PRIVATE ACTS. 1257

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That the charter of the United States Fidelity and Guar-
anty Company, as said charter was enacted by chapter 52 of
the Acts of the General Assembly of Maryland of 1896, and as
amended by chapter 188 of the Acts of the General Assembly
of Maryland of 1898, and by chapter 2C1 of the Acts of the.
General Assembly of 1900, and by chapter 86 of the Acts of
the General Assembly of Maryland of 1902, be and the same is
hereby amended by repealing sections 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of
said chapter 52 of the Acts of the General Assembly of Mary-
land of 1896.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted by the General Assembly
of Maryland, That section 14 of said chapter 52 of the Acts of.
the General Assembly of Maryland of 1896, be and the same
is hereby repealed and re-enacted with amendments, so as to
read as follows:

SEC. 14. And be it enacted, That said company shall be and
is hereby authorized and empowered to insure the fidelity of
any person, partnership, association, corporation or company
holding any place or position of trust or responsibility, or
owing any duty, contractual or otherwise, to any other per-
son, partnership, association, corporation, company, or to any
city, county, State, territorial or foreign government, or to
the United States Government, or any officer, board, commis-
sion, department or other governmental agency of any such
governments; to become surety or go, upon any bond, under-
taking or other obligation for the faithful performance of any
trust, office, duty, contract, obligation or agreement; to become
surety, or go upon any bond, undertaking or other obligation
of whatsoever nature, character or description, including all
bonds, undertakings or other obligations permitted, required
or authorized by any order, ordinance, rule, regulation or law
in connection with any judicial proceeding, or with the per-
formance of any duty imposed, or act permitted by law. That
said company shall be and is hereby authorized and empowered
to become sole surety in all cases where by law two or more
sureties are required, and it shall be lawful for any court,
register, clerk or other officer or person, whose duty it is to
approve any bond or other obligation permitted, required or
authorized by law to be executed by two or more sureties, to
approve such bond or obligation when executed by said com-
pany as sole surety. That said company shall be and is hereby
authorized and empowered to receive and hold collateral and
indemnity of any nature or kind whatsoever, to secure it
against loss on any bond or other obligation issued by it, and
to enforce any bond, contract, obligation, pledge or other se-