242

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

trustee as the court may appoint, for the benefit of his
creditors, all the property, estate, rights and claims of
every description, to which he is in any manner entitled,
the necessary wearing apparel and bedding of himself
and family or such property as may by law be exempted
from execution excepted, and that he has not at any
time, sold, lessened, transferred or disposed of any part
of his property for the use or benefit of any person, or
entrusted any part of his money, or other property,
debts, rights or claims thereby, to delay or defraud his
creditors, or any of them, or to secure the same so as to
receive, or except to receive, any profit, benefit or ad-

Proviso.

vantage himself therefrom; Provided, that the said
applicant has at no time within two years previous to
his said application been discharged under any insol-
vent law of this State.

Trustees.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the court shall then
appoint a trustee for the benefit of the creditors, who
shall give bond to the State, with surety for the faithful
performance of his trust, and the insolvent shall con-
vey to such trustee all his property and estate of every
description, and upon the approval of said bond all the
property of every description, rights and claims of the
insolvent, as well such as are enumerated and describ-
ed in his schedule as the property, rights and claims
which are so enumerated and described, shall vest in
the said trustee, except as before excepted.

Day for in-
solvent to ap-
pear.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That the said court
shall then fix a day for the insolvent to appear and an-
swer such interrogatories or allegations as his creditors,
endorsers or sureties may propose or alledge against
him, and shall order not less than three months notice
of said day to be given by such insolvent to his creditors
in such manner as the court may direct.

Court may
discharge in-
solvent.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That if the creditors,
endorsers or sureties shall fail to make any allegations
or propose any interrogatories, or if the same shall be
answered satisfactorily or determined in favor of the in-
solvent, then the court shall discharge the insolvent from
all debts and contracts made before the filing of his pe-
tition, and he shall be released from all such debts and
contracts, and such discharge and release shall embrace
all cases where he is endorser or surety, and he shall
not be liable to pay any joint contractor, surely or en-
dorser, who may pay any debt or perform any contract
after the filing of his petition, which was entered into
before the application is made.