of dogs. Registering SEC. 3. Any person who shall become the owner or possessor of a dog, of what age soever, after the last day in May in each year and prior to the first day of April following, shall cause the same to be registered, numbered, collared and licensed, within thirty days after he becomes such owner or possessor, upon the payment of one dollar and fifteen cents for a male dog, and five dollars and fifteen cents for a female dog. SEC. 4. The clerk shall issue the license and receive the money therefor, and pay the same into the treasury of the town or city, retaining therefrom, for his own use, fifteen cents for each license; and the treasurer shall keep a separate account of all sums received and paid out by him under the provisions of this act. SEC. 5. Each town or city council shall annually in the month of April, appoint one or more special constables, who shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of their duty, to ascertain and make a list of the owners or keepers of dogs in such town or city, and return such list to the clerk on or before the last day of May, who shall receive from the town treasury the sum of ten cents for each dog so listed; and the clerk shall, within two weeks thereafter, furnish to each special constable, so appointed and sworn, a list of all dogs licensed for the current year, and a list of those not licensed, with the name of the owner or keeper thereof, and shall also post such lists in at least three public places in the town or city, or publish the same in such other manner as the town or city council may direct. SEC. 6. Whoever keeps or harbors a dog, of what age soever, contrary to the provisions of this act, shall be fined ten dollars, to be recovered by complaint and warrant, one-half thereof to the use of the complainant, and one-half thereof to the use of the school fund of the town or city wherein such dog is kept; and it shall be the duty of the special constable so appointed and sworn to make complaint on or before the last day of July in each year, and to prosecute the same to final judgment, against every person keeping a dog, of what age soever, contrary to the provisions of sections one and two of this act, and named in said list of those owning or keeping dogs not licensed, excepting those whom the council may direct that no complaint be made on account of their removal from the town or city. And such special constables so appointed and sworn may, at any time during the current year, make complaint and prosecute the same to final judgment against any person owning or keeping a dog contrary to the provisions of section three of this act. And such special constable so appointed and sworn shall not be required to give surety for costs upon making or in the prosecution of such complaints. dogs to be SEC. 7. Any person may, and it shall be the duty of Unlicensed every such special constable so appointed and of every destroyed. police officer and constable to kill or destroy, or cause to be killed or destroyed, all dogs going at large and not licensed and collared according to law; and for each. dog so killed, destroyed and buried, he shall be entitled to receive from the town or city treasurer the sum of one dollar. collars. SEC 8. Whoever wrongfully removes the collar from of removing the neck of a dog registered and collared according to the provisions of this act, or steals a dog so registered and collared, shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars, or imprisoned not more than thirty days, to be recovered by complaint and warrant, one-half thereof to the use of the complainant, and one-half thereof to the use of the school fund of the town or city where such dog is kept. ments. SEC. 9. Each town or city council shall annually, in of appraisethe month of April, appoint one or more suitable persons appraisers, who shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of their duty, to appraise the damage that may be done to any owner of any sheep or lamb, cattle, geese, turkeys or fowls, suffering loss by reason of the biting, maiming, or killing thereof, by any dog, and to give a statement thereof in writing, under their hands, to the owner suffering such loss. And such owner suf'fering loss as aforesaid, shall within two days after such loss shall come to his knowledge, notify the appraiser so appointed and sworn, living nearest to him in the town wherein such owner resides, of such loss, and said appraiser shall on receipt of twenty cents per mile travel, and the sum of one dollar, from such owner, appraise the damage and give a statement thereof in writing, under his hand, to such owner, and shall tax the above said fees thereon, and said owner shall within thirty days thereafter present to the board of aldermen Of damages by dogs. Of wilful neglect of this law. Of duties of town and city councils. of the city, or town council of the town where such damage is done, the appraisal thereof, and thereupon the board of aldermen of such city, or the town council of such town shall draw an order on the treasurer of such city or town for the amount of such appraisal and fees, or for such other amount, as they in their discretion, after careful examination, may deem just. And it shall be the duty of each town or city treasurer, annually on the fifteenth day of August, to pay all such orders in full, if the gross amount then received by such town or city under the provisions of this act, after deducting all sums