The Jersey City news., 1899-11-06
"Yours very truly, :.
"JOHN q. FTSHER.

cular which is correct ssYou have known
me for wears" he says, and he is right;
the lawyers OF Hudson county have
known Mr. Fisher for several years, as
this letter will show
Jersey city, N. J., Oct. g 1895. s
Hon. John G. Fisher, Clerk OF Huosoh
County, New Jersey.
Dear Sir-The undersigned members OF
the Bar of Hudson county, New Jersey,
hereby respectfully request that you SO
increase the clerical force in your ofileee
as to have indexed In blotters al the emu
of each day the various papers nls9 ~
torily in most IL not all, OF the otner
offices at the Court House
Dickinson. Thompson & MdMaster.
Wallis Edwards & Bumsted.
VredeIdburgh & Garretson.
Collins & Eorbin.
McGee, Bedle & Bedle.
William Brinkerhoff.
GIudspeth & PuSter.
New Jersey Title and Abstract GO.
T. Herbert Potts.
Wan Wrinkle & Klink.
Garrick & Ewald.
d. II Zabriskie-
C. b. Hughes.
Isaac s. Taylor.
William c. Spencer.
Earle InSley.
Charles H Hartshorne.
Charles w. Fuller.
Edwin Manners.
Linn & SDeer
Williams & Edwards.
William Gebhardt.
Isaac IF. GeldenhoFn.
CoWles & Carey
Ciarrick & Wortendyke.
John Griffin.
Frederick Frambach. Jr.
William G. II. See.
NJ NJ T. Beekman.
George G.. Tenant.
John T.. Keller
U2olS}iitf e. Lawrence.
The condition of affairs which produced
this petition was brought about by the
niggardly economy which Mr.. Fisher IN
troduced into the office as soon as ne
took possession. If this system had peen
taken up by Mr.. Fisher in the interests
of the taxpayer and the county treasury
was to be benefited by it there might nave
been some excuse for its adoption. But
as Mr.. Fishers own selfish interests were
alone the beneficiary of his peculiar
method. as the lower the expenses OF the
Office the higher his individual profits,
there was no palliation whatever for his
offense.
Tn addition to this, however, Mr..
Fishers new policy of interested economy
worked positive injury to the citizens nav
ing business with his Office. BY this plan
Of cheese pairing the work Of the office
soon fell away behind. The records were
in horrible condition and such state
of affairs existed in the office as did not
exist in any similar office in the State.
The fndexing, filing and general record
ing OF valuable paper pertaining to suits
was loosely done and it was an extremely
difficult matter to ascertain the true
status of any particular suit Wnen
lawyer or layman wants to ascertain any
thing about a case he goes to the clerks
record or docket, which ought to show
him what papers had been filed IN the
matter and where the case stood up 10
that day But through Mr.. Fisher pohcy
OF economy for private gain, this could
not be done for the simple reason tnat
he did not employ clerks enough to keep
the record up to date. The great injury
which this worked is apparent to all. Mr.
Fishers custom was to stamp paper
as filed on the day it reached his office,
and then place the paper in a pigeon hole
to he entered in the record whenever his
Impaired force of clerks reached. Inat
was the only record there was and if
the papers were lost or mislaid there was
nothing to show that they had ever peen
filed. Under the statute certain suits
must be begun within two years arter the
cause Of action arose. Suppose the SUIT
was begun on the last day allowed ana
in someway or other the defendant steals
the papers from the County Clerks ONCE,
as he could easily do, there would be
nothing to show that the suit was ever
commenced and the time in which to start
the proceedings having expired, the plain
tiff would be deprived and robbed OF his
remedy at law. Then again building con-
tracts could have been extracted from the
clerks office and their absence could nave
been the cause of mechanics, lien cases
Another source OF grave danger Wnich
arose out of this selfish neglect in proper
" conducting the office of County Cierk
pertained to judgments. When Juug-
ment is entered, either py delauit OF silea a,sa
attorney who recovered the Judgment ~
enter the rule for Judgment on the recorSs
Of the court. There is sr BOOK tsa KEEP Kept f 1os!
been entered it Is the duty OF the County
Clerk to index the Judgment. II the clerk
whose sduty it is to index this Judgment
hecause he has more work than he can
al for want of proper assistance. the re-s
suit is that II a lawyer seeks TO know ~
searching against particular piece Of
property what jurgments are entered
81 aagainat ii, he has to hunt all through the
minute book on account OF the clerks
neglect to properly keep up the records
OF his office.
Then there is the recognizanceS book,
which contains the records Of the bonds
given In the criminal courts for the ap-
Dearance for trial Of men under indict-
menr When man Is tried or acquitted
Oh the indictment Is nolie pressed, or the
fsaSe otherwise disposed Of, The way Mrs
|lTIsher disposed Of the recognizance was
Is hun lead pencil through It and crosss
II <fH It can easily be seen how DANGER
ouS< that Waz. Anyone eolns through ths