New-York tribune., 1901-11-17
FRANK T. FITZGERALD.

ment adds much 20 the burden OF the two
judges In 1900 more than $50 cares IN which
a question of law was raised-Questons when
required argument by counsel. submission OF
briefs, examinations of authorities and written
decisions by the Surrogates. related exclusively
20 this department.
NUMEROUS SUBDIVISIONS.
Other important branches OF the office. where
in the business OF the court is carried on up to
the point where the decision OF the judges is re-
quired, are the probate administration. guardian
and guardian accounting departments. All OF
these subdivisions of the office headed by
men who hold office by virtue Of their undis-
puted ability and experience. They are experts
who have spent many years in the courthouse,
and are eminently fitted for the posts which
they occupy. To them much credit is given for
the smOOthneSs and dispatch which are so char-
acteristlc of the entire office. And yet each de-
partment has more work 20 attend to than II
should have.
Jacob Washburn. head of the probate depart
rnent. has held office for eight years. lie has
charge OF all the uncontested questions which
relate to the probation of wills George +
ScanneIi has had fourteen years experience as
chief clerk of the administration department
In this division are cared for all uncontested
applications for letters OF administration upon
ntestate estates The guardian division Is in
charge OF John Mooney. His force or clerks at
tends to all applications for the appointment or
guardians OF persons and estates OF INFANTS
they also keep a watchful eye upon annual aC-
counts of guardians which the latter are by law
compelled TO render. Thomas NJ. McDaNitt Is In
charge Of the guardian accounting department
In these various branches of the Surrogate's
Office the head clerk. William Y. Leary, exer-
cises general supervision. He makes "a cata-
logue of the principal points which each
document contains. thus vastly simplifying
the labor of the justices. He relieves them
Of mich Of the preliminary drudgery, and
enables them to make progress The head
clerk of each division goes over preparatory
papers He to II that the proper persons are
cited, and in general is responsible to the judges
that each paper is presented to them In proper
baSr In he q
uncontested cases the work done by the various
departments. and certified to by the head clerks
is readily accepted by the Surrogates- The lat
ter thus relieved Of much routine labor, and
are able to give a proper amount of considera-
tion to contested cases. Papers. the contents Of
which are governed by statute generally receive
the signature Of the Surrogate, as of course.
1t is by this division of labor, which is so char
acterlStic Of American institutions. that the
enormous bulk of business which enters the Sur
rogate's office is satisfactorily disposed Of This
system is sufficiently elastic to permit of gradual
evolution. The scheme works very well With
out it, there would have been great confusion
/ in the years before the machinery Of the
Office called upon to do triple and quadruple
duty. Thus it can be said with sincerity and
truthfulness that the success which the Surro
gates have achieved results in no small degree
from the system of delegated labor quite as
much from the splendid esprit de corps for
which the justices themselves are so largely re-
sponsible. Next to Justices Fitzgerald and
Thomas, perhaps other in the office is
| conversant upon all questions pertaining to
inheritance as William V. Leary Mr.. Leary
y
Those who daily pass the courthouse have
probably oftentimes wondered if it were a large
enough legal home for populous and wealthy
! county such this. The building has a pleas
ing simplicity of outline; it is not lacking in
certain gracefulness of form, but it seems from
the park to he totally inadequate. Such i'm
preston does lack of confirmation the
stranger enters the rather gloomy southern door.
Such impression will be unpleaSanty and
rather strikingly brought home by visit to the
record room. Civic pride is piqued by the aban-
don with which the sole written proof that a
mans property belongs to his heirs is treated
Original wills. proofs of wills, accountingS by
administrators. trustees, executors and guard
ians OF estates; orders and legal what not Of
first Importance seem to be scattered about in a
manner that is puzzing to say the least. One
may put his foot upon pile of papers that rep
resent large New-York estates.
THE CROWDED QUARTERS.
How does this come about? Naturally
enough according to Thomas Marsac, keeper
of the record room.
here" he said yesterday, II have had taken
down from the shelves, to be transferred to a
room in the basement. I've applied for the
basement room but have not yet heard whether
can have it. We are so cramped for space that
the papers which are seldom asked for must be
relegated to more remote quarters. BY remov-
ing them L hope to get little more room for
/. the pounds of material which are thrust
upon me each day..
Come into the next room' he continued
TITS the same state of affairs there-valuable