adequate and convenient means of exit, in view of the number of persons who may need to use such stairway or fire escape, shall at all times be kept free from obstruction and shall be accessible from each room in every story above the first story. A ladder affixed to any of the premises herein described shall not be considered a fire escape within the meaning of this act. CHAP. 248 SEC. 2. Section 2628 of the general statutes as amended Penalty. by section five of said act is amended to read as follows: The owner of any building, or in case such owner be non compos mentis or a minor, the guardian of such owner, or in case such owner be a nonresident, the agent of such owner having charge of such property, who shall fail to comply with the foregoing provisions of this act shall be fined not less than one hundred. dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned not more than three months, or both. Approved, May 3, 1917. [House Bill No. 1048.] CHAPTER 248. An Act concerning the Payment of Small Bank Deposits or Death Benefits. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: benefit insurance not ex ceeding three hundred dollars without taking out adminis may be paid tration on the estate of the deceased, in certain cases. Whenever any person shall die leaving a deposit in any Bank deposits bank or trust company located in this state, or shall be entitled or fraternal to a death benefit payable from any fraternal order or shop society without having named a beneficiary entitled under the by-laws, rules and regulations of such order or society to receive such death benefit, and the amount of such bank deposit or death benefit shall not exceed the sum of three hundred dollars, and no will of such decedent is presented for probate or administration granted on his estate within thirty days after his death, such bank, fraternal order or shop society may, in its discretion, on application of the surviving husband or wife, if any, or, if none, of the next of kin of such decedent, pay the amount of such deposit or benefit to such husband, wife or next of kin, or, on like application of the undertaker who buried such decedent or the physician who attended him in his last sickness, with an affidavit that such undertaker or physician has a lawful preferred claim for funeral expenses or medical attendance during such last sickness, not exceeding the amount of such deposit or benefit, may pay the amount of such claim to such undertaker or physician, and such payment shall discharge such bank, fraternal order or shop society from liability to any person or persons on account of such deposit or 2398 CHAP. 249 Extending the time in which justices of the JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. [Jan., death benefit; but the person or persons to whom such payment has been made shall be liable for the amount thereof to the decedent's executor or administrator thereafter appointed. As a condition of such payment such bank, order or society may require proof as to the parties in interest, the filing of proper waivers, the execution of a bond of indemnity and a proper receipt for such payment. Approved May 3, 1917. [House Bill No. 1057.] CHAPTER 249. An Act concerning Justices of the Peace. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in SECTION 1. Any person legally elected a justice of the peace at the November election held in 1916, and who failed to take the oath of office within the time required by law, may peace may take take such oath on or before June 1, 1917, provided no successor to such justice of the peace has been elected under the provisions of section 418 of the general statutes. the oath of office. Duty of town clerk when a justice of the peace qualifies under the act. Taking of smelt restricted. SEC. 2. The town clerk of any town in which any justice. of the peace shall take the official oath, pursuant to the provisions of this act, shall, on or before June 15, 1917, make in duplicate a certified list of the justices so qualifying, one of which lists shall be transmitted to the secretary of the state and the other to the clerk of the superior court for the county in which such town is situated. Such lists, when so issued, shall be sufficient authority for said secretary and for such clerk to certify that such justices were duly elected and qualified. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect from its passage. [House Bill No. 74.] CHAPTER 250. An Act concerning the Taking of Smelt from Palmer's Cove, SECTION 1. No person shall take, or assist in taking or attempt to take any smelt from the waters of Palmer's cove, Pequonnoc river or Baker's cove, or their tributaries, in the town of Groton, by means of a net, seine or trap. CHAP. 251 SEC. 2. Any person who shall violate any provision of Penalty. this act shall be fined not more than twenty-five dollars for each offense. SEC. 3. Chapter 248 of the public acts of 1915 is repealed. Approved, May 3, 1917. [House Bill No. 1049.] CHAPTER 251. An Act concerning the Incarceration of Inebriates. