Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1869-04-23


AN ACT TO PROTECT AND PERSONS
WORKING UNDER CONTRACT ON SHARES
OF CROPS.
Section. 1. BE IL enacted by the Senate
and House Of Representatives Of The State Of
So"M Carolina mo~ mctand sitting IN Gen
eat Assembly, and by the authority Of tie
same, That all contracts made between own.
ers OF land, their agents, administrators or
executors, and laborers, shall be witnessed by
one OF moro disintcrestcd persons, aud at the
request of either party bcduly executed before
aJusticc Of tho Peace or Magistrate, whose
duty it shall be to read and explain the same
to the parties. Such contracts shall clearly
set forth tho conditions upon which the labo-
rer or laborcrs engage to work, embracing tLo
Slength of time, the amount of money to be
paid, and when. If it be on shares of crops,
what portion of the crop or crops.
Soc. 2. That whenever labor is performed
under contraot on shares of crop or crops, such
crop or crops shall be gathered, divided. off lie
fore it is removed from the place where it was
planted, harvested or gathered; such divis.
ions to be made by disintorcstcd persons,
when desired by either party to the contract,
and such disintcrested party shall be chosen
by and with the consent of the contracting
parties. Whenevor the parties fail to agree
upon any disintercsted party, or if complaint
IL made that the division has been unfairly
made, within ten days after such divisions, it
shall DO thS duty Of the Justice Of the Peaco
or Magistrate residing nearest tho place where
zach crop or crops are planted, harvested or
gathered, to cause, under his immediate su.
Pervision, such equitable division as may be
stipulated in the contract. Such disinteres-
tod party, or Justice Of the Peace OF Magis.
trate, shall receive reasonable compensation
for suoh service, to be paid by both of the
contracting parties, according to their several
Interests, except in cases of an attempt to
wilfully dcfraud the other by one of the con.
tracing party then suoh compensation shall
10 paid BY the party so attempting to defraud
tho other when such division has been made;
each party shall be free to dispose Of their
several portions as to him, her or them may
secm fitting: Provided, That if either par.
~ DO III debt to the other for any obligation
incurred under contract, the amount of said
indebtedness may be then and there settled
and paid by such portion Of the share or
shares of tho party 30 indebted as may be
may beagreed upon by the parties themselves,
or sot apart by the Justice of tho Peace or
Magistrate, or any party chosen to divide said
crop or crops.
500. 8. That whenever laborors aro work.
ing on..sbares of crop or crops, or for wages in
money or other valuable consideration, they
shall have a prior lien upon said crop or crops,
In whomaoever hands it might be. Such por-
ton Of tho crop or crops to them belonging,
or ssoh amount of money or other valuable
consideration due, shall DO recoverable by on
action in any Court Of competent jurisdio-
ton.
SEQ. A. That whenever such contract or
contracts are violated or broken, or whenever
fraud is practiced, or attempted to be prao.
tioed, by either party to such contract or con.
-. ~',scre tho conditions of the
tAeSsa w AHH pitHe H''s.'', 'oosed
same arc fulfilled and tho parties Ev.~~-
thersfrom, complaint may DO made before a
Justica1of ths' Peaeeos Magistrate, aY may
DO carried before any Court having jurisdio.
tioaip suoh casos, where the oxtont and cher-.
aoter Of the offence shall be dotesRinpa. IF
the offending party DO the. nd owaor or own
ors, his, her OK their agent or agontsj' and
fraud has boon praotiood, olther in keeping
any account or accounts between him, her or
them and tho other party or payties 70 SUCH
contractor contracts, o. in the division Of the
Drop or crops, or the payment Of money Or