any

-scope of section.

Who may file

bill.

and a division of the money arising from such sale among the parties, according to their respective rights; and this section shall apply to cases where all the parties are of full age, to cases where all the parties are infants, to cases where some of the parties are of full age and some infants, to cases where some or all of the parties are non compos mentis, and to cases where all or any of the parties are nonresidents; and party, whether of full age, infant, or non compos mentis, may file a bill under this section, an infant by his guardian or prochein ami and a person non compos mentis by his committee; and if any contract has Contracts for been made for the sale of the lands, tenements, or hereditaments by sale of property held jointly with any person or persons interested therein jointly or in common with infants, etc. any infant, idiot, or person non compos mentis, for and in behalf of all the persons so interested, which the court, upon a hearing and examination of all the circumstances, shall consider to be for the interest and advantage both of such infant, idiot, or person non compos mentis and of the other person or persons interested therein to be confirmed, the court may confirm such contract and order a deed to be executed according to the same; and all sales and deeds made in pursuance of such order shall be sufficient in law to transfer the estate and interest of such infant, idiot, or person non compos mentis in such lands, tenements, or hereditaments:

Heirs at law unable to agree on partition, etc.

Provided, That if the parties entitled as heirs at law to the real estate of an intestate can not agree upon a partition thereof, or any of said parties be a minor, or the courts shall be of opinion that said estate can not be divided without loss or injury to the parties interested, before any sale shall be made thereof, the oldest son, child, or person entitled, if of age, shall have the election to take the whole estate and pay to the others their just proportions of the value in money; and if the oldest child or person entitled refuses to take the estate and pay to the others money for their proportions, then the next oldest child or person entitled, being of age, shall have the same election, and so on to the youngest child or person entitled; and if all refuse, then the property shall be sold as aforesaid; and in every case of partition any tenant in common who may have received the rents and profits of the Accountability property to his own use or may have had the exclusive possession and for rents, etc., by enjoyment of the property may be required to account to his cotenants session of propfor their respective shares of said rents and profits, or, as the case may erty. be, for the value of the use and occupation of their undivided shares of the property; and any amounts found due on said accounting may be charged against the share of the party owing the same in the property or its proceeds in case of sale.

SEC. 94. TRUSTEE TO SELL.--If any person shall die having devised real estate to be sold for the payment of debts or other purposes without having appointed a trustee to sell or convey the property, or if the person so appointed shall neglect or refuse to execute the trust, or shall die before the execution of such trust, the said court shall have authority, on the application of any person interested, to appoint a trustee to sell and convey said property and apply the proceeds of sale to the purposes intended. And in all cases where a trustee shall be appointed by last will and testament to execute any trust, and any person interested in the execution of such trust shall make it appear that it is necessary for the safety of those interested therein that the trustee should give bond and security for the due execution of the trust, the said court may order and direct that such bond be given by the trustee by a day named, and on failure of the trustee to give such bond, with security to be approved by the court as directed, the court may displace such trustee and appoint another in his stead, who shall give such bond; and such bond shall be given to the United States and may be sued on for the use of any person interested.

tenant having pos

Trustee to sell.

Bond of trustee.

etc.

Mortgages. SEC. 95. MORTGAGES.--In all cases of application to said court to court may de- foreclose any mortgage or deed of trust, the said court shall have cree sale and that authority, instead of decreeing that the mortgagor be foreclosed and proceeds be brought into court, barred from redeeming the mortgaged property, to order and decree that said property be sold and the proceeds be brought into court to -where pro be applied to the payment of the debt secured by said mortgage; and decree in per- if, upon a sale of the whole mortgaged property, the net proceeds sonam for residue shall be insufficient to pay the mortgage debt, the court may enter a decree in personam against the mortgagor or other party to the suit who is liable for the payment of the mortgage debt for the residue of said debt remaining unsatisfied after applying to said debt the proceeds of such sale:

ceeds insufficient

of debt.

--qualification.

