ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 107

CHAPTER 54.

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact with amendments Section
1 of Article 57 of the Annotated Code of the Public Gen-

eral Laws of Maryland, 1924 Edition, title "Limitations
of Actions, " for the purpose of defining more clearly the
period of limitations in actions on the case for libel and
slander.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That Section 1 of Article 57 of the Annotated
Code, 1924 Edition, be and the same is hereby repealed and
re-enacted with amendments to read as follows:

1. All actions of account, actions of assumpsit, or on
the case, except as hereinafter provided, actions of debt on
simple contract, detinue or replevin, all actions for tres-
pass for injuries to real or personal property, all actions
for illegal arrest, false imprisonment, or violation of the
twenty-third, twenty-sixth, thirty-first and thirty-second
articles of the declaration of rights, or any of them, or
of the existing, or any future provisions of the code touch-
ing the writ of habeas corpus, or proceedings thereunder,
and all actions, whether of debt, ejectment or of any other
description whatsoever, brought to recover rent in ar-
rear, reserved under any form of lease, whether for ninety-
nine years renewable forever, or for a greater or lesser
period, and all distraints issued to recover such rent shall
be commenced, sued or issued within three years from the
time the cause of action accrued; and all actions on the
case for libel and slander and all actions of assault,
battery and wounding, or any of them, within one
year from the time the cause of action accrued; this sec-
tion not to apply to such accounts as concern the trade or
merchandise between merchant and merchant, their fac-
tors and servants who are not residents within this State.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall
take effect as of June 1st, 1933.

" Approved March 16, 1933.

CHAPTER 55.

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section
252 of the Public Local Laws of Baltimore County (as
enacted by Sec. 216I, Chapter 290, Acts 1922), codified