SPECIAL LAWS OF MAINE.

Arrest.-A debtor, other than a married woman, is liable to arrest and imprisonment on execution, issued on a judgment for at least ten dollars, exclusive of costs, also on original writ, when the creditor, his agent or attorney, makes oath that he has reason to believe, and does believe, that the debtor is about to depart from, and reside beyond, the limits of this State, having and carrying with him property or means of his own exceeding the amount required for his immediate support, and that at least ten dollars of the debt declared on are due and unpaid. Excepting in the above case, a debtor is not subject to arrest on a writ founded on a contract.

Assignments.-No preferences allowed. The assignee must give a bond within ten days to the Judge of the Court of Probate of the county where the debtor resides, and within twenty days must file an attested copy of the assignment and an inventory of all the property and must also give notice of his appointment by publication, to be continued for three weeks, within fourteen days after the date of the assignment. Creditors may prove their claims in the usual way.

The assignment may contain a release providing for the discharge of the debtor from his debts.

There is also an Insolvent Law by which a debtor owing $300 may obtain a discharge from his debts on application to the Probate Judge by petition, stating his inability to pay his debts and his willingness to assign his property for the benefit of his creditors. The judge issues a warrant, and the sheriff takes possession of the property.

Involuntary proceedings to compel the debtor to assign may be commenced by two or more creditors owning onefourth of the claims against him. Other creditors are notified, a meeting is held, and the creditors elect an assignee. The assignee must give a bond.

An allowance may be made to the debtor for support out of the estate pending proceedings.

Chattel Mortgage must be recorded in the Town

Clerk's office where mortgagor resides. No renewal is required. The mortgagor has no right to the possession unless so stipulated.

Descent and Distribution of Property.-Real estate descends: in equal shares to children or their descendants; if no child or descendant, to father; if no father, to mother, sisters and brothers; if no brother or sister, to mother; if none of these, to next of kin. The wife has her dower one-third of the real estate, for her life.

Personal estate descends in the same way, except that the widow takes one-third of the personal property absolutely if there are any children; if none, one-half; if no kindred, she takes the whole. The same is true of the husband.

Divorce. The plaintiff must have resided in the State one year. Causes: (1) Adultery; (2) impotency; (3) extreme cruelty; (4) desertion for three years; (5) habitual drunkenness; (6) cruel or abusive treatment; (7) willful neglect to provide.

Executions.-May issue after twenty-four hours from close of term of court at which judgment was obtained, and are returnable in three months from their date, and may be renewed any time within three years. The judgment may be sued within twenty years.

Exemptions.-Personal property as follows: wearing apparel; household furniture to the value of $50, one bedstead, bed, and bedding for each two members, family portraits, Bibles, school-books, copy of State statutes, library worth $150, pew in use, one cooking and all warming stoves, charcoal, twelve cords of wood, five tons anthracite and fifty bushels of bituminous coal, ten dollars' worth of lumber, wood, or bark, all produce until harvested, one barrel of flour, thirty bushels of corn, grain and potatoes, half an acre of flax and manufactures therefrom, tools of trade, sewing-machine worth $100, one pair working cattle, or one pair of mules or horses worth $300, and hay to keep them through the winter, one harness worth $20, for each horse or mule, a horse-sled or ox-sled, two swine, one cow and a heifer under three years, or two cows, ten sheep with their wool and lambs until one year old, hay to keep them through winter, $50 worth of domestic fowls, one plow, one cart or truck wagon, one harrow, one yoke with bows, ring and staple, two chains, one ox-sled, one mowing

machine, fishing-boat of two tons, life insurance policies, except excess of annual cash premiums of $250.

Real estate worth $500. The owner must file a certificate with the Register of Deeds.

Interest. Six per cent. is the legal rate when no contract is made about the rate per cent., but any rate per cent. is legal if agreed upon in writing.

Limitations.-Actions on simple contracts must be brought within six years from the time the cause of action accrues; on judgments of courts of record, specialties, and witnessed promissory notes, twenty years; scire facias against bail or trustee, one year.

Married Women may own property, and make contracts in relation thereto, as if sole; and are liable on such contracts, but cannot be arrested for debt.

Qualifications for Voting.-Every male citizen of the United States who has resided in the State three months, and is twenty-one years of age.