Provided, That the complainant would be entitled to maintain an action at law or suit in equity for said residue; which decree shall have the same effect and be enforced by execution in the same manner as a -to apply also judgment at law. And in suits to enforce a vendor's lien on real estate to enforce vendor's for unpaid purchase money similar relief may be given by a decree of sale and a decree in personam for the unsatisfied residue of the purchase money due.

lien.

Debts of a decedent.

-sale of real estate to pay, etc.

Sale of contingent interests.

-procedure.

-disposition of proceeds.

SEC. 96. DEBTS OF A DECEDENT.-When any person shall die leaving any real estate in possession, remainder, or reversion, and not leaving personal estate sufficient to pay his debts, the said court, on any suit instituted by any of his creditors, may decree that all the real estate left by such person, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be sold to pay his debts; and this section shall apply to cases where the heirs or devisees are residents or nonresidents, are of full age or infants, are of sound mind or non compos mentis, and also to cases where the deceased left no heirs or it is not known whether he left heirs or devisees or the heirs or devisees be unknown; and if there be no known heirs the attorney of the United States for the District of Columbia shall be notified of said suit and appear thereto. SEC. 97. SALE OF CONTINGENT INTERESTS.-Where real estate is limited to one or more for life, with a contingent limitation over to such issue of one or more of the tenants for life as shall be living at the death of their parent or parents, and the deed or will does not prohibit a sale, said court may, on the application of the tenants for life, and if the court shall be of opinion that it is expedient to do so, order a sale of such estate and decree to the purchaser an absolute and complete title in fee simple.

SEC. 98. Any application for such sale shall be by bill, verified by the oath of the party or parties, in which all the facts shall be distinctly set forth upon the existence of which it is claimed that such sale should be decreed, which facts shall be proved by competent testimony. All of the issue embraced in the limitation who are in existence at the time of the application shall be made parties defendant, together with all who would take the estate in case the limitation over should never vest; and minors of the age of fourteen years or more shall answer in proper person under oath, as well as by guardian ad litem, and all evidence shall be taken upon notice to the parties and the guardian ad litem.

SEC. 99. The proceeds of sale of said real estate shall be held under the control and subject to the order of the court, and shall be invested under its order and supervision upon real and personal security, and the same shall, to all intents and purposes, be deemed real estate and stand in the place of the real estate from the sale of which they are derived, and as such be subject to the limitations of the deed or will. SEC. 100. Wherever one or more persons shall be entitled to an and investment of estate for life or years, or a base or qualified fee simple, or any other proceeds for bene- limited or conditional estate in lands, and fit of all parties in any other person or persons limited, etc., es- shall be entitled to a remainder or remainders, vested or contingent, or an interest by way of executory devise in the same lands, on application

Decree of sale

tates.

of any of the parties in interest the court may, if all the parties in being are made parties to the proceeding, decree a sale or lease of the property, if it shall appear to be to the interest of all concerned, and shall direct the investment of the proceeds so as to inure in like manner as provided by the original grant to the use of the same parties who would be entitled to the land sold or leased; and all such decrees, if all the persons are parties who would be entitled if the contingency had happened at the date of the decree, shall bind all persons, whether in being or not, who claim or may claim any interest in said land under any of the parties to said decree, or under any person from whom any of the parties to such decree claim, or from or under or by the original deed or will by which such particular, limited, or conditional estate, with remainders or executory devises, were created.

When decree

SEC. 101. WHEN DECREE SHALL HAVE EFFECT OF CONVEYANCE. In all cases where a decree shall be made for a conveyance, release, or shall have effect of acquittance, and the party against whom such decree shall pass shall conveyance. neglect or refuse to comply therewith, such decree shall stand, be considered and taken, in all courts of law and equity, to have the same operation and effect as if the conveyance, release, or acquittance had been executed conformably to such decree.

