The broad ax., 1918-10-26

SENATORS and other administrative ON
GERS to account to the heirs, benefciaries
and wards Of many Of those estates.
He enforced the policy that members
Of the family, rather than strangers,
should administer decedent's estates,
adopting q system Of card indiees in
connection with the closing up Of es-
tates.
The bonds Of administrative officers
are the most important part Of the ad-
ministration. Judge Homer has driven
from the Probate Court all ''fake bonds
men" and has examined into bonds Of
all administrators and other admins
trative officers Of this court. The costs
of administration have been rather high
in Cook County, but under the power
granted to Judge Horner by statute, he
has released costs in the smaller estates
where the payment Of costs has been q
burden to the benefeiaries. The amount
released by him in these smaller estates
has amounted to hundreds Of thousands
Of dollars; notwithstanding this, the
clerk Is office has paid over to the county
a profit each year Of his administration
after paying all expenses of maintaining
the Office.
Among other things accomplished by
Judge Horner has been the following:
Secured q reduction in the costs Of
legal publications in the Probate Court
by abolishing what is known as Gre
bates"
Saving the necessity Of taking our
administration in many cases where de-
cedent left but small estate.
Required all "attOrneys-in-faet" re-
eeiving money on behalf Of foreign heirs
to account to the court, showing that
the money was actually paid over to
their principals.
Required the payment of personal
property taxes to the county from es-
tates before they could be closed.
Required administrators and exeeu-
tors to close estates, where practical,
promptly after the year Of administra-
ton.
Established the practice Of person
ally examining minors in open court in
settlement cases for injuries to minors.
Opened up e bureau in connection
with the Probate Court SO that persons
without means may have counsel fur
nished to them gratuitously by the
county.
Established rules requiring notice to
be given to all members Of the family
Of the appointment of conservators and
guardians.
Prepared q revision of the law Of the
State on the subject of the administra-
ton Of deeedent's estates, the admins
trztion Of minors estates, and Of insane
and spendthrift ward estates. On each
Of these subjects Judge Homer has pre-
pared q complete code Of statutory en-
actment and to facilitate and simplify
the procedure and make more efficient
the administration of these estates
work of months and years-introdueed
in the Senate as Bills No. 500, No. $40
and No. ST.. Spent his own money to
further legislation on the subject.
Revised rules Of court.
Work Of the court up to date-prompt
hearings.
President Of the Seventh Exemption
District Neighborhood Committee.
Chairman of Legal Advisory Commit
tee, Eighth District.
Arbitrator in controversies between
employer and union labor-deeisions uni
formly regarded as fair.
Judge Homer has adopted the rule Of
keeping his Office open after hours.
he has. been overwhelmingly endorsed
by ths Chicago Bar Association and the
Lawyers Association. The Chicago Bar
Association says:
"By his administration Of the Office
of Probate Judge during the past four
years, Judge Horner has DEMoNsTRA-
TED his EXCEPTIONAL capacity and