The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-12-14

CT January, 1892. Seine doubt is expressed
whether the grand and petit jurors sum
Tnoned in December, 1901, under existing
law, to serve in the early part of 1902
can legally render service as jurors in
view of the fact that the laws under
which they are drawn are repealed by
the code The amendment simply pro-
vides that the jurors drawn under exist
ing laws shall serve out their terms, not
wlthstanding such repeal
Sections So and 95S: Under the ex-
istirr law OF the District an illegitimate
child cannot inherit from its mother, even
when the mother dies having no other
near relatives These sections II the code
allow an if;egitimatc child to take either
personal property or real estate from It's
mother on her death. The amendments
provide thai this change in the law does
not apply when the mother at the time
the code goes into effect is insane and
shall continue TO be insane until her
death The reason Of this is that
mother CT an illegjtimate child who while
of sound mind had elected to die intes
tate because the law would give her prop
erty TO her other relatives would not in
the executed case be able 20 make viii
giving her property to those to whom she
wished ii to 60. Where such child has
a mother Of sound mind. it is. of course
competent for her. if she does not wish
the child to have It, to make a will Civ
ing it to some one else.
Recording of Deeds.
Section 499: As this section is incor-
porated in the code it is capable Of con-
struction that deed not recorded within
three months from its date would not be
good even as between the original parties.
The amendment is intended to make it
with reference to the rights of others than
parties to the instrument itself
Sections so to $50. These sections re
late to assignments and releases of mort
CAGES OF deeds of trust In the code they
are substantially in the form in which
they were prepared By Judge Cox in the
first draft OF the code They seem to
have been taken IN q large part from the
Maryland code Numerous questions and
difficulties were suggested in regard to
them. Finally number OF attorneys IA
miIiar with the Maryland practice in this
regard were consulted with and the mat
ter carefully and thoroughly examined,
and It was concluded that these sections
would give rise TO a great deal of litiga-
! ton and that their usefulness was at least
doubtful. No serious objection IS made to
the practice which has obtained in the
District for many years in regard to as
signments and releases of deeds OF trust.
Common-Iaw mortgages are practically
unknown in the District Fer these Tea-
sons it was thought best that these sec
tions be struck cut
To Put an End to BIacLnaiIinE-
Section S45a: This is a new section in
tended to prevent in the future a system
Of Matchmaking owners of real estate
which has been pursued II the District by
certain persons. tc their great profit and
to the great injury Of honest landowners
MuIJItudes Of deeds purPorting 70 trans
fer CT encumter certain real estate IN the
District in which the granIoTs had not
the shadow Cf claim have been exc
cuted and recorded for the sole purpose
OF forcing the owners Of the land affected
10 nav q round sum for z qUitcIaIm deed.
It viii be seen that the act only applies
where the deed is recorded ElaliciCusly
and with the intent TO extort money.
Section 1858: This seetion-a very
Ionz One-reguiates the taking Of deposit
lions de bene esse in cases pending in the
courts Of the District of Columbia 4 few
changes in the section as It stands in the
code have been made, but owing to its
importance and the constant reference
that will be made to 1t IN court, II was
thought proper, instead Of merely specify
ing the amendments. to repeat the section
with the amendments. All the amend
IIlents nov proposed are TO correct diff
CuIties that have arisen or have been
suggested as likely to arise under the
section as il is found in the code
Section 107a. This is a new section,
the object Of which is to allow the presid-