Process against

SEC. 102. PROCESS AGAINST INFANTS.-Whenever an infant is a party defendant in any equity suit, the subpoena issued in said suit infants. shall be served upon him personally, if within the District, and said infant shall be produced in court unless, for cause shown, the court shall dispense with his appearance, and a guardian ad litem shall be appointed to answer the bill and defend the suit for him, the said infant having the right to select his guardian ad litem if of the age of fourteen years or older.

SEC. 103. If any person shall secrete an infant against whom process has issued, so as to prevent the service of such process, or shall prevent his appearance in court as aforesaid, such person shall be liable to attachment and punishment as for contempt; or if any infant shall secrete himself or evade the service of process, he may be proceeded against as if he were a nonresident.

Secreting infant.

Persons non

SEC. 104. PERSONS NON COMPOS MENTIS.-If a person non compos mentis be a party defendant in any equity suit, the subpoena shall be compos mentis. served upon him, if within the District, and upon his committee, if there be one within the District, and if there be no such committee and the court shall be satisfied as to the condition of said party, it may appoint a guardian ad litem to answer and defend for him.

per-.

SEC. 105. NONRESIDENTS.-Publication may be substituted for sonal service of process upon any defendant who can not be found and who is shown by affidavit to be a nonresident, or to have been absent from the District for at least six months, or against the unknown heirs or devisees of deceased persons, in suits for partition, divorce, by attachment, foreclosure of mortgages and deeds of trust, the establishment of title to real estate by possession, the enforcement of mechanics' liens, and all other liens against real or personal property within the District, and in all actions at law and in equity which have for their immediate object the enforcement or establishment of any lawful right, claim, or demand to or against any real or personal property within the jurisdiction of the court.

Nonresidents. Substituting publication for personal service.

SEC. 106. No order for the substitution of publication for personal when allowed. service shall be made until a summons for the defendant shall have been issued and returned “Not to be found,” and the nonresidence of the defendant or his absence for at least six months shall be proved by affidavit to the satisfaction of the court.

Order of publication.

SEC. 107. The order of publication shall be in the following or an equivalent form:

In the supreme court of the District of Columbia.

A B, complainant,

versus

CD, defendant.

Publication.

The object of this suit is to (state it briefly). On motion of the complainant, it is this day of..., A. D. ordered that the defendant cause his appearance to be entered herein on or before the fortieth day, exclusive of Sundays and legal holidays, occurring after the day of the first publication of this order; otherwise the cause will be proceeded with as in cause of default.

E F, Justice.

SEC. 108. Every such order shall be published at least once a week for three successive weeks, or oftener, or for such further time as may -mailing copy be specially ordered; and no order or decree shall be passed against to party. said absent or nonresident defendant upon proof of notice by such publication unless the complainant, plaintiff, his agent, or solicitor or attorney shall file in the cause an affidavit showing that at least twenty days before applying for such order or decree be mailed, postpaid, a copy of said advertisement, directed to the party therein ordered to appear, at his last known place of residence, or that he has been unable to ascertain the last place of residence of said party after diligent effort Judgment by de- to ascertain the same. On failure of the defendant to appear in obedience to said notice within the time named therein, a decree or judgment by default may be entered at the next rule day thereafter: Provided, That if the said absent or nonresident defendant be an infant, the court shall appoint a guardian as litem to answer and defend for him.

fault.

Where defendant an infant.

-ornon compos

mentis.

-case to

be

SEC. 109. If the court shall be satisfied that said absent or nonresident defendant is non compos mentis, notice may be given to him by publication as aforesaid, and upon his failure to appear such decree or judgment may be passed as the circumstances of the case may require: Provided. That no decree or judgment shall be passed unless the case fully proved; at- is fully proved; and the court shall assign a solicitor or attorney to torney to repre- represent such nonresident defendant, and such solicitor or attorney shall be paid by the complainant or out of the estate of the defendant, at the discretion of the court.

sent, etc.

etc.

Unknown heirs.

