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Secs. 1629, 1633.

interest intended to pass under the power if the person executing the power were the actual owner.

Sec. 1054. Where a power to dispose of lands is confined to a disposition by devise or will, the instrument of execution must be a will duly executed; and where a power is confined to a disposition by grant it can not be executed by will, although the disposition is not intended to take effect until after the death of the party executing the power.

Sec. 1055. Every instrument executed by the grantee of a power conveying an estate or creating a charge, which such grantee would have no right to convey or create unless by virtue of his power, shall be deemed a valid execution of the power, although such power be not recited or referred to therein.

CHAPTER XXV.

EVIDENCE.

Sec. 1056. OATH.-All evidence shall be given under Preamble 5. oath according to the forms of the common law, except that where a witness has conscientious scruples against taking an oath, he may, in lieu thereof, solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare and affirm; and wherever herein any application, statement, or declaration is required to be supported or verified by an oath it is to be understood that such affirmation is the equivalent of an oath.

732, 858, 1291.

Sec. 1057. PERJURY.-A person swearing, affirming, Secs 184, 652, or declaring, or giving testimony in any form where an oath is authorized by law, is lawfully sworn, and will be guilty of perjury in a case where he would be guilty of said crime if sworn according to the forms of the common law.

Macafee v. Hig

Sec. 1058. TESTIMONY DE BENE ESSE. The testi-Secs. 144, 922. Welch v. Lynch, mony of any witness may be taken in any civil cause 30 D. C. App., 138 depending in any court of the District of Columbia, whether gins, 31 D. C. the cause be at issue or not, by deposition de bene esse, under any of the following conditions:

First. Where the witness lives beyond the District of Columbia.

Second. Where the witness is likely to go out of the United States or beyond the District and not return in time for the trial.

Third. Where the witness is infirm or aged, or for any other reason the party desiring his testimony fear he may not be able to secure the same at the time of trial, whether said witness resides within the District or not.

Fourth. If during the trial any witness is unable, by reason of sickness or other cause, to attend the trial, the deposition of such witness may, in the discretion of the court, be taken and read at the trial.

Any such deposition may be taken before any judge of any court of the United States; before any commissioner or clerk of any court of the United States, or any examiner in chancery of any court of the United States; before any chancellor, justice, or judge or clerk of any court of any State or Territory or other place under the sovereignty of the United States, or any notary public or justice of the peace within any place under the sovereignty of the United States: Provided, That no such person shall be eligible to take such deposition who is counsel or attorney for any party to the cause or who is in any wise interested in the event of the cause.

c.pp., 472; 8 D.

361; 31 D.

C. App., 75; R. S.

U. S.,
863.

Before proceeding to take the deposition reasonable written notice of the time, place, names, and addresses of the witnesses shall be given by the party or his attorney proposing to take the deposition to the attorney of record, if there be one, of the adverse party, and if not, to the party himself, which notice shall specify the name or names of the witnesses, the time and place of taking the same, and the name and official character of the person before whom the same is to be taken; but it shall not be lawful to require the adverse party to attend the taking of a deposition at more than one place on the same day. In all cases in rem the person having the agency or possession of the property at the time of seizure shall be deemed the adverse party until a claim shall have been put in, when the claimant and the person having the agency or possession as aforesaid shall both be entitled to the notice.

Summons to any witness to appear and testify shall be issued by the person or officer before whom the deposition is to be taken, and served by the marshal of the United States or his deputy within the place where the witness resides; and the witness may be compelled to appear and testify by the officer before whom the deposition is to be taken in the same manner as witnesses may be compelled to appear and testify in court; and for the purpose of executing the provisions of this section any of the persons authorized to take such depositions are hereby vested with all the power and authority for compelling the attendance of the witness and the giving of his testimony which by law or usage are vested in any of the judges of the courts of the United States, and shall be entitled, upon summary application, to the aid of the courts of the United States to compel such attendance and giving of testimony.

Every person deposing as herein provided shall first swear or solemnly and truly affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in answer to such questions as are propounded to him by the parties or their counsel; and the adverse party or his counsel shall have the right to cross-examine such witness.

The questions propounded to the witness and the answers of the witness thereto shall be taken down in writing; and the same may be taken down stenographically by the officer taking the deposition or a competent and disinterested stenographer engaged by him, and afterwards transcribed into writing or typewriting, and, in the presence of the officer taking the deposition, read over to the witness, and signed by him. If the witness be unable to write or refuse to sign the deposition, the officer taking the same shall certify the fact and the reason, if any, assigned by the witness.

The deposition of the witness or witnesses, together with the certificate of the officer taking the same, shall be by said officer sealed up and indorsed with the title of the

cause in which the deposition is taken, and the cost of taking the same and by whom paid, and by him transmitted to the court in the District of Columbia in which the cause is pending, and by him deposited, postage prepaid, in the United States mail.

If, at the time of trial, the witness can be produced to testify in open court the deposition shall not be read in evidence; but if the attendance of the witness can not be produced then the said deposition shall be admissible in evidence, subject to such objections to the questions and answers as were noted at the time of taking the deposition, or within ten days after the return thereof, and would be valid were the witness personally present in court.

