GEORGE HOWARD, ESQ. GOVERNOR.

1831

will or wills, or any other instrument of writing, or any at-
tested copy of a will or wills or other instrument of writ-
ing, which shall appear to have been heretofore recorded in
the office of the Register of Wills, of Saint Mary's county,
and the record thereof has been destroyed, may, and is
hereby authorised to have the same recorded again, and the
Register of Wills of the said county, is hereby required
upon application, and at the cost and charge of the party
or parties interested, to record the same, together with the
endorsement of the former enrolment, on the back of the
said will or wills, or other instrument of writing, in a well

CHAP 177.

bound book, in folio, for that purpose, and the said Register
shall on the back of the said will or wills, or other instru-

Books therefor.

ment of writing, make an endorsement of such second en-
rolment, and also the folio of the book in which the same
shall be enrolled.

Endorsement.

Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That the will or wills, or other
instrument of writing, so as aforesaid recorded, shall have
the same effect and operation in law, to all intents and pur-
poses, as if the records in which the said will or wills, or
other instrument of writing were heretofore recorded, or
original papers had never been destroyed.

Record made
valid.

Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That a copy of any receipt,
acquittance, release or final discharge, from any heir, re-
presentative, or legatee of full age, or other person author-
ised to execute the same, to any guardian, executor, execu-
trix, administrator or administratix, which has been recor-
ded in the Register of Wills office, in Saint Mary's county,
if the same shall appear to have been acknowledged as is
required by the act, entitled An act to make the final dis-
charge of executors, administrators and guardians, matter
of record, and the original of which has been destroyed,
shall be admitted as evidence to prove such receipt, acquit-

Copy of receipt
acquittance &c
made valid
though not record-
ed.

tance, release, or final discharge, provided the same is duly
attested, under the seal of office of the said Register of
Wills, accompanied by this certificate, that the said receipt,
acquittace, release or final discharge is destroyed and lost.

Proviso.

Sec. 4. And be it enacted, That a copy of the entry of
any voucher or evidence, of a claim against any deceased's
estate, which hath been filed, entered and allowed in any
account of an administrator, administratrix, executor, or ex-
ecutrix in the Register of Wills office, in Saint Mary's
county, shall be admitted as prima facie evidence in the
place of such voucher or evidence, of a claim as aforesaid;

Voucher, &c
made valid evi-
dence,

Provided, the same is duly attested by the Register of Wills
for said county, under his hand and seal of offisce, accompa-
nied by his certificate, that the said voucher or evidence of
a claim aforesaid is destroyed or lost.

Proviso.