SEC. 110. UNKNOWN HEIRS.-Upon allegation under oath, and proof satisfactory to the court, that it is unknown whether one who, if liv. ing, would be a proper party to any judicial proceeding is living or dead, such party may be proceeded against as if he were living, and with like effect, provided no representative of or claimant under such person shall intervene in the suit before final determination thereof, after notice by publication as in the case of nonresident parties. —where dead. If such person be dead, and it is unknown whether he died testate or left heirs, or his heirs and devisees be unknown, such unknown persons may be described as the heirs or devisees of the person who, if living, would be the proper party, and notice shall be given by pub-proceedings, lication to such persons according to such description, and the same proceedings shall be had against them as are had against nonresident defendants, except that said notice shall be published at least twice a month for such period as the court may order, which period shall not be less than three months without good cause shown, and which notice shall require said parties to appear on or before the first rule day occurring after the expiration of such prescribed period, and no decree shail be passed against said parties unless the court shall be satisfied that due diligence has been used to ascertain such unknown heirs.

Adverse posses

sion.

Perfection of

title.

SEC. 111. ADVERSE POSSESSION.-When title to any real estate in the District of Columbia shall have become vested in any person or persons by adverse possession, the holder thereof may file a bill in the supreme court of the District of Columbia to have such title perfected, in which bill it shall be sufficient to allege that the complainant holds the title to such real estate, and that the same has vested in him, or in himself and in those under whom he claims, by adverse possession; and in such action it shall not be necessary to make any person a party defendant except such persons as may appear to have a claim or title adverse to that of the plaintiff. Upon the trial of such cause, proof of the facts showing title in the plaintiff by adverse possession shall entitle him to a decree of the court declaring his title by adverse possession, and a copy of such decree may be entered of record in the office of the recorder of deeds for said District. In any such action if process shall be returned not to be found, notice by publication may be substituted as in case of nonresident defendants. If in any case it shall be unknown whether one who, if living, would be an adverse party is living or dead, or in the case of a decedent, whether he died testate or left heirs, or his heirs or devisees are unknown, the cause may be proceeded with under the provisions of section one hundred and nine: Provided, That the rights of infants or others under legal disability shall be saved for a period of two years after the removal of their disa- of rights of infants. bilities:

Provided, however, That the entire period during which such rights shall be preserved shall not exceed twenty-two years from the time such rights accrued, either in said claimant or in the person or persons under whom he claims.

-preservation

-limit of time.

SEC. 112. CORPORATIONS.—In a suit against a corporation, whether Corporations. foreign or domestic, if process can not be served, such corporation may be proceeded against as a nonresident defendant, by notice by publication.

SEC. 113. ENFORCEMENT OF DECREES.-The said court may, for the purpose of executing a decree, or to compel obedience to the same, issue an attachment against the person of the defendant, and may order an immediate sequestration of his real and personal estate, or such part thereof as may be necessary to satisfy the decree, or may issue a fieri facias and attachment by way of execution against his lands, tenements, chattels, and credits, or other incorporeal property, to satisfy the decree; or the court may, by order and injunction, cause the possession of the estate and effects whereof the possession or a sale is decreed to be delivered to the complainant, or otherwise, according to the tenor and import of the decree and as the nature of the case may require; and in case of sequestration may order payment and satisfaction to be made out of the estate and effects so sequestrated, according to the true intent and meaning of the decree; and in case any defendant shall be arrested and brought into court upon any process of contempt issued to compel the performance of any decree, the court may, upon motion, order such defendant to stand committed, or may order his estate and effects to be sequestrated and payment made, as above directed, or possession of his estate and effects to be delivered by order and injunction as above directed, until such decree or order shall be fully performed and executed, according to the tenor and true meaning thereof, and the contempt cleared; but where the decree only directs the payment of money no defendant shall be imprisoned except in those cases especially provided for.

Enforcement of

decrees.

-attachment.

--injunction.

-commitment.

Interlocutory

SEC. 114. All interlocutory orders may be enforced by such process as might be had upon a final judgment or decree to the like effect, and orders. the payment of costs adjudged to any party may be enforced in like

manner.