Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 76A.djvu/415

–319– -319the sale is to take place, for such time as may be reasonable, considering the character and condition of the property. (2) In case of other personal property: by posting a similar notice in three public places in the town where the sale is to take place, for not less than 6 days nor more than 10 days. (3) In case of real property: by posting a similar notice particularly describing the property for 20 days, in three public places of the town where the property is to be sold and publishing a copy thereof once a week for the same period, in some newspaper of general circulation in the Canal Zone; and where real property is to be sold under the provision of any deed of trust the copy of the notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the property to be sold, at least 20 days before date of sale. § 552. Penalty for selling without notice or taking down or defacing notice An officer selling without the notice prescribed by section 551 of this title shall forfeit $500 to the aggrievea party, in aadition to his actual damages; and a person willfully taking down or defacing the notice posted, if done before the sale or the satisfaction of the judgment before sale, shall forfeit $500. § 553. Conduct of sale Sales of property under execution shall be made at auction, to the highest bidder, between the hours of nine in the morning and five in the afternoon. After sufficient property has been sold to satisfy the execution, no more may be sold. Neither the officer holding the execution nor his deputy may become a purchaser or be interested in any purchase at the sale. When the sale is of personal property, capable of manual deliveryj it shall be within view of those who attend the sale, and be sold m such parcels as are likely to bring the highest price; and when the sale is of real property, consisting of several known lots or parcels, they shall be sold separately; or when a portion of the real property is claimed by a third person, and he requires it to be sold separately, it shall be thus sold. The judgment debtor, if present at the sale, may also direct the order in which property, real or personal, shall be sold, when the property consists of several known lots or parcels, or of articles which can be sold to advantage separately, and the marshal shall follow those directions. § 554. Nonpayment of bid; resale (a) If a purchaser refuses to pay the amount bid by him for property struck off to him at a sale under execution, the officer may again sell the property at any time to the highest bidder, and if any loss is occasioned thereby, the officer may recover the amount of the loss, with costs, from the bidder so refusing, in any court of competent jurisdiction. (b) If a purchaser refuses to pay, the officer may reject any subsequent bid by him. (c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section do not render the officer liable for any more than the amount bid by the second or subsequent purchaser, and the amount collected from the purchaser refusing to pay. § 555. Rights of purchaser; certificate of sale (a) When the purchaser of personal property capable of manual delivery pays the purchase money, the officer making the sale shall deliver the property to him, and, if desired, execute and deliver to him a certificate of the sale. The certificate conveys to the purchaser all the right which the debtor had in the property on the day the execution or attachment was levied.

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