The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-04-24

AND DUTIES AND TO PRO
| VIDE FOR THE MAINTENANCE
THEREOF.
II 10 hereby enacted by the Genera
Assembly OF the State 81 Vermont:
Secfion /. The office Of state FIR
marshal is hereby established
Sec. a The insurance commissions
shall he ex-officio state Ere marshal
and he 10 hereby authorized to appoln
a deputy Ere marshal whose duties shal
be TO assist him as state Are marshal
and in case OF the absence OF inabilit,
OF tina, officer. to perform the dutici
OF the Office.
Sec. / The fire marshal or thu
deputy FIRE marshal, the chief Of the frs
department in every city or incor'
poraied village In which a paid FIRE de-
partinent is established, the president
or the chairman OF the board OF trustees
in case there Is no president. Of incor-
poraied villages and the first selectmen
OF towns are authorized to investigate
the cause, origin and circumstances OF
every fire occurring in any such city,
village or town in which property has
been destroyed or damaged, when the
damage exceeds fifty dollars, except that
all fires OF unknown origin shall be re-
ported and they shall make special in
vestigation az to whether any fire was
the result OF carelessness, accident or
design.
Sec. 1 Such investigation shall be
begun within FIVE days after the occur
renee OF such FIRE or as soon thereafter
AZ il appears that there is cause there
for. and the FIRE marshal or the deputy
FIRE marshal shall have the right to
supervise and direct such investigation
whenever he deems II necessary or ex-
pediert.
Sec. S. The officer making an investi-
CATION OF fire, a. provided In the pre-
ceding sections, shall forthwith notify
the fire marshal and shall within one
week after the occurrence Of the kre,
furnish to him a written statement OF
all facts relating to the cause and
origin of the fire and shall give him
such other information as may be called
for on blanks furnished by the FIRE
marshal. Whenever il may seem to be
for the public good, the insurance COM
missioner shall personally visit and in
vestigate any fire in accordance with
the provisions of this act, and he shall
be repaid all expenses incident thereto
out OF the funds provided for in this
act
Sec. 6. The state FIRE marshal shall
keep in his Office q record Of all fires
in this state and Of all the
facts concerning the same, including
statistics as to the extent Of such fires
and the damage caused thereby, and
whether such losses were covered by
insurance and, If so, in what amount.
Such record shall be made daily from
The reports made to him under the pro-
visions of this act. All such records
,hall be public, except testimony taken
In an investigation under the provi
lions Of this act which the state fire
marshal in his discretion may withhold
rom the public.
Sec. ?. The state f,re marshal shall,
when in his opinion, further investiga-
ion is necessary, take or cause to be
aiken. the testimony under oath OF all
persons supposed to have knowledge OF
my facts, or to have means Of knowl-
.dge relating 10 any FIRE or matter re-
,arding which an examination is herein
equired to be made, and shall cause the
anne to be reduced to writing II the
tate FIRE marshal or deputy FIRE mar
hal, after making such investigation,
5 OF the opinion that there is prob
BILE cause to believe person guilty
Il the crime of arson, or of an attempt
r. N{ NJ n |
to defraud, or Of any Grim
nal, conduct in connection with such
res, he shall furnish to the states
ttorney a copy OF all such testimony
ogether with the names and residences
( witnesses and all necessary informa
ion obtained by him, and such states
ttorney shall take such action as the
acts Justify, and diligently inquire into
II circumstances attending the fire.
he FIRE marshal may assist in the prose-
ution either in person or by the deputy
re marshal.
Sec. 8. "A states attorney upon re-
uest OF the state fire marshal or the
equity FIRE marshal, shall assist such
Ulcers in an investigation of a fire
hitch in their opinion is Of suspicious
rigin.
Sec. O. The fire marshal and the
equity Ne marshal. or either Of them.
hall have the power throughout the
ate to summon and compel the
tendance OF witnesses before them, or ,
ther of them, to testify relative to any ,
after which is by the provisions of this
4 subject Of inquiry or investigation, .
I'd may require the production Of any {
BOX, paper or document deemed perth (
mt thereto BY them. Such witnesses /
lal be subpoenaed in the same man /
or as witnesses in Justices courts. {
hey shall receive the same compensa- /
On as Is paid in Justices courts, which {
,all be paid out OF the FIRE marshal I
md upor, vouchers signed by the fire /
arshal or deputy fire marshal before I
HON any witnesses have attended, and 1
Ich officer shall at the close OF the a
vestigation wherein such witnesses S
ere subpoenaed certify to their attend a
zee and mileage, which certificate
all be filed in the office of the fire mar o
al. All Investigations held by or a
lder the direction OF the fire marshal
deputy FIRE marshal may. m his dis 6
I
elton, be private and persons other s
an those required TO be present by n
c provisions OF this act may be ex- @
ided from the place where such in r
stigation is held, and witnesses may Il
kept separate and apart from each a
her and not allowed to communicate 4
ih each other until they have been Il
srnined. A person shall not be ex-
sed from attending before the FIRE g
arshal or deputy ire marshal when o
mnoned 50 10 attend
Sec. 10 A witness who refuses TO I,
ey a summons OF the state FIRE mar
al, or deputy FIRE marshal, or who re-
SEES to be sworn or 10 testify, or who
,obeys a lawful order Of the state !.
! marshal. or deputy FIRE marshal in Z
ation 10 an investigation instituted