than seven days to answer the same in writing. A copy of the order, specifications, and answer, if any, shall be filed with the civil service commission, which shall promptly approve or disapprove of such order. Said commission may in its discretion investigate any removal or reduction and shall investigate any such case which it has reason to believe has not been made for the purpose and in the manner herein provided. Such suspension shall be without pay: Provided, however, that said commission in case of a disapproval may direct that pay shall be restored. Reductions in grade or compensation, or both, shall be made in the like manner, as near as may be, but without suspension pending such approval or disapproval. A copy of said papers in each case shall be made a part of the record of the division of the service in which the removal or reduction is made. No removal or reduction shall be effective if disapproved by the commission. All decisions by said commission shall be final and shall be certified to the appointing power and shall be forthwith enforced by such officer. Nothing in this Act shall limit the power of any officer to suspend a subordinate without pay for cause assigned in writing, a copy of which shall be delivered to such subordinate. Such suspension shall be for a reasonable period, not exceeding thirty days, and any suspension may be investigated by said civil service commission. In the course of any investigation provided for in this section each member of the civil service commission shall have the power to administer oaths, and said commission shall have the power to secure by its subpoena both the attendance and testimony of witnesses, and the production of books and papers relevant to such investigation.

§ 18. SALARIES AND EXPENSES.] Each of said commissioners shall receive a salary of three thousand dollars a year; the chief examiner shall receive a salary of three thousand five hundred dollars a year, and said commissioners and chief examiner shall be paid their necessary traveling expenses. Any person not at the time in the official service of the State, serving as a member of the board of examiners, or of a trial board, shall receive compensation for every day actually and necessarily spent in the discharge of his duty as an examiner or a member of the trial board, at the rate of not exceeding five dollars per day and necessary traveling expenses. Said commission may also incur necessary expenses for clerk hire, stationery, printing, and other incidental expenses, and the said salaries and expenses shall be allowed and paid in the same manner as the salary and expenses of the Governor's office.

$ 19. FRAUDS PROHIBITED.] No person or officer shall wilfully or corruptly, by himself, or in coöperation with one or more persons. defeat, deceive or obstruct any person in respect to his or her right of examination hereunder; or corruptly or falsely mark, grade, estimate or report upon the examination or proper standing of any person examined hereunder or aid in so doing; or wilfully or corruptly make any false representation concerning the same or concerning the person examined; or wilfully or corruptly furnish to any person any special or secret information for the purpose of either improving or injuring the prospects or chances of any person so examined, or to be examined, being appointed, employed or promoted. And no applicant for

any examination shall wilfully or corruptly by himself, or in coöperation with one or more persons, deceive the said commission with reference to his identity, or wilfully or corruptly make any false representations in his application for any examination, or commit any fraud for the purpose of improving his prospects or chances in such examination.

$35. WHAT OFFICERS TO PROSECUTE.] Prosecutions for violation of this Act may be instituted either by the Attorney General or by the State's Attorney for the county in which the offense is alleged to have been committed, or by the commission acting through special counsel. Such suits shall be conducted and controlled by the prosecuting officers who institute them unless they request the aid of other prosecuting officers.

(SENATE BILL No. 483. APPROVED MAY 24, 1907.)

AN ACT to amend sections 101 and 102 of an Act entitled, “An Act concerning land titles," approved and in force May 1, 1897.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: That sections 101 and 102 of an Act entitled, "An Act concerning land titles," approved and in force May 1, 1897, be amended as follows:

IOI. Any person sustaining loss or damage through any omission, mistake or misfeasance of the registrar, or of any examiner of titles, or of any deputy or clerk of the registrar in the performance of their respective duties under the provisions of this Act, and any persons wrongfully deprived of any land or any interest therein, through the bringing of the same under the provisions of this Act, or by the registration of any other person as owner of such land, or by any mistake, omission or misdescription in any certificate, or in any entry or memorandum in the register book, or by any cancellation, and who by the provisions of this Act is barred or in any way precluded from bringing an action for the recovery of such land or interest therein, or claim upon the same, shall have a right of action for the damages thus sustained against the county in which such land shall be registered, and may file a claim with the county board, or bring an action at law against the county in which said land is situated for the recovery of such damages.

§ 102. Said indemnity fund shall be held to satisfy judgments obtained or claims allowed against the county for losses or damages as

aforesaid. Such claims for damages may be presented to the county board, and such county boards are hereby authorized and empowered to allow or reject the same in accordance with such practice as may be by them adopted, and to provide for the payment of such claims as may be allowed. The rejection of any claim so presented shall be no bar to the bringing of suit for the same in any court of competent jurisdiction. No claims for such losses or damages shall be allowed and paid by any such county board unless upon the recommendation of the registrar who shall be in office at the time said claim shall be allowed. Upon the rendition of a judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction upon such claim, or upon the allowing of such claim by the county board, payment thereof shall only be made upon the order of such county board. Until the indemnity fund provided as aforesaid shall have been exhausted, payment for any such losses or damages shall be made out of such fund.

AN ACT to amend sections 11, 18, 48, 93, 94 and 108 of an Act entitled, "An Act concerning land titles," approved and in force May 1, 1897, and to repeal sections 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 and 79 of the same Act, and to add three new sections to be known as sections 70, 71 and 72.