previously laid out under such provisions, is suffi.cient therefor, otherwise the treasurer shall divide such amount, after deducting as aforesaid, pro rata among said orders, and the payment thereof shall be in full discharge of such orders. And should any money acquired under the provisions of this act, remain in any town or city treasury, after payments provided for herein, the treasurer shall within ten days thereafter, pay over the whole of such money so remaining, to the school fund of such town or city for the support of the free schools therein. SEC. 10. Upon drawing an order as provided in the next preceding section, the city or town may recover against the keeper or owner of any dog or dogs concerned in doing the damage, the full amount of the damage done by his dog and costs of appraisal, in an action of the case, to be brought by the city or town reasurer. Should the person suffering loss avail himself of the provisions of this act, he shall not be entitled to maintain a suit for damages against the owner or keeper of the dog. SEC. 11. Every person appointed under the provisions hereof who shall qualify himself to act, and every town and city clerk, and every town and city council, who shall wilfully neglect to perform any of the duties imposed upon him or them by the provisions hereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred dollars, to be recovered by indictment for the use of any person who shall complain for the same. SEC. 12. It shall be the duty of each town and city council annually in the month of September, to ascertain and report whether the town or city clerk and treasurer of such town or city, and all persons appointed under the provisions of this act have or not faithfully performed the duties imposed upon him or them; and in case of neglect, shall state in such report, what person, or persons, appears to have been guilty of such neglect, and in what respect; which report such council shall cause to be published as soon as may be, two successive weeks in some newspaper published in this State. plaints.. SEC. 13. Nothing in this act shall be so construed of comas to preclude any person from making complaint after the last day of July, or to repeal any ordinance concerning dogs, not inconsistent with the provisions hereof, which have heretofore been passed by the councils of the several towns or cities. notices. SEC. 14. The clerks of the several towns and cities, of posting shall annually in the month of March, post up notices in five or more public places in the several towns and cities, giving notice to the people thereof, of the time and place for issuing the licenses provided for in the first and second sections of this act. for dama SEC. 15. Whenever any owner of any sheep or lamb, of claims cattle, geese, turkeys or fowls, suffering loss by reason ges. of the biting, maiming or killing thereof, by any dog, shall notify the appraiser, as provided in the ninth section hereof, he may require such owner, and any other person, to be sworn before him, touching such loss, and when so sworn, to answer orally or in writing, as to any facts or circumstances relating to such loss, and the special constable is hereby authorized to administer such oath. SEC. 16. Any defects in any action, complaint and warrant, indictment, information or other proceeding commenced and prosecuted under the provisions of this act, either of form or substance, may be amended either by the justice, or court exercising the jurisdiction of a justice, or other court, before whom the action, complaint and warrant, indictment, information or other proceedings, is originally brought, may be pending. SEC. 17. Chapters 524 and 592 of the statutes, are hereby repealed. SEC. 18. This act shall take effect on and after its passage. CHAPTER 777. Passed Mar. AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 171 OF THE REVISED It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. The reporter of the decision and opinions of the Supreme Court shall make true reports of the decisions and opinions of said Court in full Court, in all the counties of the State, on all legal questions that shall be argued by counsel, and shall publish the same as often as he shall have material for a printed volume of at least six hundred pages, and shall also once in six months publish an index of such decisions and opinions. SEC. 2. Section 2 of Chapter 171 of the Revised Statutes is hereby repealed. SEC. 3. It shall not be the duty of the said reporter to report the decisions of the supreme court in any case which shall have been tried before only one of the justices of said court; nor shall it be the duty of any justice of the supreme court to furnish the said reporter with his written opinion in any case which has been or may hereafter be tried before only one of the justices of said court, provided that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the said reporter from reporting or publishing any opinion voluntarily furnished to him by the justice who delivered the same. CHAPTER 778. Passed Mar. AN ACT IN ADDITION TO AN ACT, ENTITLED AN ACT IN It is enacted by the General Assemby as follows: SECTION 1. It shall be the duty of the commanding officer of each company of the active militia of the State, to appoint annually some suitable person from such company, as armorer, who shall have the care of all guns, muskets, equipments and other property belonging to the State, while in the possession of said |