Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-03
CERTIFICATE OF TITLE
REQUIRED FOR AUTOS
Owners Must Secure Them Be-
fore September 4; Heavy
Penalties for Violation.

A. II. Benson. secretary of State,
has issued a notice calling the atten-
tion of all owners of automobiles ana
motorcycles that under an act OF the
General Assembly. approved March
"a. 1921. IT will not only be unlawfui,
but will be a misdemeanor, punishable
by fine, after September l OF TINS
year. for anyone to operate in TINS
State n motor vehicle under a Della
ware registration number unless GER
tificate of title shall have been ISSUED
by his Office for the same. Secretary
Benson asks that in order to expldite
the work of his office and TO save pos
sihle annoyance To all parties con-
Cerned prompt attention be given to
this matter.
The sole purpose Of this new law is
TO prevent the sale of stolen auto
mobiles or motorcycles In this State,
II Is provided that hereafter no Ger
tificate Of registration shall be issued
unless the applicant at the same time
applies for and is granted an official
certificate OF title or shall present
evidence that such certificate has
been previously issued to the apph-
cant covering the machine for which
the license Is desired. The applicant
must fully describe the machine and
prove his title 10 il. The charge for
each original certificate will be 81 and
such certificate shall be good for the
life of the car. so hong as II is owned
by the original holder. These certih-
Gates will not have to be renewed an
nualiy. Violation of the new act may
be punishable by a fine Of not less than
IS nor more than $1,000.
In the event OF the sale of any ma
chine on which a certificate OF idenu-
fication has been issued the original
holder must endorse on the back of the
certificate an assignment thereof and
deliver il To the purchaser The pur-
chaser must deliver this to the Sec
retary Of state at the time of making
application for the registration of such
motor vehicle .whereupon new GER
fificatc Of title will be issued. The
original certificate will be retained by
the Secretary Of State and indexed
50 that the complete previous owner
ship oC any machine can be easily
traced
Beginning with the expiration of 80
days after the date upon which this
act becomes effective it shall be IN
lawful and a miSdemeanor. according
10 the law, punishable by fine of
not less than S. nor more than $1,000
or by Imprisonment for not more than
zen years, or both. for anyone TO sell
or 10 purchase within this State any
motor vehicle unless at the time of
delivery thereof there shall pass be-
tween the parties certificate of title
with an assignment thereof in the
form prescribed by the Secretary OF
State. For any false statements rela-
tive 10 the ownership or identity or
transfer Of any automobile will be
punishable by fine of from $500 10
$4,000 or Imprisonment OF from 60
days tp 5 years. or both.
Where "a certificate is lost dupli-
cate may be obtained on payment OF
So cents. Forgeries of certificates
will be heavily punished under the pro-
visions OF the Law. as VIII also the de
facing or removing Of any identifica-
tion marks about any automobile. Any
person who comes into possession or
custody Of any machine that has been
defaced in any way with respect TO
its Identification marks may be fined
from sa to 81 900 or imprisoned for
not more than seven years or both.