from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
FOURCHER, English law. A French word, which means to fork. Formerly, when an
action was brought against two, who, being jointly concerned, mere not bound
to answer till both appeared, and they agreed not to appear both in one day;
the appearance of one, excused the other's default, who had a day given him
to appear with the other: the defaulter, on the day appointed, appeared; but
the first then made default; in this wanner they forked each other, and
practiced this for delay. Vide 2 Inst. 250; Booth, R. A. 16.