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Wills.-A will must be signed by the testator or by some person for him at his request in his presence. must be attested by three witnesses, who must sign it. Nuncupative wills are only valid when made in last sickness, and must be reduced to writing within six days, or they cannot be proved after six months. They cannot dispose of more than $100, unless witnessed by three witnesses requested to act as such.

SPECIAL LAWS OF MARYLAND.

Arrests.-Civil arrests are no longer permitted, and no person shall be imprisoned for debt. Obtaining credit under false pretences is a criminal offense, punishable by fine or imprisonment, or confinement in the penitentiary. Assignments.-Under the Insolvent Law a debtor may apply to the Circuit Court of the county where he resides, stating that he is insolvent, and offering to give up all his property for the benefit of his creditors. Accompanying the petition and verified by affidavit there should be a

schedule of the property and a list of the creditors and the debts owing to them.

Any debtor who departs from the State with intent to defraud creditors, or conveys any property in contemplation of insolvency with the intention of giving a preference, or delaying or defrauding his creditors, or confesses a judgment, or fraudulently stops payment of his negotiable paper and fails to pay it for twenty days, may be declared an insolvent on the petition of one or more creditors whose claims aggregate $250.

A preliminary trustee is appointed. Notice is then given by mail and publication to the creditors to elect a permanent trustee.

Assignments giving preferences are not allowed, except that wages and salaries to clerks, servants and employes, for the threo months preceding the assignment, may be preferred.

The debtor is absolutely discharged from his debts by insolvent proceedings commenced either by himself or his creditors.

Chattel Mortgages.-Are liens for twenty years, they must be recorded within twenty days. An affidavit must be filed with the mortgage in these words: "The consideration in said mortgage is true and bona fide, as therein set forth."

Descent and Distribution of Property.--Real estate vested by purchase descends: to the children in equal shares; if none, then to brothers and sisters of the whole blood; or if none, to those of the half blood; if none of these living, then to father; if no father, then to mother; if no mother, then to grandfather on the part of father; if none, then to such grandfather's descendants; if none, to grandfather on the part of mother, etc. If there are no kindred the whole estate goes to the husband or wife. Estates coming to the intestate on the part of his father go to his father, or the paternal relatives if there are no children-those on the part of the mother, go to the mother, etc., in the same way, the widow has one-third of the real estate for life.

Personal property goes as follows: If intestate leaves a widow, and no child, parent, grandchild, brother or sister, or the child of such, the widow takes the whole personal estate; if there be a child or children, the widow takes

one-third; if there be no child, but a father or mother, or brother or sister, or a child of such, the widow takes onehalf; the other half goes to the father; if no father, to the mother, brothers and sisters of the half and whole blood equally; if no brother or sister, the mother takes all; if none of these, to grandfathers equally.

Divorce.-Causes: (1) Adultery; (2) abandonment for three years; (3) fornication by wife before marriage.

These are the causes for absolute divorce, the court may decree that the guilty party shall not marry during the lifetime of the other.

Partial divorces are granted for: (1) Vicious conduct; (2) cruelty; (3) abandonment; (4) desertion.

Evidence.-Interested parties are competent to testify. Executions may issue at any time within twelve years after the rendition of judgment; and by attachment may issue at any time within twelve years. Judgments may be extended from time to time by writ of scire facias commenced before expiration of twelve years.

Exemptions.-Wearing apparel; books, and mechanic's tools and $100 worth of other property, to be selected by the debtor, are exempt.

Garnishment.-When an attachment is issued on judgment, or on original process against a non-resident, or one who absconds, &c., the plaintiff may, through the Sheriff, seize and hold any property of the defendants found in the county or city where the attachment issues. He may also stop the payment of debts due to the defendant, by laying the attachment in the hands of the defendant's debtor.

Interest.-Legal rate is 6 per cent. Penalty for usury is the forfeiture of all the excess above the real sum, or the value of the goods or chattels actually lent or advanced, and the legal interest on such sums or value.

Judgments are liens upon real and leasehold property in the county or city where rendered. Judgments of the U. S. Courts are a lien upon real and leasehold property of the defendants throughout the State. To create a lien upon personal goods execution must be issued and levied. The lien is co-existent with the judgment.

Limitations. All simple contract debts are barred by limitation after the lapse of three years; but any subsequent acknowledgment of its existence removes the lim