In any case where the interests of justice may require the supreme court of the District of Columbia may grant a dedímus potestatem to take depositions according to common usage, and may, according to the usages of chancery, direct depositions to be taken in perpetuam rei memoriam if they relate to any matters that might be cognizable in any court of the United States.

When the testimony of any witness residing in any place not within the sovereignty of the United States is desired in any cause pending in any court of the District of Columbia, the same may be taken upon interrogatories and cross-interrogatories filed in said court, and transmitted by said court under letters rogatory, addressed to some court of record in the foreign State in which said witness is then to be found.-Act of June 30, 1902 (32 Stat., Part I, p. 538).

(Repealed.)

[Sec. 1058. TESTIMONY DE BENE ESSE.-The testimony of any witness may be taken in any civil cause depending in any court of the District of Columbia, whether the cause be at issue or not, by deposition de bene esse, under any of the following conditions:

First. Where the witness lives at a greater distance than one hundred miles from the place of trial.

Second. Where the witness is likely to go out of the United States or out of the District to a place more than one hundred miles from the place of trial and not return in time for the trial.

Third. Where the witness is infirm or aged, or for any other reason the party desiring his testimony fears he may not be able to secure the same at the time of trial, whether said witness resides within the District or not.

Fourth. If during the trial any witness is unable, by reason of sickness or other cause, to attend the trial, the deposition of such witness may, in the discretion of the court, be taken and read at the trial.

The deposition may be taken before any judge of any court of the United States; before any commissioner or clerk of any court of the United States, or any examiner in chancery of any court of the United States; before any chancellor, justice, or judge or clerk of any court of any State or Territory or other place under the sovereignty of the United States, or any notary public or justice of the peace within any place under the sovereignty of the United States: Provided, That no such person shall be eligible to take such deposition who is counsel or attorney for any party to the cause or who is in any wise interested in the event of the cause.

Before proceeding to take the deposition reasonable written notice of the time, place, names, and addresses of the witnesses shall be given by the party or his attorney proposing to take the deposition to the attorney of record, if there be one, of the adverse party, and if not, to the party himself, which notice shall be at least twenty days more than the time necessary to reach the place of taking such deposition, and shall specify the name or names of the witnesses, the time and place of taking the same, and the name and official character of the person before whom the same is to be taken; but it shall not be lawful to require the adverse party to attend the taking of a deposition at more than one place on the same day.

In all cases in rem the person having the agency or possession of the property at the time of seizure shall be deemed the adverse party until a claim shall have been put in, when the claimant and the person having the agency or possession as aforesaid shall both be entitled to the notice.

When by reason of absence of the party or his attorney of record, or other cause, the giving of the notice herein required shall be impossible or impracticable, and there shall be urgent necessity for taking such deposition, the notice shall be given in such manner as a justice of the supreme court of the District of Columbia shall direct.

Summons to any witness to appear and testify shall be issued by the person or officer before whom the deposition is to be taken, and served by the marshal of the United States or his deputy within the place where the witness resides; and the witness may be compelled to appear and testify by the officer before whom the deposition is to be taken in the same manner as witnesses may be compelled to appear and testify in court; and for the purpose of executing the provisions of this section any of the persons authorized to take such depositions are hereby vested with all the power and authority for compelling the attendance of the witness and the giving of his testimony which by law or usage are vested in any of the judges of the courts of the United States, and shall be entitled, upon summary application, to the aid of the courts of the United States to compel such attendance and giving of testi

mony.

Every person deposing as herein provided shall first swear or solemnly and truly affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in answer to such questions as are propounded to him by the parties or their counsel; and the adverse party or his counsel shall have the right to cross-examine such witness."

The questions propounded to the witness and the answers of the witness thereto shall be taken down in writing; and the same may be taken down stenographically by the officer taking the deposition or a competent and disinterested stenographer engaged by him, and after wards transcribed into writing or typewriting, and, in the presence of the officer taking the deposition, read over to the witness, and signed by him. If the witness be unable to write or refuse to sign the deposition the officer taking the same shall certify the fact and the reason, if any, assigned by the witness.

The deposition of the witness or witnesses, together with the certificate of the officer taking the same, shall be by said officer sealed up and indorsed with the title of the cause in which the deposition is taken, and the cost of taking the same and by whom paid, and by him transmitted to the court in the District of Columbia in which the cause is pending, and by him deposited, postage prepaid, in the United States mail.

If, at the time of trial, the witness can be produced to testify in open court the deposition shall not be read in evidence; but if the attendance of the witness can not be produced then the said deposition shall be admissible in evidence, subject to such objections to the questions and answers as were noted at the time of taking the deposition, or within ten days after the return thereof, and would be valid were the witness personally present in court.

In any case where the interests of justice may require the supreme court of the District of Columbia may grant a dedimus potestatem to take depositions according to common usage, and may, according to the usages of chancery, direct depositions to be taken in perpetuam rei

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