ELIHU E JACKSON, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

723

or proceedings of a coroner's inquest, if such an
inquest was held in the case, determining said
death to be due to natural causes.

Coroner's cer-
tificate.

Third. In the absence of either of the above,
then the proceedings of an autopsy, made by at
least two qualified medical practitioners, to be
appointed by the state's attorney of the county
or city where such death took place, or, if he
shall decline to interfere, to be appointed by
said company, ascertaining and certifying that
the said death was due to natural causes, and
what causes.
If any of the officers, agents or employes of

An autopsy
necessary.

said company shall cremate, or receive for the
purpose of cremating, the dead body of any per-
son without having complied with the pro-
visions of this section, he or they shall be fined
not less than five hundred nor more than five
thousand dollars for each and every such
offence, or shall be confined in the penitentiary
for not less than six months nor more than
five years, or shall be both fined and imprisoned,
in the discretion of the court.

Penalty for
violation.

SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That this act
shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved April 5, 1888.

Chapter 444.

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact with amend-
ments article eighty-nine of the Code of Pub-
lic General Laws, title "Slander of femes sole."

Effective,

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assem-
bly of Maryland, That article eighty-nine of the
Code of Public General Laws, title "Slander of
femes sole," be and the same is hereby repealed
and re-enacted with amendments so as to read
as follows :

Repealed and
re-enacted.

1. All words spoken falsely and maliciously
touching the character or reputation for chastity
of any woman, whether single or married, and
tending to the injury thereof shall be deemed
slander, and shall be treated as such in the sev-
eral courts of law in this state.

Slander.