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Sec. 250. EVASION OF SERVICE OF PROCESS.-In all cases where any representative of a deceased party to a suit shall evade any process issued against him, or shall leave the District before any such process can be served on him, he may be proceeded against as a nonresident defendant.

Sec. 251. BILL OF REVIVOR.-A bill of revivor or supplemental bill in the nature of a bill of revivor may be filed, instead of a suggestion of the death of a party, and notice thereof shall be given to the defendant by subpoena or the service of a copy of such bill, if he be found within the District, as the court may direct; or, if the party be a nonresident or secrete himself or evade the service of the summons, or if his residence be unknown, then notice by publication may be given as against nonresident defendants.

CHAPTER III.

ABSENCE FOR SEVEN YEARS.

Sec. 252. PRESUMPTION OF DEATH.-If any person shall leave his domicile without any known intention of changing the same, and shall not return or be heard from for seven years from the time of his so leaving, he shall be presumed to be dead, in any case wherein his death shall come in question, unless proof be made that he was alive within that time.

Sec. 253. PERSON FOUND LIVING.—If the person so presumed to be dead be found to have been living, any person injured by such presumption shall be restored to the rights of which he shall have been deprived by reason of such presumption.

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CHAPTER IV.

ACCOUNT.

Sec. 254. AUDITOR'S REPORT AND EXCEPTIONS.-In actions at common law grounded upon an account, or in which it may be necessary to examine and determine upon accounts between the parties, the court, in its discretion, at any stage of the cause, may order the accounts and dealings between the parties to be audited and stated by the auditor of the court or by a special auditor to be appointed by the court for the purpose; in which case, if a jury shall have been sworn, they shall be discharged. The course of proceedings before the auditor shall be the same as in cases in equity referred to him. When his audit is completed the auditor shall file his report and account in the clerk's office and give notice thereof to the parties or their attorneys, and at the expiration of thirty days after said notice judgment may be entered, on motion of either party, in accordance with said report and account, unless exceptions are filed thereto for errors in law or fact therein. The party excepting thereto shall point out particularly the item or items in such report and account excepted to, and state the grounds of such exception, and annex to his exceptions a certificate of counsel that, in his opinion, the matters of law therein stated are well founded in law, and an affidavit of such party that the exceptions are not filed for delay, and that the allegations of fact in said exceptions are true to the best of his knowledge and belief, and a copy of said exceptions shall be served on the opposite party or his attorney.

Sec. 255. TRIAL OF EXCEPTIONS.-When such exceptions are filed,. the court shall enter the cause on the trial calendar of the term in which they are filed in its proper place, and the issues made by said exceptions shall be tried and determined in the same manner as other issues of law or fact made by the pleadings in an action at common law, and any part of such report and account not so excepted to shall be adjudged to be conclusive between the parties on such trial.

Sec. 256. DIRECTIONS TO JURY.-If, in the opinion of the court, such issues are so numerous as to create confusion the court may, in its discretion, direct evidence to be received and considered by the jury as to a part of said issues, and direct the jury to retire and conclude as to the same before hearing the evidence as to the other issues, and this to repeat as often as may be necessary, the final conclusion of the jury as to all the issues to be announced as their verdict; or may submit the different issues to the same jury at different times for their separate verdicts thereon, or submit such issues to different juries; or may pursue such other course as the rules of the court may prescribe to facilitate the determination of such issues.

Sec. 257. FRIVOLOUS EXCEPTIONS.-If only general, immaterial, or frivolous exceptions are made or they are filed without the certificate of counsel and affidavit of exceptant, required as aforesaid, they may be overruled by the court or a justice at chambers, on notice and motion, and judgment entered as if no exceptions had been filed.

Sec. 258. JUDGMENT.-Upon the conclusion of such trial or trials the court shall enter judgment upon the auditor's report as affirmed or corrected by the findings of the jury.

CHAPTER V.

ADMINISTRATION.

Subchapter 1.-EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND COLLECTORS.

[Sec. 259. ESTATE TO BE ADMINISTERED.-On the death of any person domiciled in the District of Columbia leaving real or personal estate, or both, therein, all his personal estate and so much of his real estate as shall be necessary in addition thereto for the payment of his debts shall be the subject of administration under authority and direction of the probate court.]

Sec. 260. LIEN OF CREDITORS.-On the death of any person not domiciled in the District of Columbia at the time of his death so much of his real and personal estate in the District of Columbia as may be necessary for the payment and discharge of just claims against him of creditors and persons domiciled in the District of Columbia shall also be the subject of administration under authority and direction of the probate court, irrespective of the personal estate of such decedent at his place of domicile or elsewhere: Provided, The prosecution of such claims is begun in said court within one year after the death of such decedent.

Sec. 261. COMPETENCY OF EXECUTORS, AND SO FORTH.-No letters testamentary or of administration shall be granted to a person convicted of an infamous offense, or to an idiot or lunatic, or person non compos mentis, or one under eighteen years of age, or to an alien; and all questions as to the disqualification on any of said grounds of any person claiming to be entitled to letters testamentary or of administration shall be determined by the probate court, after such notice to the said persons as the court may direct.

Sec. 262. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY.-When any will or codicil respecting either real or personal property shall have been authenticated and admitted to probate, letters testamentary thereon shall be issued to the executor named therein, if he is legally competent and will accept the trust: Provided, That he shall first execute a bond to the United States, with security to be approved by the court, in such penalty as the court may require, with a condition that he will administer according to law and to the will of the testator all his goods, chattels, rights, and credits, and the proceeds of all his real estate that may be sold for the payment of his debts or legacies which shall at any time come to the possession of the executor or to the possession of any other person for him, and in all other respects faithfully perform the trusts reposed in him: And provided further, That said executor shall take and subscribe and file an oath that he will well and truly administer the estate of the deceased according to law and will give a just account of his administration when thereto lawfully called: Provided, That the above conditions as to bond and oath shall not apply to corporations authorized to act as executors.

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