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in committed. SECTION 1. Section four of chapter 338 of the public acts who may be of 1915 as amended by chapter 78 of the public acts of 1917 is amended to read as follows: The superior court, any criminal court of common pleas, or district, city, borough, police or town court, or justice of the peace, having criminal jurisdiction, may commit to said farm for a period not less than six months nor more than three years any common drunkard or any person who has been three times convicted of intoxication therein, or who is an inebriate from the use of any narcotic or spirituous or intoxicating liquor. If the commitment be made Costs of comby the superior court, criminal court of common pleas or district mitment, how court of Waterbury, the costs shall be paid by the state, otherwise by the city, town or borough in which the court making such commitment is located. SEC. 2. This act shall take effect from its passage. Approved, May 3, 1917. [Substitute for Senate Bill No. 337.] CHAPTER 252. An Act amending an Act concerning the Appointment of Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in paid. Section two of chapter 228 of the public acts of 1913 is office. amended to read as follows: The board shall have an office in the capitol in Hartford in which its records, papers and books shall be preserved. It shall meet at least once in two months, Meetings and oftener as it shall deem advisable, and three members shall of board. constitute a quorum at all meetings of which written notice has Powers of board. been mailed to the members five days in advance. The board shall make by-laws for its organization and the conduct of its business, prescribe the duties of the superintendent of fisheries and game and fix his salary, which shall not exceed three thousuperintendent. sand dollars per annum, and within the appropriation therefor may appoint and pay such clerical assistants as may be Salary of the necessary. Approved, May 3, 1917. Location of common jails. [Senate Bill No. 650.] CHAPTER 253. An Act amending an Act concerning Common Jails. SECTION 1. Section 2925 of the general statutes is amended to read as follows: There shall be a common jail in each of the following towns: New Haven, New London, Norwich, Bridgeport, Danbury, Brooklyn, Litchfield, Middletown, Haddam and Tolland and one such jail in Hartford county. SEC. 2. This act shall take effect from its passage. Fishing in [Substitute for House Bill No. 178.] CHAPTER 254. An Act amending an Act concerning Fishing in Salmon River, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in SECTION 1. Section one of chapter 88 of the public acts of 1915 is amended to read as follows: Every person who shall take, river restricted. attempt to take or assist in taking any shad in Salmon river in Penalty. the town of East Haddam, or in Hamburg cove of Eight Mile river in the town of Lyme, shall be fined not more than fifty dollars, or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both. SEC. 2. This act shall take effect from its passage. Approved, April 25, 1917. CHAP. 255 [Substitute for House Bill No. 785.] CHAPTER 255. An Act amending an Act concerning the Appointment and Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Section eight of chapter 141 of the public acts of 1903 as Salaries and amended by section two of chapter 304 of the public acts of expenses. 1915 is amended to read as follows: The salary of the superintendent of state police shall be three thousand five hundred dollars, and of the assistant superintendent of state police two thousand dollars, to be paid by the state; and the compensation of the state policeman designated as captain shall be fixed by the commissioners of state police at a rate not to exceed four dollars and seventy-five cents a day, that of the lieutenant at a rate not to exceed four dollars and fifty cents a day, that of the sergeant at a rate not to exceed four dollars and twenty-five cents a day and that of each other state policeman at a rate not to exceed four dollars a day. Said officers shall be reimbursed for all expenses incurred in the performance of official duty and shall render to the superintendent an itemized account of such expenses when required. Approved, May 10, 1917. [House Bill No. 2.] . CHAPTER 256. An Act amending an Act concerning Relief to Members of the State Police Association of Connecticut. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Chapter 179 of the public acts of 1915 is amended to read as follows: Whenever any person shall, under the provisions of the constitution and by-laws of the state police association of Connecticut, be entitled to relief from said association as a policeman injured in the line of duty, or as the widow, child or dependent mother of a policeman killed in the line of his duty, the comptroller shall, upon the delivery to him of proper proofs from said association of the right of such person to relief as aforesaid, draw his order upon the treasurer in favor of the person or persons entitled to such relief, or their legal representatives, for the amount to which such person or persons may be entitled to relief aforesaid, provided the total amount of such state aid to state police association, how paid. |