The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-09-06
SETTLED AT LAST.
County Must Pay For Blanks and Stationery.

County Must Pay For Blanks and Stationery.
Even since the passage of the Act
OF 1889 which refers TO the matter of
stationery to be furnished for the sew
eral county Offices by the county,
there has been dispute with county
commissioners as to what is included
in the term Stationery the commits
sioners contending that it included
only envelopes and printed headings
and blank paper, and not the printed
legal blanks.
In December last Prothonotary
Henrie brought suit to recover 500. 10
for blanks and stationery. The case
was submitted to Judge Little under
an agreement as to the facts, and he
filed the following opinion last Mon
day.
OPINION.
The question presented by this case
stated is:-whether the county is IL
able for the payment of the blank
forms or wrlts of summons, scire faci-
as, license blanks, blank forms for
wrlts of execution, blank certificates,
envelopes, etc, required and used by
the Prothonotary and clerk of the sew
eral courts having his office in the
Court House, at the county seat.
The present Act of Assembly relat-
ing to the subject, approved June IS,
1895, reads:-"Be it enacted etc,
that the Act entitled San Act to
authorize and require the County
Commissioners of the several counties
of this Commonwealth to furnish sup
plies and fuel for certain County Of
fcers" approved April IS, 1889, con-
slstlng OF one section which reads as
follows -. be and the same is
hereby amended TO read as follows
That from and after the passage of
this Act the County Commissioners of
the several counties of this Common.
wealth, shall at the proper cost of the
iSopSStiNS touutlCS, iululoll tuC OIllIC
.urnlture, blank books and stationery
required for each of the County of
hcers, whose Offices are located in the
County buildings at the. County seat;
also printed Court Calendars and trial
lists of the respective Courts of Com
mon Pleas for the use of the officers
and attorneys of said Courts and all
needed fuel and light"
1t is urged upon the behalf of the
county that the term STATIONERY" can
not be held to comprise the printed
blank forms used in the Prothonotary's
office; and that all that was intended
by the use of that term, was such ord
mary stationery as is used by the pub
lie in general.
In the case OF the Commonwealth
VS.. Lloyd, to Superior Court Reports
e it is stated that the following prop
ostion has become a legal maxim in
Pennsylvania; "That the title of an
Act is part of the act and guide to
its right construction. The title to
this act is san Act to authorize and
require tbs County Commissioners
= to furnish supplies and fuel" for
certain counties. The greater part of
the supplies to be found in the public
offices at the county seat, consists of
the printed blank forms daily used by
the respective officers. The employ
ment of the term stationery" as
therein used, should not receive the
restricted application contended for
The printed blank forms OF writs, etc,
required and used by the Prothono-
tary and clerk of the Courts, are com
prised within the meaning of the term
stationery" as employed in this Act.
The question before US was decid-
ed by Bell, P. J. in the case of Plum
mer VS.. Blair County, reported in
Lancaster Law Review, Volume IA,
page 1876. 1t was there held ''that
the provision in the Act of 1850 re-
quirlng the County to furnish stat
ionery required includes inventory
and appralsement and proof of death
blanks in the Registers Office"
Now September 3, 1900, judgment
is directed to be entered upon the
case stated in favor of the plaintiff,
and against the defendant for the sum
of 500. 10 and costs of suit.