Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 58 Part 1.djvu/815

 795 58 STAT.] 78TH CONG., 2D SESS. -CHS. 509, 519-DEC. 6, 7, 1944 Puerto Rico: Provided, That when said land and improvements shall cease to be used for the purpose aforesaid, the same shall revert to the United States Government. Approved December 6, 1944. [CHAPTER 519] AN ACT To amend that portion of the Act approved June 30, 1906 (34 Stat. 697, 750), authorizing the settlement of accounts of deceased officers and enlisted men of the Army. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the portion of the Act entitled "An Act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907, and for other purposes", approved June 30, 1906 (34 Stat. 697, 750; 10 U. S. C . 868), relating to the settlement of accounts of deceased officers and enlisted men of the Army, which reads: "Hereafter, in the settlement of the accounts of deceased officers or enlisted men of the Army, where the amount due the decedent's estate is less than $500 and no demand is presented by a fully appointed legal representative of the estate, the accounting officers may allow the amount found due to the decedent's widow or legal heirs in the fol- lowing order of precedence: First, to the widows; second, if decedent left no widow, or the widow be dead at time of settlement, then to the children or their issue, per stirpes; third, if no widow or descend- ants, then to the father and mother in equal parts, provided the father has not abandoned the support of his family, in which case to the mother alone; fourth, if either the father or mother be dead then to the one surviving; fifth, if there be no widow, child, father, or mother at the date of settlement, then to the brothers and sisters and children of deceased brothers and sisters, per stirpes: Provided,That this Act shall not be so construed as to prevent payment from the amount due the decedent's estate of funeral expenses, provided a claim therefor is presented by the person or persons who actually paid the same before settlement by the accounting officers", is hereby amended to read as follows: "Hereafter, in the settlement of the accounts of deceased officers or enlisted men of the Army, where the amount due the decedent's estate is less than $1,000 and no demand is presented by a duly appointed legal representative of the estate, the accounting officers may allow the amount found due to the decedent's widow or legal heirs in the following order of precedence: First, to the widow second, if dece- dent left no widow, or the widow be dead at time of settlement, then to the children or their issue, per stirpes; third, if no widow or descendants, then to the father and mother in equal parts, provided the father has not abandoned the support of his family, m which case to the mother alone; fourth, if either the father or mother be dead, then to the one surviving; fifth, if there be no widow, child, father, or mother at the date of settlement, then to the brothers and sisters and children of deceased brothers and sisters, per stirpes. Where the amount due the decedent's estate is $1,000 or more and no demand is presented by a duly appointed legal representative of the estate, the accounting officers may allow $1,000 of the amount due to the estate to the widow or legal heirs in the order of precedence here- inabove set forth: Provided, That this Act shall not be so construed as to prevent payment from the amount due the decedent's estate of funeral expenses, provided a claim therefor is presented by the per- son or persons who actually paid the same before settlement by the accounting officers." Approved December 7, 1944. December 7, 1944 [8. 1795] [Public Law 466] Settlement of ac- counts of deceased Army personnel. Portion of law su- perseded. Amendment. Where amount due Is less than $1,000. Order of distribu- tlon. Where amount due is $1,000 or more. Funeral expenses

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