The Twin City star., 1916-07-29
VALUABLE WORK ON LAW.

B. cosey to Lawyers and Laymen.
Attorney Alfred Bonito Cosey Of
Newark and the New Jersey bar has
compiled for the use of the busy law
yer a compendium of English and
American law on title record with
practice and procedur supported by
English and American decisions. In
the preface to his book the author
says:
1.-THE purpose Of this book is to pre-
sent in a condensed form the origin.
history, object, use, constitutionality
and construction Of the American and
English recording and registry laws
and record title and index thereof; the
distinction between them: when, how
and by whom deeds and other written
instruments conveying real or personal
property or interest therein shall be
acknowledged, proved, witnessed, re-
corded, filed or title registered, the
number Of witnesses required; with
references to-. American and English
statutes and decisions, together with
the practice and procedure thereon,
and the duties of the recording officer
or register"
The book contains 415 pages, is cloth
bound and looks exactly what it is-a
law book-a reference book packed
from cover to cover with a mass Of
useful legal information which every
young beginner in the law should have
in his library and every old practition-
er within easy reach on busy days.
Mr.. Cosey has rendered a distinct
service to the members of his profess
sion in preparing for their use vol
ume Of such incalculable service to
lawyers and laymen. To know what to
do and how to do 1t with exactness
and certainty is set out with great
minuteness of detail in "Cosey on Title
Of Record"
1t Is the most ambitious undertaking
by Negro disciple of Blackstone in
the United States Of America. With
the exception of a small work by the
late D. A. Straker Of Michigan this is
the first legal work from the pen Of
a Negro lawyer in this country which
has come to my notice, says John E.
Bruce "Grit."
In Africa, Haiti and other West In
dia islands Negroes write law books
that stand the test Of critical examina-
ton. The late ]. Mensoh Larbah's
"Fanti Customary Laws" have been
adopted by the English courts on the
Gold Coast, Africa, as standard author
ity on native laws. Cosely Hayford's
"Gold Coast Native Institutions" Is a
learned legal deflnition-interpretation
Of the tribal laws Of West Africa
which Englishmen are learning to re-
spect.
Mr.. Sarbah was in his lifetime ac-
knowledged as the ablest Of the many
able lawyers on the Gold Coast Cose-
ly Hayford now occupies that position
at the Gold Coast bar. This book Of
Mr.. Cosey's is really worth while. It
is a decidedly valuable contribution to
our racial literature and should have
wide reading. Every Negro attorney
throughout the country should possess
copy Of "Cosey on Title Of Record"
I have known Mr.. Cosey for over twen-
ty years and have always believed that
he was one day going to do something
to make himself famous. He has done
the trick and deserves, and should
have, the commendation and the sub
stantial encouragement Of the mem
bers Of his profession, for whom he
has performed service which should
not be lightly regarded. for the man
who writes a law book, with all its
dry, uninteresting detail, is worthy to
rank with Job for endurance and pa
tience.