en, whereby disputes may arise as to the legality of such

sales : Executor, Sec. 36. Be it further enacted, That the affidavit of &c. how to the executor, administrator or guardian, or the affidavit perpetu. ate evi- of such person or persons as may be by them employed dence of to

to post up such notifications, taken before the probate notice of sale, &c. court where such executor or administrator derived his

authority to administer, within six months next following
the sale of the real estate, and there filed and recorded,
together with one of the original advertisements of the
time, place and estate to be sold, or a copy of such ad-
vertisement, is hereby declared to be one mode (but
not exclusively so) of perpetuating the evidence that
such notice was given, and also to make the origi-
nals or copies thereof from the clerk of the court of pro-
bate admissible evidence, in any court of law: and
when the person employed to post up such notifications,
resides more than ten miles distant from such probate
court, his deposition respecting the matter, taken before
a justice of the peace, and filed with the clerk of such
probate court within six months as aforesaid, shall have
the same force and effect as if the same was taken be-
fore such court as aforesaid ; or copies of the original no-
tice printed in a newspaper as aforesaid, certified by the
affidavit of such executor, administrator or guardian, or
by some other person, and filed and recorded as afore-
said, shall be another mode (but not exclusively so) of

ing to such court satisfactory reason therefor, such administrator or executor shall be held accountable for the full value of the personal property of the deceased with interest, and shall be entitled to no compensation for his services; and shall incur a penalty of not less than twenty Penalty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, to be recover- for neg

lect. ed by any one who may sue for the same, by action of the case, one moiety for the use of the persons interested in said estate, and the other moiety to and for the use of the poor of the town in which such court may be.

An act securing the Estates of persons dying, leaving real or per

sonal estate within this state, and leaving no known heir, or 1768. '98. others entitled to distribution within the United States.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, and by the Townauthority thereof it is enacted, That when any person shall

in shell treasurer

" to take die, leaving any real or personal estate within this State, possession and shall leave no known heir or legal representative with- of est in the United States, to claim the same, it shall be lawful for the town-council of the town in which such real or personal estate may be, to direct the town-treasurer of such town to take the same into his possession for the use of such town, until the heir or other legal representative of such deceased person shall call for the same ; and that the With said town-treasurer shall account for the net profits or ac- whom to

account tual use thereof to such town, until claimed by the heir for profits: or other legal representatives as aforesaid, to whom the same shall be delivered, on being claimed and evidence of the right or title of the claimant shewn; and the said town-treasurer shall, in such case, furthermore account with the claimant for the net profits or interest actually arising from the use of the real or personal estate, so possessed by him as aforesaid.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That whenever letters Executors, testamentary or of administration shall be granted on the &c. shall

pay surpersonal estate of any deceased person who shall have plus into no known heir or other legal representative within the town

treasury. United States, and there shall remain a surplus, after payment of debts and legacies, in the hands of the executor or administrator, the same, at the expiration of two years after the granting the letters testamentary or of administration, shall be paid by the executor or administrator in

to the town-treasury of the town where the letters testamentary or of administration were taken out, for the use

of such town, until the heirs or persons entitled to distriTo be paid to heir

abution thereof shall appear to claim the same, to whom, when on proof of their right, the amount of such surplus receivclaimed.

ed by the town-treasurer, with the profits thereof, if any

shall have arisen, shall be by him paid over.. Estate Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That when any real or liable for debts.

personal estate shall be taken into possession by the towntreasurer pursuant to this act, the same shall be subject and liable to the payment of the debts of the deceased to whom they belonged ; and such town-treasurers respectively shall be holden to pay the same, to the amount of

the value of the estate by them received. Council

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the town-councils may ex of the several towns shall have authority to cause to apamine on oath con

pear before them, any person whom they may suspect of cerning being possessed of the personal estate of any person dysuch es

ing without known heirs as aforesaid, or any other person or persons whomsoever, and them to examine on oath

concerning the same. Town. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall

asurer appear to be possessed of any real or personal estate of for the any person dying without heirs or other legal representa

tives, as above mentioned, and shall on request refuse to deliver or surrender possession thereof to the town-treasurer, agreeably to the provisions of this act, in such case it shall and may be lawful for such town-treasurer to commence and prosecute an action for the recovery thereof.

tates,

may sue

same.

1758, '67, '98, 1806,

An act for the equal distribution of Insolvent Estates.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly, and by the auInsolvent estates thority thereof it is enacted, That when the estate of any how to be distributo person deceased shall be insolvent, or insufficient to pay ed. all the just debts which the deceased owed, the same shall

be distributed to and among all the creditors, in proportion to the sums to them respectively owing, so far as the said estate will extend, saving that the debts due to the United States, and necessary funeral charges of the deceased, for attendance and medicines in the last sickness, for debts due to this State, and for all State and town taxes, are to be first paid, and in the order in which they are named : and the executors or administrators of any such

mon law.

law as hut the judge of the claim

Claims of the commissioners, any creditor whose claim is wholly may be

or in part rejected, may have the same determined at comdisputed at com- mon law, in case he shall give notice thereof in writing, in

the clerk of probate's office, within twenty days after such report shall be made, and bring and prosecute his action as soon as may be: and in case the executor or administrator shall be dissatisfied with any creditor's claim, allowed by the commiesioners, and shall give notice thereof in the clerk of probate's office, and also to the creditors within twenty days as aforesaid, such claim shall by the court of probate be stricken out of the commissioner's report, unless such creditor shall commence and prosecute at the common law his claim as aforesaid, as speedily as the same can be done, or unless the creditor and the executor or administrator shall agree before the court of

probate to submit the same to reference, in which case Judgment the determination of the referees shall be final: and when how to be atered. a claim shall be disputed in the course of the common

law as aforesaid, execution shall not issue as in common cases, but the judgment of the court respecting the same shall be the amount of the claim, and added to or deduct

ed from the commissioner's report, as the case may reNo action quire: and no action brought against any executor or adto be brought ministrator, after the estate shall be represented insolvent, during the shall be sustained, except for debts due to the United pendency a of the States, and necessary funeral charges of the deceased, for commis- attendance and medicines in the last sickness, for debts sion, except.

due to this State and for all State and town taxes, unless the executor or administrator, having objection to the claim upon which such action shall be brought, shall consent to have the same settled by course of law; in which

case the judgment of the court shall determine the said Actions claim, and be reported by the commissioners as such: brought before, to and all actions brought against any executor or adminisbe contin- trator before the estate is represented insolvent, shall be

continued until it shall appear whether the said estate is

insolvent or not; and if found insolvent the process shall Creditor be conducted as above provided: and if any creditor shall not exhib- not make out his claim with the commissioners, within the iting his claim time of their commission, or at the common law, or before within, , referees, in the manner provided by this act, he shall be &c. barred

for ever barred of his action therefor against the executor or administrator, unless there shall be personal estate remaining in the hands of such executor or administrator, upon the settlement of his account with the court of pro

ued.