ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR.                  631

and to require a statement under oath by any surety or sure-
ties to regulate the said Justices of the Peace and the Police
Justice in the acceptance of sureties on bonds in criminal
cases in Prince George's County; and to provide for penal-
ties and convictions in violation of such regulations and
limitations; to prohibit the division of any premium charge
or payment of any part of any premium charge among sure-
ties, Justices of the Peace or Constables, or with each other1
or one another; and to prescribe the penalties for such viola-
tions; and for disqualification of sureties for making any
division or payment of any part thereof of the premium
charged or compensation paid to Justices of the Peace or
Constables or any other person or persons.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That before any person or persons shall be accepted
by any Justice of the Peace or the Police Justice of Prince
George's County as a surety or sureties on any bond or bonds
in any criminal case before them or any of them, such person
or persons so offering themselves as surety or sureties shall
make oath as follows:

(1)   That said surety or sureties own real estate, and the
same is located in the State of Maryland; and what the true
assessment of the same is, as evidenced by the assessment books,
showing the last assessment of said real estate in the jurisdic-
tion where said property is located; and said last assessment
as-aforesaid for the purpose of said suretyship, shall be taken
and considered by said Justice of the Peace or said Police Jus-
tice, as the case may be, the true value of said property.

(2)   The amount of encumbrances, if any, on said property;;
that is to say, the total amount of mortgages, if any; the total
amount of judgment, if any; the total amount of mechanic*
liens, if any; and the total amount of recognizances forfeited
absolute, if any; and the aggregate of any such lien shall be
added together and the total shall be deducted from said as-
sessed value as aforesaid, and the remainder shall be consid-
ered the true equity value of said property for the purpose of
suretyship, and the same may be pledged for suretyship to the
extent, and only to the extent, of four times said equity value,
inclusive of the amount for which said surety or sureties then
offer themselves and their property. Should said real estate
of said surety or sureties be unencumbered then said property
may be pledged to the extent of four times the said assessed
value obtained as aforesaid, inclusive of the amount for which.