and cigars III
process-servers produced their paper an
served it.
process-seryer had occasion to sorry
woman uptown, and experienced muc
dlfhculty in seeing her. He craWlc
through the coal-hole in tho sidewaI
ilnally. The woman heard him comm,
and as he poked his head through the 90
lar door she hit him with a poker. III
process-server threw the paper at her an
hit her full in the face, thereby scryin
the summons.
FOR two years attempts had bccn mad
TO serve paper on the wife of n Brood
lyn contractor. Finally, one Of the Gel
Try, more audacious than the rest. h
upon plan. He, went 10 the house /
midnight, and after prowling around di