The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-24
The Legislature.


The following is a very full digest of the
| work of the Legislature:
STATUTE TINKERING IN GENERAL
If any one thinks the Legislature has no
done its part towards muddling, or as some
would have it, perfecting the statutes, let him
look at the following list of additions ant
| lamentations which cannot be classified under
| any general head:
Act amending sec. chap. 1873 R. s., relating
to fugitves from justice such as bank robbers
| which empowers only Justices of the Supreme
Court, on application Of the Attorney General
or any county attorney in any county where the
offence is com mitted, to offer reward not ex
ceeding $1,000 for the arrest OF any accused per
son who has escaped from the state.
Act amending sec. chap. 81 r. s, relating
to mortgages on personal property by striking
| out the final sr'' in the word ''mortgager" on
the - line and inserting ''e' therefor
and Sec Z chap. Is laws of 1875, relating to du
ties OF County Commissioners. [Can't tell
what it means.
Act amending Sec chap 81 R. s., relating
to auc:ioneers, which provides that municipal
officers may license suitable persons for auc
tioneeIs, and that persons SO licensed shall be
exempt from any liability to deduct % per cent
from the gross amount of sales as provided in
sections 3.
An act providing for the organization OF
business corporations 1t provides that all
corporations except banking, insurance, rail
road, savings banks, trust companies, safe de-
posit companies and telegraph companies may
be organized the same as is now provided for
manufacturing companies. The capital stock
ct road companies shall not be less tn an $4,000,
or more than $500, 900
Act amending sect. 65. chap. Is, s., relat-
IN o. ndad hu oh on
215 OF the laws of 1874, so that an action for
damages sustained or death caused by any de.
feet in public highway, must be begun within
a year after such injury, and further that no.
flee must be given to the municipal officers of
the town or city responsible for the safety of
the ways within forty days after such injury
stating the nature of the injury and of the de-
feet in the way. 1t also appears that the town
officers must have had notice OF the defect be-
fore the action can hold
Act amending sec 38,chap. 81, r. S., so that
innholders can sell the unclaimed baggage of
guests in arrears for board under the same pro
visions as express companies sell unclaimed
parcels.
Act amending Sec g. chap n, r. S.. relating
to equity powers by adding a new specification
which no one but lawyer can understand.
Act authorizing assignees of judgments to
bring scire fdcias
Act providing for the framing of issues in
equity cases. No one except lawyer has any
business with this.
An act permitting the defendants to give
bonds in trustee processes. III provides that the
defendant may give bond to pay such judg-
ments and costs as have accrued within thirty
days from the date of final Judgment, which
releases the trustees from any further liability
in the matter
An act amending chap. s., sec. 1, R. S, re-
lating to libraries, charitable societies, ETC., so
as to include in the list of societies that NAV
organize under that section, oranges OF Patrons
of Husbandry.
An act to amend sec. IS, chap. 81, R S., re.
lating to the partition of real estate which pro-
vides that the expense of the partition shall be
divided equitably among the owners of the
properly divided; and in case any neglect to
pay their portion an execution may be issued
against them.
An act amending Sec II and Is, CHI SO, R. S.
relating to the solemnization of marriages by
which all persons solemnizing marriages
shall keep record of such as are solem-
Dized by them and by the fifteenth of
each month make return thereof for the pre-
ceding month instead of annually before the
18th of April as now provided. The penalty of
neglect is $50.
An act amending sec. IA, Oh. 142 r. S., SO
that one of the trustees of the reform school
visit and inspect the institution and once in
three months majority of the board shall in
spect the condition of the inmates, accon nts,
etc, Of the school.
An act amending Sec B, CHI. 81, r. s. relating
to married women so that it she'll read as fol-
lows: ''She may prosecute and defend suits at
law or in equity, either of tort or contract in
her own name, without the joinder of her hus-
band. for the preservation and protection of her
property and personal rights, or for the redress
OF her injuries as if unmarried, or may do it
jointly with her husband, and the husband
shall not settle or discharge any such action or
cause OF action without the written consent of
the wife, Neither of them can be on such writ
q n ho q int
action respecting his wife's property.
An act amending Oh. 81, laws of 1872, relat-
ing to foreclosures of mortgages on real estate
so that all the modes prescribed for the forclos-
ure of mortgages for three years shall apply to
special cases when the time is made less than
three years.
An act providing further remedies for the
collection OF state taxes upon corporations TIT
provides that such taxes may be recovered by
an action OF debt or of case, to be brought by
the state in the county where the corporation
has its place of business and in case of railroads
in any county where the ecompany's track is.
An act amending Sec z eh. 256, laws of 1874,
relating to commitment of insane persons
which provides that certified copy of the ply
sician's certificate shall accompany the person
to be committed.
An act amending Sec III, ch. 50 r. s., rela-
ting to divisions of accounts" SO that when
the plaintiff brings divers suits at the same
term OF court against the same party, or d.
vides an account that might have been in one
action. and commences several suits thereon,
he shall recover suits on but one of them, and
on only one judgment shall execution run
against the body of the defendent.
An act additional to CHI 81 R. S. relating to
factors and warehouse-men. which provides
that goods stored in public warehouse shall
pass to a.pnrchaser, or Pledge by endorsement
OF such purchaser of the warehouse-man's re-
eeipt thereof, signed by the person to whom
the receipt was originally given, or by an in
dorsement or the receipt; that goods stored in
public warehouse may be attached as the
goods of the person named iu the warehouse
mans receipt therefor when no Endorsement of
such receipt has been recorded on the ware.
hOuSe-man'S books and may also be attached
as the goods of the last indorser of the receipt,
aud such attachment is valid against any
transfer of such goods; that whoever disposes
OF warehouse man's receipt after the same
has been attached without disclosing the fact
shall be punished by fine not exceeding $4,000
and imprisonment not exceeding three years;
and that all persons advertising to receive
goods or storage for others shall be deemed a
warehouse Inan.
THE PROBATE LAW, ETC.
The following amendments and additions
have been made to the statutes relating to the
powers and duties of officers an administrators,
executors, etc.:
An act authorizing nonresident guardians of
nonresident heirs to recover their property and
estate within this state. [Guardian must have
letters of administration from probate authori =
ties in the state where he resides and present
the necessary bonds etc. He is also required
to pay all demands against the estate of said
guardian before the property is transferred
Az act amending third sec. 8, cb. 70, r. S. ex-
tending the time in which assignees shall file
their inventories in Probate court to twenty
days.
An act so amending sec. /, CHI. 81, laws
of 1873, so that Judges of Probate are author
lied to change the names of such persons as
petition therefor, and on cases of minors, when
their guardians so petition.
Act amending sec. 49, ch II, R. S., SO that
administrators and executors of deceased per-
sons can carry out contract made by such be-
fore death to sell real estate.
An act additional to CHI 70. R S.. relating