Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 76.djvu/638

 590

Insane persons' property.

Storage.

Fees.

PUBLIC LAW 87-691-SEPT. 25, 1962

[76 STAT.

custx)dy of the property clerk for at least six months, all records pertaining to the same shall be referred by the property clerk to the Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia for the purpose of instituting appropriate proceedings to effect the appointment of an administrator of the estate of such decedent: Provided, That upon expiration of the time for final settlement of such estate under law then in effect, the residue thereof in the absence of any claim by the heirs-at-law or next of kin of the decedent, as provided by law, shall be deposited into the Registry of the Probate Court, and upon the expiration of a period of three years, no demand having been made upon such funds by lawful heirs or other rightful claimants, the amount so deposited in such registry shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of the District of Columbia: Provided further, That if the administrator does not take possession of such property within three months from' the date of his appointment, the property clerk may, after giving such administrator thirty days' notice by registered or certified mail, sell such property at public auction, and, after deducting the expenses of such sale, and expense incident to the maintenance of custody of such property, shall pay the remaining proceeds of such sale over to such administrator. "(c) Whenever the property clerk has custody of any property belonging to any person who has been adjudged of unsound mind and a committee has been appointed for such person but fails to take possession of the property of such person in the custody of the property clerk within six months from the date of such committee's appointment, the property clerk shall ^ive such committee sixty days' notice by registered or certified mail of his intention to sell such property at public auction or otherwise dispose of such property in accordance with law. If, upon the expiration of such sixty days' notice, the committee has not taken custody of such property, (a) the property clerk is authorized to sell such property at public auction, and, after deducting the expenses of the sale, expenses incident to the maintenance and custody of such property, and any amounts due the District of Columbia for care and maintenance of the adjudicated patient, shall pay the remaining proceeds of the sale over to such committee, or (b) if in the opinion of the property clerk any such property has no salable value, he is authorized to dispose of such property by destruction or otherwise as the Commissioners of the District of Columbia shall, by regulation or order, determine. " (d)(1) The said Commissioners are authorized, in their discretion, to store in any commercial warehouse or garage in the District of Columbia, or in or on any facility under the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, any property coming into the custody of the property clerk pursuant to this chapter, including vehicles impounded by any officer or member of the Metropolitan Police force. "(2) The Commissioners are authorized to fix, by regulation, the fees to be charged to reimburse the District of Columbia for the cost of services rendered by the Metropolitan Police force in taking custody of and protecting such property and for the cost of storing such property in any commercial warehouse or garage, and whenever any such property is stored in or on any facility under the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, the Commissioners shall fix the storage fee in an amount reasonably estimated by them to be the value of the storage service rendered for each day during which such property is so stored, and to collect all such fees due and owing for such property before releasing such property to its owner or his legal representative: Provided, That the Commissioners are authorized, in their discretion, to waive the charging and collecting of such fees for property taken into custody as evidence, the proceeds of crime, or from persons sup-

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