5176 ARTICLE 24.

of the annual levy placed in his hands for collection. After he has paid
to the town treasurer any taxes included in the levy he shall be entitled
to enforce payment of the same in all respects as if the Mayor and Coun-
cil had not been paid. Besides the mode in this charter provided for en-
forcing the payment of taxes by distress or execution he may, after he
has paid to the town treasurer any claim or account for taxes which has
not been paid to him by the party or parties against whom the same is
charged, bring an action at law for money paid for the party liable for
the taxes, if he so elects, and he may maintain such action as long as the
account or claim is not barred by limitations, without regard to the expira-
tion of his official term or the extension of his time. He shall within
twenty days after his appointment execute a bond to the State of Mary-
land in the penalty of one thousand dollars, or for such greater sum as
the Mayor and Council may designate at or about the time of his appoint-
ment with a surety or sureties approved by the Mayor and Council, which
approval shall be endorsed on the bond and signed by the Mayor and at
least two of the Councilmen. This bond shall be recorded among the gen-
eral records of the town by the secretary, and also in the office of the Clerk
of the Circuit Court for Worcester County, where it shall be retained.
It shall be recorded therein as other official bonds, and a copy thereof duly
certified by said clerk shall be admissible as evidence in any of the Courts
of this State, as well as the original, but the failure to record the bond
or to endorse said approval thereon shall not affect its validity or the lia-
bility of those who execute the same. The following condition shall in
substance be set forth therein. Now the condition of this obligation is
such that if the above bound ............. who has lately been appointed

tax collector of Berlin, shall well, truly and faithfully perform all the
duties and functions belonging to or appertaining to said office under the
charter and prdinances of said town, and under the orders of the Mayor
and Council thereof, and in particular shall well, truly and faithfully col-
lect all moneys that it may be his duty to collect, or that he may be author-
ized or directed by said Mayor and Council to collect; and if he shall
well, truly and faithfully account for and pay over to said Mayor and
Council, or on their order, to the town treasurer of Berlin, all moneys
collected by him at such time as the law may appoint or the Mayor and
Council may direct, then and in such case the obligation to be void, but
otherwise to remain in full force and virtue in law. And the tax collector
shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by ordinance for the
services rendered in collecting the taxes under the annual levy; or if the
Mayor and Council shall pass no ordinance fixing the amount of his com-
pensation, he shall receive such compensation or commission as the Mayor
and Council may appoint, by order noted in the minute book at or about
the time of his appointment; and in the absence of any such ordinance
or note in the minute book, he shall receive a commission of four per cent,
on all sums collected. Any tax collector appointed by virtue of this Act
is hereby authorized and empowered if so directed by the Mayor and City
Council to collect in the manner herein provided all taxes in arrears that