HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 115

payment of certain costs before letters testamentary or
letters of administration are issued out of the Orphans'
Court of Harford County, except under certain condi-
tions provided herein; providing a penalty for a false
oath in connection with said exceptions, and making this
Act an emergency measure.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That a new Section be added to Article 13 of
the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland, title "Harford
County, " sub-title "Orphans' Court, " said new Section to
follow Section 433 and to be known as Section 433A and
to read as follows:

433A. No letters testamentary or letters of adminis-
tration of any sort shall issue out of the Orphans' Court
of Harford County unless and until the Register of Wills
for said County shall have first been paid all of the regular
scheduled costs incident to the issuing of such letters, in-
cluding the sum of $3. 50 for appointing appraisers and on
account of recording the inventory or inventories required
to be filed. In case of persons dying testate the regular
schedule costs for recording the testamentary instrument
or instruments shall likewise be paid prior to the issuance
of any letters.

In cases, however, where the person seeking to take out
letters testamentary or letters of administration is finan-
cially unable to pay the said costs, and files a statement
under oath in writing, that he is unable to pay said costs,
the Orphans' Court or Register of Wills in the recess of
said Court, may file the papers mentioned herein without
first collecting the costs; provided, however, that any will-
ful false swearing in any oath or affidavit under the pro-
visions of this section shall be punishable as perjury under
the provisions of the criminal law now or hereafter in
force in Maryland.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is
hereby declared to be an emergency law and necessary for
the immediate preservation of the public health and safety
and being passed upon a yea ?and nay vote, supported by
three-fifths of all the members elected to each of the two
Houses of the General Assembly, the same shall take effect
from the date of its passage.

Approved March 11, 1943.