The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-23
ASPLEND|DSYSTEM
Clerk OF the Court Russ
Valuable Departure.
All Moneys for Orphans in His Office
Draw laserest---knnuaI State
ment of Clerk Of Superior
Court OF Wake.

Elsewhere in today's paper we print the
detailed statement of Mr. W. NJ. Russ,
Clerk of the Superior Court of Wake coua-
ty, tits publication is required by Chap
ter $50, Laws OF 1891 and Chapter A.,
Laws OF 1899, showing all moneys in his
hands, the source from which they are
derived, to whom belonging, and the
amount. The statement is so arranged as
to show the judgment docket and page
upon which each amount will be found
on the civil issue and criminal Judgment
dCcket3 CT the county.
The first part OF tue report deals with
the funds belonging to orphan children
and estates turned over by d. H. Young,
Corner clerk, and with such funds as
have been paid IN to the pres
ent clerk by executors, administrators
and collectors in final settlement OF es-
,aJes, and OF deposits made in various
instances IN lieu of bond.
There is one portion of this report to
which special attention Is directed The
most delicate, most difficult and important
duty devolving upon a Clerk of the Court
i the management of the money of or
phans ami the matters relating to guar
dams executors and administrators. The
best test oil the usefulness OF a Clerk OF
the Court is How does he manage the
funds OF orphans ard dependent persons,
supervise guardians and require reports
from these al charge OF estateS? An eX-
animation OF the report printed in these
columns Will show record which should
be widely known. When he came into
the Office, Mr.. Russ took tie money CT
orphans AMI others turned over to him
by his predecessor and deposited it IN
savings banks where it has drawn in
terest at four per cent. In four years
this means that sixteen per cent has been
added 10 the value OF ali such trust funds.
Mr. Russ is the first clerk in Wake 20
have adopted this plan, and the add
tiCnal sums that wards OF the court nave
obtained have been most helpful. In the
cases where the fund has been small this
interest has given greatly needed com
forts TO orphan children. Mr.. Russ has
several times had orphans or others 10
write that he had paid them more than
was coming 90 them. One returned the
interest item which he said was in excess
ol the amount due. He did not know his
money had been drawing interest and
when it was explained to him he was, as
may be supposed, greatly pleased
The example of securing interest on all
sums, great and small, left with the clerk
can now be followed by most of the
clerks of the courts in the State: for most
OF them are in near reach of savln;.S
banks The day was when clerk could
not get interest on small sums belonging
10 heirs left in his hands. That was
The. era before savings banks. Now 1t
ia easy for all clerks in large towns and
ccmparG lively easy for clerks removed
from towns having savings banks to &c
rcsit all amounts at interest. There are
Two arguments for this course: 1. 1t in
creases the fund .. 1t tends to make
clerks more careful by keeping their ac-
counts SEPARATE. The time was, before
banks. when some public officials put all
moneys together in q safe and did not
keep moneys of different parties separate
I. was partly because of this that in net
q few instances clerks going out OF Office
left trust funds in some confusion, and
in some instances orphans lost from this
loose system.
MIR. Russ has a system that is as nearly
perfect as can be and it would be good
thing if the splendid system he has put
in oreration. IS we'll as his putting all
moneys out at interest, could be adopted
in every county in the State that has
not adopted q modern system.