568

LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1809.

state, or some one of the United States, or of the territories
thereof, to make such insurance, shall be, and the same are
hereby declared to be, utterly null and void in any court of law
or equity of this state.

And by
agents of
foreigners.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That if any person or persons
shall make or renew any kind of insurance against fire on pro-
perty within this state, or insurance on the life or lives of any
person or persons residing therein, or insurance on the inland
transportation of any goods, wares, merchandise or country
produce, transported into or out of this state, at the risk of any
person or persons residing therein, on the account or in behalf,
or as agent or agents of, any body politic or corporate of any
foreign state, kingdom or country, or of any company or co-
partnership of foreigners, or of any person or persons not resid-
ing in this state, or authorized by a law of this state, or some
one of the United States, or of the territories thereof, to make
such insurance, every person or persons so offending shall for-
feit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars for every such
offence, the one-half to the informer, the other half to the use of
the state, to be recovered by action of debt.

CHAPTER 125.

AN ACT respecting Writs of Habeas Corpus.
Other acts are 1813, ch. 175 ; 1819, ch. 137 ; 1826, ch. 223.

Officers to
return writs
of habeas
corpus
within three
days.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That whensoever a writ of habeas corpus shall be served, by
delivering it to the officer or other person to whom it is directed,
or by leaving it at the gaol, prison or plaqe, in which the party
suing it out is detained, unless the warrant of commitment
plainly and specially express the same to have been for treason
or felony, such officer or other person shall, within three days
after such service, make return of the writ, and cause the pri-
soner or person detained, restrained or confined, to be brought
before the proper court, judge or judges, according to the com-
mand thereof, and shall likewise certify the true causes of his
or her detainer or imprisonment, if any, or under what colour or
pretence such person is confined or restrained of his or her
liberty, but if the prisoner is to be brought more than twenty
miles, the sheriff or other person shall be allowed so many days
more to bring him or her in, as will be equal to one day for
every twenty miles of such further distance, and every such
writ shall be signed by him who awarded it.

By December, 1813, ch. 175, the truth of the return may he contro-
verted; witnesses may be suhpoenaed, and their attendance enforced, &c.
By 1819, ch. 137, when it shall appear that there is reason to believe that
the person detaining the person for whom the application is made, will