828 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 446

bring the proceeds into court, out of which the purchaser shall
be repaid the purchase money paid by him to the town clerk
on said rejected sale, and all taxes assessed on said real estate
and paid by the purchaser since said sale, and all costs and
expenses properly incurred in said court by said purchaser,
with interest on all sums at the rate of six per cent, per annum
from the time of payment; but such sale shall not be set aside
if the provisions of law shall appear to have been substantially
complied with, and the burden of proof shall be on the ex-
ceptants to show that the same are invalid, and when any sale
shall have been finally ratified by the court as herein provided,
the order of ratification shall be conclusive as to the regularity
of the town clerk's proceedings therein and of such sale, and
shall not be open to inquiry except in case of fraud or collu-
sion in said proceedings and sale on the part of or between the
town clerk and the purchaser.

Whenever real estate shall be thus sold for taxes by the town
clerk the person or persons, party or parties, who owned the
same prior to said sale, or any or all of his, her or their heirs
or devisees, may redeem the same by paying into court, to be
paid to the purchaser thereof, within the period of twelve cal-
endar months from the day of such sale, the amount of the pur-
chase money together with interest thereon at the rate of fif-
teen per cent, per annum added thereto and all costs which
may be incurred by the town clerk or the purchaser in report-
ing or ratifying said sale; and the purchaser of such real es-
tate, if the said sale be ratified and confirmed, shall be entitled
to receive a deed therefor from the town clerk at any time
after the expiration of twelve calendar months from the day
of such sale; and if the purchaser should die before having
received a deed the town clerk shall convey the real estate to
the heirs or the devisees of the purchaser; and if the town
clerk should die, remove or refuse to execute a deed his succes-
sor in office may execute a deed to the purchaser; whenever
any personal property shall be removed from the town while
any taxes levied thereon remain due, in arrears or unpaid, the
town clerk shall nave power to pursue said property and to
collect said taxes whenever the same may be found in Wor-
cester County, as if the said property had remained in the
said town.

278. The Mayor by and with the consent and approval of
a majority of the Council may remove from office or discharge
from employment, the town clerk, the treasurer, any police-