CHAPTER 95. Published March 17, 1870. May hold real estate. AN ACT to encourage joint stock agricultural and industrial fairs and associations. The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Joint stock associations, formed under the laws of this state, for the encouragement of industry by agricultural and industrial fairs and exhibitions, may purchase and hold such real and personal property as shall be necessary for fair grounds, and such property, while used exclusively for such fairs and exhibitions, shall be free from taxes: provided, that the quantity of land so exempt shall not exceed forty acres. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved March 16, 1870.. CHAPTER 96. [Published March 19, 1870.] Repealed. "act AN ACT to repeal section three (3) of chapter one hundred and The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section three (3) of chapter one hundred and thirty-one (131) of the general laws of 1858, entitled "an act to authorize the governor of the state to visit the several state institutions and the public institutions of other states," is hereby repealed. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved March 16, 1870. CHAPTER 97. [Published March 17, 1870.] AN ACT to exempt from execution a printing press or presses and printers' material to the amount of fifteen hundred dollars. The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. There is hereby exempted from exe- Exempted. cution and sale, printing materials and printing press or presses, as the owner or owners thereof shall determine, to an amount not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved March 16, 1870. CHAPTER 98. [Published March 22, 1870.] AN ACT to provide for certain work in the Wisconsin river, and for defraying the expenses thereof. The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: commissioners. SECTION 1. The governor of the state of Wiscon- shall appoint sin shall appoint three commissioners whose duty it shall be to superintend the work at the city of Portage, in Columbia county, in the state of Wisconsin, of protecting the banks of the Wisconsin river from further encroachments and damage to the city of Portage, or for the purpose of doing any other work which in their judgment may be necessary to protect the city of Portage and adjacent territory from further encroachments by said river. Appropriation for expenses. Commissioners to execute bond Shall report to governor.. Governor may fill vacancy. Commissioners to make statement. Compensation. SECTION 2. To defray the expenses of such work there is hereby appropriated out of the general fund of this state, of moneys belonging to said fund not otherwise appropriated, the sum of five thousand dol lars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be drawn by the order of said commissioners, and paid out under the directions of said commissioners, as the work progresses.. 1 SECTION 3. Said commissioners shall before entering upon the duties under this act, execute good and sufficient bond to this state, in the penal sum of ten thousand dollars, for the faithful and proper discharge of the duties, which bond shall be approved by the governor of the state. SECTION 4. Said commissioners shall report to the governor what measures or plans have been adopted, and the amount expended on the work, on or before the first day of October, 1870. SECTION 5. The governor of this state is hereby authorized to fill any vacancy which may from any cause occur in said board. SECTION 6. At the completion of the work contemplated by this act, said commissioners shall make a detailed statement of their transactions and expendi tures to the governor of the state, and shall pay over to the state treasurer any sum apppropriated by this act remaining in their hands unexpended. SECTION 7. Said commissioners shall receive for their services the sum of five dollars per day actually employed in their duties under this act: provided, that no commissioner shall receive pay for more than twen ty days' service. SECTION 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication. Approved March 16, 1870. CHAPTER 99. [Published March 18, 1870.] AN ACT to provide compensation to a Catholic clergyman for attendance on Catholic inmates of the State Prison. The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in sen ate and assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. The State Prison commissioner is here- May employ Catholic chapby authorized and empowered to employ an additional lain. chaplain of the Catholic faith whenever there shall be imprisoned in the State Prison any person or persons of the Catholic denomination, to visit and minister to the spiritual wants of such person or persons, at least once every month, or as often as the State Prison commissioner may deem proper. lain. SECTION 2. Whenever such services shall be so Pay of chaprendered by such additional chaplain, the said commis. sioner shall certify to the same; and upon such certificate the state treasurer shall pay to the said additional chaplain, out of the general fund not otherwise appropriated, the sum of one hundred dollars per year. SECTION 3. There is hereby appropriated annually Appropriation. out of any moneys in the state treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum sufficient to carry out the provisions of this act. SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved March 16, 1870. Amended. Defendant may give evidence ceased. CHAPTER 100. [Published March 24, 1870.] AN ACT to amend chapter one hundred and fifty-seven (157) of the general laws of the state of Wisconsin, for the year (A. D.) 1869, entitled "an act relating to evidence in certain cases." The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section three (3) of said chapter 157 is hereby amended to be and read as follows: All statements, list or lists of lands (or a certified copy thereof, by any officer in whose custody the same may be) which may have been or shall hereafter be certified to the state of Wisconsin by the president of the United States, or by either of the departments of the United States or any of the officers thereof, including the secretary of the interior, or by the commissioner of the general land office of the United States for railroad or any other purposes, shall be admitted in evidence in all courts, and shall be prima facie evidence that the title of the lands therein contained or described, thereupon became vested in the state of Wisconsin. SECTION 2. In any suit that may have been comIn place of de- menced or shall be hereafter commenced in any court by an executor, administrator, heir, devisee or legatee or assignee of any deceased person, (except an assignee before due of a negotiable promissory note) upon any promissory note, obligation, contract or other instrument or evidence of indebtedness, if any defendant therein shall set forth, allege or state in his verified answer or by affidavit that the said note, obligation, contract or other instrument or evidence of indebtedness was given, in whole or part, for claimed or pretended services of such deceased person as executor, administrator, trustee, guardian or agent, or in whole or part for any other matter or thing appertaining to or growing out of or arising from such administratorship, executorship, trusteeship, guardianship or agency, and that the said note, obligation, contract or other instrument or evidence of indebtedness was obtained fraudulently or that he or they signed the same through a |