964 WORCESTER COUNTY. [ART. 22.

person shall within that time claim them, he shall sell them at
public sale, and after deducting all charges, shall pay the balance
to the Treasurer of Maryland, who shall keep an account of the
same for the benefit of the owners or insurers, who, upon proof
of their property to the satisfaction of the Comptroller, shall
upon his warrant receive the same.

158. If any person besides those empowered by the wreck-
master shall enter, or endeavor to enter, on board any vessel in
distress without the leave of the commanding officer, or if any
person shall molest him or them in saving the vessel or goods, or
shall endeavor to hinder the saving such vessel or goods, or shall
deface the marks of any such goods before they are taken down
in a book by the wreckmaster, he shall forfeit and pay the sum
of one hundred and fifty dollars, to be recovered by the owner
of the vessel or goods in any court of record in this State, and
in case of failure to pay such forfeiture immediately, or giving
security to pay the same within one month, he shall receive not
exceeding thirty-nine lashes on his bare back by order of such
court.

159. Any commanding officer of a vessel in distress, or the
wreckmaster, may repel by force any persons who shall without
consent press on board such vessel and thereby molest them in
preserving the vessel or goods.

160. If any goods shall be found upon any person that were
stolen or carried off from any vessel in distress, he shall, upon
demand, deliver the same to the owner or wreckmaster, or to
such other person as shall be authorized by either of them to
receive the same, or shall be liable to pay four times the value,
to be recovered with costs in any court in this State.

161. If any person shall make, or assist in making, a hole in
any vessel in distress, or steal any pump, materials or goods from
any vessel, or shall wilfully do any thing tending to the immediate
loss of such vessel, he shall be guilty of felony, and on conviction,
shall be sentenced'to the penitentiary not less than five nor more
than fifteen years.

162. If any wreckmaster shall by fraud or wilful neglect abuse
the trust reposed in him, he shall, upon conviction, forfeit and
pay four times the damages to the party aggrieved, to be re-