ART. 18.] LIQUOR AND INTOXICATING DRINKS. 1703

poses to engage in said business; that he is fitted by training and
experience to conduct the same, and that he is not about engaging
therein with a view to evade the provisions of this sub-title of
this article; which said petition to the said judge shall be accom-
panied by a certificate, filed therewith, of twenty-four freeholders
of said district, that they are well acquainted with said petitioner,
and that they know him to be well fitted by training and experi-
ence to conduct such business, and that from their knowledge of
his character they are satisfied that he will not abuse his license,
if granted, to evade the provisions of this sub-title of this article;
and upon such petition and certificate being filed, the said clerk
shall give ten days' notice by two insertions in some newspaper
published in said county, of such petition, the cost of which
notice, together with all fees accrued under such petition, shall,
before such publication, be paid by said petitioner, and if within
said ten days no objection shall be filed to the issuing of such
license, the said clerk shall at once issue the same, endorsed as
aforesaid, upon the petitioner paying the usual license charges
therefor; but if within the said ten days any objection is filed,
either to the fitness of such petitioner by experience and training,
to conduct such business, or to his character as a man fit to be
trusted to conduct the same, the clerk shall forthwith lodge all
the papers in said case with the judge to whom the petition is
directed, or with some other judge of the circuit, if he, the judge
addressed, from any cause cannot act, who shall appoint an early
day for the hearing of the case, and shall direct the clerk to issue
subpoenas for such witnesses as either petitioner or objector may
desire, and shall hear and determine the case as to him shall seem
right, and shall award to the successful party such costs in the
case as may have arisen since the publication of the notice as
aforesaid; and the clerk shall issue or withhold license according
to the order of the judge; every petition filed under this section
shall be verified by the oath of the petitioner taken before said
clerk, and certified by him on said petition or on a paper annexed
thereto; and any false swearing as to any matters required herein
to be set forth in any such petition shall be held to be perjury;
but such license issued and endorsed shall have no effect to
restrain the person licensed in the sale of any goods, wares and
merchandise which he could have heretofore sold under such a