JOHN WALTER SMITH, ESQ., GOVERNOR.

891

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Section thirty-seven of Article 19 of the Code of
Public General Laws, title "Comptroller," as amended by
Chapter two hundred and five of the Acts of eighteen hundred
and ninety-eight, be and the same is hereby repealed and re-
enacted, so as to read as follows:

Public
General Laws.
Comptroller.

37. The Comptroller is authorized and empowered to adjust
and settle the claims of the State against all collectors, sheriffs,
clerks of courts, registers of wills, and other collectors or
receivers of public moneys and their securities, and against
corporations and individuals who may be indebted to the
State, in all cases where said claims accrued prior to and in-
cluding the year 1898, and whether said claims be in the
form of judgment or otherwise; and for the purpose of closing
all such cases, the Comptroller is fully authorized to compro-
mise the same by abating the interest that has accrued, or
any portion thereof, or any part of the principal debt in his
discretion, so as to best subserve the interest of the State, and
shall grant discharges to the said parties and their securities,
upon the payment into the treasury of the amount required
by him to be paid in the settlement as aforesaid ; provided the

Authorized to
adjust and
settle claims
of the State
against collec-
tors, sheriffs,
etc.

Comptroller shall be satisfied, after thorough examinations
into the claims, that the same could not be collected for the
State by legal process, and further, that the Governor and
Treasurer, for the time being, shall each approve in writing
any such abatement before the same shall be effective; and
provided further, that no discharge or acquittance under this
section shall be effective, unless the party or parties to be
benefited shall first pay the attorney who shall have the case
in hand, the legal fees, and all fees of clerks or sheriffs.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That this Act shall take effect
from the date of its passage.

Approved April 7, 1900.

CHAPTER 557.
AN ACT to repeal and re-enact with amendments Section
five hundred and eight of Article four, of the Code of Public
Local Laws of Maryland, title "City of Baltimore," sub-
title "Tenement and Lodging Houses."

Governor and
Treasurer
shall approve
such
abatement.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Section five hundred and eight of Article four,
of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland, title "City of

City of Balto.
Tenement and
lodging
houses.