Chap. 162.—An ACT to prevent the officers and employees and records
of the Treasurer, Auditor of Public Accounts and Second Auditor,
from being taken and removed from their respective offices for the
purpose of testifying and being used as evidence in civil and coupon
cascs.

Approved February 25, 1884.

Whereas the officers and clerks in the offices of the trea-
surer and second auditor of this commonwealth have been,
by various courts, summoned to leave their respective offices
and to take with them the records of the same, by the com-
pulsory process of subpcenas duces tecum, for the purpose of
proving the genuiness or legality of coupons tendered in pay-
ment of taxes, debts and demands due this state; and whereas
if this state of affairsis permitted to continue, it will result
practically in preventing these officers from performing the
necessary and required duties of their respective offices;
therefore,

1. Beit enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
no officer or clerk or employee of the auditor's office, trea-
surer’s office, or office of the second auditor, shall be required
to leave his office for the purpose of testifying in the courts
of this commonwealth, in any civil case, cause, action or peti-
tion involving the genuineness or legality of any coupon ten-
dered for taxes, debts or demands due this state.

2. But this act shall not be construed to prevent the taking
of the depositions of such officers, clerks or omproyees: pro-
vided always that such depositions shall be taken in other
than office hours.

3. The books of said offices shall not be taken therefrom
to be used as evidence in any of the cases mentioned in the
first section of this act, but copies from the records thereof,
attested by the heads of their respective departments, may
be used as evidence in lieu of the original.

4, This act shall be in force from its passage.