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LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1817.

brought on shore at the expense of the owners of the vessel,
until some one shall contract for a term of servitude with such
emigrant, and if no purchaser shall appear within thirty days
after such emigrant shall come on shore, that is, within sixty days
after arrival, the master or owners of the vessel shall have no
lien or claim on such emigrant, but the liability for the passage
money, and other expenses, shall attach, like any other debtor
contract, any contract, custom or usage, to the contrary not with-
standing.

Children
not answer-
abie for
passage
money.

SEC. 9. And be it enacted, That no child or children shall
in any case be answerable in any manner for the freight or
passage money of their parents, dead or alive, nor shall parents
be responsible for the freight or passage money of the deceased
children, nor a husband for his deceased wife, nor a wife
for her deceased husband, any custom, pretended contract,
promise or agreement, made beyond sea, to the contrary notwith-
standing.

In case of
death on
board
vessel,
masters to
deliver
inventories
to register,
&c.

SEC. 10. And be it enacted, That all masters of vessels arriv-
ing at any harbour, port or place, within this state, shall in case
of the death of any German or Swiss emigrant, within ten
days after his, her, or their arrival, deliver to said register au
accurate inventory, under oath, of all the property of such
emigrant on board of such vessel, under the penalty of two
hundred dollars, to be recovered as other fines are recoverable,
and that the said register shall dispose at public sale of the
same, and apply the proceeds to the payment of the passage
money due by such emigrant, or said register may appraise the
same, and the master or owners of the vessel may take such
property at the appraised value in part payment or satisfaction of

Proviso.

the claim for passage money ; Provided always, that if the pas-
senger died before the expiration of one-half of the duration of
the voyage, no passage money shall be due, but the heirs of
the deceased shall be entitled to the proceeds, and the register
shall be accountable for them to such heirs.

Register's
fees.

SEC. 11. And be it enacted, That said register shall be entitled
for writing the deed of indenture, and registering the matters
above mentioned, to the same fees as a notary public, and for
the sale or appraisement of property in manner aforesaid, he
shall be entitled to five per cent, commission on the gross
amount ; and if the proceeds arising from the sale as aforesaid
should remain in hand uncalled for during three years, after
publication in two newspapers, one of which shall be in Balti-
more, which publication shall be made immediately after the
sale, in such case the proceeds, without interest, shall be paid
over by the register to the treasurer of the German Society of
Maryland, for the use of said society.