The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-31
OF STATE WIDE
SIGNIFICANCE
SUIT AFFECTING %ABSTRACTORs
AND CLERKS OF COURTS.
II Field Wins at Fergus Falls Alb
!, stractors Will Be Enabled to Keep
Judgment Dockets of Their Own;
Otherwise, They Will Have to Go
to the Clerks Of Courts.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal
Fergus Fails, MINI. Dec. 31.--A suit wa
begun in the district court here to-day
which will be of interest to abstractOrS
and clerks of court. About two years ago
n. F. Field, a5Iocal abstractor, purchased
a copy Of the judgment record from Clerk
of Court HANSON and Mr.: Hanson has
since been supplying him with uncertified
copies Of judgments and satlsfactlons TO
enable him to keep up his docket.
The clerk receives a salary, and turns
his office fees into the county treasury,
but as these We're for uncertlhed copies,
he has not turned the money IN. In NO.
vember the grand jurysbrought in a rec
ornmendation that he be sued to recover
the fees and with the first of the follow
ing month he notified Mr.. Field that he
did not wish to continue to furnish him
with COPIES Of the papers filed. Mr. Field
thereupon rendered deposit of so and
made formal demand for certified cop
ies of all judgments and satisfactions, pay
ment to be made at the rate provided by
law until the deposit was exhausted Mr.
Hanson refused to comply, and Mr.. Field
has applied to Judge Baxter for writ or
mandamus.
The question at issue is whether the
clerk is compelled to furnish certified cop
les under a blanket order Of this kind, or
whether the person calling for them must
furnish the name of each individual re-
Mr.. Field purposes to carry the case to
the, supreme court If necessary. If it is
decided In his favor, abstractors will be
enabled to keep Judgment dochets of their
OWni if decided against him. they will
have to go. to the clerks of court for Ger
ti1cates as to judgment. ' r ... '.
Ninth District Debate
The first debate In the ninth district
series, which was postponed on account of
4ln ,CY ~ ,ol p Of
take place in this city on Friday evening,
Jan. s, between the high school teams Of
Fergus Falls and East Grand Forks.
Rev. Mr.. HeathCOte, the Wadena minis
ter, who has been in Jail here for beating
his wife, was released to-day, having
served his thirty days sentence. He ap-
pears to be thoroly penitent and says he
will never go thru such an experience
again. He has held services among the
prisoners while here. He comes from q
wealthy English family and received a
gift Of Sl,5C0 from home during his incar-
ceration. His wife began an action for
divorce immediately after his commitment
but it is understood they have been recon-
ciled, and the suit will be withdrawn.
Red Lake Merchant Bankrupt.
Martin Bothun, Red Lake merchant,
fled a. bankruptcy petition here to-day.
the heaviest single claim listed being that
OF Miss Hhea Knutson. who holds a judg-
ment for $500 for breach of PROMISE The
judgment was obtained during the pres
ent year. His total assets are 1882 25
and his liabilities s2,271.53.
N. f. Oppegaard began an action in the
district court here to-day to secure a
divorce from his wife Marie Oppegaard,
on the ground Of desertion. The plaintiff
Is 63 and the defendant 61. ...-
Pelican River Dam Goes Out,
A telephone message from Elizabeth
announces that the dam in the Pelican
river there has gone out the trouble being
due to hulgfng of the ice which is un-
usually thick this season The A. A.
freeman flour mills have been operated
from the dam.