SECTION I. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly: That sections 11, 18, 48, 93, 94 and 108, of an Act entitled, "An Act concerning land titles," approved and in force May 1, 1897, be amended as herein set forth. That sections. 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 and 79, of the said Act be repealed, and that three new sections be added to be known as sections 70, 71 and 72.

11. The application shall be in writing, signed and sworn to by the applicant or the person acting in his behalf. It shall set forth substantially:

a. The name and place of residence of the applicant, and if the application is by one acting in behalf of another, the name and place of residence and capacity of the person so acting.

b. Whether the applicant (except in the case of a corporation) is married or not, and if married, the name and residence of the husband or wife.

d. The applicant's estate or interest in the same, and whether the same is subject to an estate of homestead.

e. Whether the land is occupied or unoccupied, and, if occupied by any other person than the applicant, the name and postoffice address of each occupant, and what estate or interest he has or claims in the land.

f. Whether the land is subject to any lien or encumbrance, and, if any, give the nature and amount of the same, and, if recorded, the book and page of record; also give the name and postoffice address of each holder thereof.

g. Whether any other person has any estate or claims any interest in the land, in law or equity, in possession, remainder, reversion or expectancy, and if any, set forth the name and postoffice address of every such person and the nature of his estate or claim.

h. In case it is desired to settle or establish boundary lines the names and postoffice addresses of all the owners of the adjoining lands that may be affected thereby, so far as he is able, upon diligent inquiry, to ascertain the same.

i. If the applicant is a male, that he is of the full age of twenty-one years; if a female, that she is of the full age of eighteen years. If the application is on behalf of a minor, the age of such minor shall be stated. If the application is by husband or wife, the other shall by endorsement thereon acknowledge as in the case of deeds or by a separate instrument acknowledged in the same way signify his or her assent to the registration as prayed.

j. When the place of residence of any person whose residence is required to be given is unknown, it may be so stated if the applicant will also state that upon diligent inquiry he has been unable to ascertain the same. All persons named in the application shall be considered as defendants thereto, and all other persons shall be included and considered as defendants by the term "all of whom it may concern."

k. Where any person or persons have or claim any interest adverse to the applicant in any county where the records have been burnt or destroyed by fire, and the record of such adverse claim has been so burnt or destroyed, and where the existence of such adverse claim and the name or names of the person or persons making the same are unknown to the applicant, and where such adverse claim has not become a matter of public record since the destruction of the record thereof by fire, it shall be sufficient to designate the person or persons having or making such adverse claim defendants by the term "all whom it may 'concern."

§ 18. Immediately upon the filing of the application, an order may be entered referring the same to one of the examiners of title appointed

by the registrar, who shall proceed to examine into the title and into the truth of the matter set forth in the application, and particularly whether the land is occupied, the nature of the occupation, if occupied, and by what right, and make report in writing to the court, the substance of the proof and his conclusions therefrom. He shall have power to administer oaths and examine witnesses, and may, at any time, apply to the court for directions in any matter concerning his investigation. The examiner may receive in evidence any abstract of title or certified copy thereof, made in the ordinary course of business by makers of abstracts; but the same shall not be held as more than prima facie evidence of title, and any part or parts thereof may be controverted by other competent proofs. He shall not be required to report to the court the evidence submitted to him, except upon the request of some party to the proceeding, or by the direction of the court. No report shall be made upon such application, until after the expiration of the time specified in the notice hereinafter provided for the appearance of the defendants, and in case of such appearance, until opportunity is given to such defendant to contest the rights of the applicant in such manner as shall be allowed by the court.

§ 48. If the land described in the certificate of title is divided into blocks, or lots designated by numbers or letters, or if the land which is described in the certificate shall have been subdivided into blocks and lots since the initial registration thereof and a plat thereof, made in conformity with the statutes concerning the making of plats, shall have been filed in the office of the registrar, then when the registered owner makes a deed of transfer in fee of one or more of such blocks or lots the registrar may, instead of cancelling such certificate and entering a new certificate to the grantor for the part of the land not included in the transfer, enter on the original certificate and on the owner's duplicate a memorial of such deed of transfer and that the certificate is cancelled as to such blocks or lots. Every such certificate with such memorandum shall be as effectual for the purpose of showing the grantor's title to the remainder of the land not conveyed as if the old certificate had been cancelled and a new certificate of such land had been entered; and such process may be repeated so long as there is convenient space upon the original certificate and the owners duplicate certificate for making such memorandum of the sale of blocks or lots.

70. Lands and any estate or interest therein registered pursuant to this Act, shall upon the death of the owner, descend to his heirs or devisees or escheat to the State according to the statutes of descent and of wills and the laws governing the same in force at the time of the death of such owner, the same as if the said land had remained unregistered, but not [no] transfer thereof shall be made by the registrar until he shall be directed so to do by an order of court entered pursuant to the following section.

§ 71. Any heir or devisee of any deceased registered owner, who may be interested in the land as heir or devisee and who may desire to have such land transferred to the person or persons entitled thereto, may file a petition for that purpose in the circuit court of the county in