234 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

injured by dogs and of which he or she shall have convincing
evidence, they shall appear before any Justice of the Peace
in said County before whom they shall make oath in due form
of law that they have lost sheep or turkeys, as the case may
be, and that they have reason to believe that the same were
destroyed or injured by dogs not belonging to them or to the
members of his or her household; stating the election district
wherein they reside, the time as near as possible when they
believe the same to have happened, the reasons leading them to
believe that the same was caused by dogs; that the sheep or
turkeys, as the case may be, were the property of the affiant,
and that he or she has never been reimbursed for the loss of
same, and that they have no knowledge of any fact pertinent
nor materia! tc the loss, which if divulged would prejudice
their rights to recover out of said fund, whereupon the Justice
of the Peace and the affiant shall both subscribe their names
to said affidavit the affiant paying said Justice of the Peace
the sum of twenty-five cents therefor; and said affiant having
complied with the above mentioned requirements shall produce
the above described affidavit before the County Commissioners
at their next regular meeting day, or as soon thereafter as
practicable, when he or she shall be examined by them as to
the circumstances surrounding the killing or injuring of said
sheep or turkeys so far as he or she shall have knowledge of
the same, and if, in the opinion of the said County Commis-
sioners, the claim shall be a just one, they shall give an order
for the payment of the same according to the schedule of rates
which they shall prescribe therefor, which schedule they shall
have published in some newspaper printed in Howard County
for at least once a week for three successive weeks, before
the first day of June, 1914, and before the first day of April
each and every year thereafter, which amounts in the cases of
applications for the loss of sheep shall in no case exceed the
value for which said sheep are assessed upon the assessment
books of Howard County; and in case any dog shall be known
to have killed any domestic fowls or animals it shall be the
duty of any constable of said County, immediately he shall
have notice of such destruction by credible persons to search
for and kill said dog or dogs for which he shall be paid the
sum of one dollar for each dog so killed, by the said County
Commisioners, out of the fund known as "the Dog Tax Fund"
for that district; provided, that in case of damage to any
person by reason of loss or injury, to his sheep or turkeys,
shall be from any dog belonging to him or any member of his