EDWIN WARFIELD, ESQ., GOVERNOR.

849

paid in ; fourth, to loan money on promissory and negotiable

notes, chattel mortgage, bills of sale, bills obligatory or other

evidences of debt.

SEC. 7. And be it enacted, That this Act shall take effect

from the date of its passage.

Approved April 12, 1904.

CHAPTER 494.

AN ACT to repeal Section 37 of Article 19 of the Code of

Public General Laws, title "Comptroller," as amended by

Chapter 537 of the Act of 1902, and to re-enact the same

with amendments.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-

land, That Section 37 of Article 19 of the Code of Public Gen-

Comptroller.

eral Laws, title "Comptroller," as amended by Chapter 53;

of the Acts of 1902, be and the same is hereby repealed and re-

enacted so as to read as follows :

37. The Comptroller is authorized and empowered to adjust

and settle the claims of the State against all Collectors, Sher-

Empowered to

settle claims

iffs, Clerks of Courts, Registers of Wills and other collectors

against col-

or receivers of public moneys and their sureties, and against

lectors, etc.

corporations and individuals who may be indebted to the State

in all cases where said claims accrued prior to and including

the year 1902, 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 compromise

the same by abating the interest that has accrued, or any por

tion thereof, or any part of the principal debt, in his discre

tion, so as to best subserve the interest of the State, and shall

grant discharge to said parties and their sureties upon the

payment into the Treasury of the amount required by him to

be paid in settlement as aforesaid ; the Comptroller shall be

satisfied, after thorough examinations into the claims, that the

same could not be collected by 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 effected ; and provided, further, that no dis-

Proviso.

charge or acquittance under this section shall be effective unless

the party or parties to be benefited shall first pay the attorneys

who shall have the case in hand the legal fees and all fees of

clerks and sheriffs.