PUBLIC MONEYS AND ACCOUNTING. 333 



lion : Proi'fdi'd, That where suit is instituted by any of such creditors 

 on the bond of the contractor it sliall not be commenced until after 

 the complete performance of said contract and linal settlement 

 thereof, and shall be commenced within one year after the perforiir- 

 ance and final settlement of said contract, and not later: And pro- 

 dded furf/u/\ That where suit is so instituted by a creditor or by 

 creditors, only one action shall be brou<;ht, and any creditor may 

 file his claim in such action and be matle party thereto within 

 one year from the completion of the work under said contract, and 

 not later. If the recovery on the bond should be inadequate to pay 

 the amounts found due to all of said creditors, judi^inent shall be 

 given to each creditor pro rata of the amount of the recovery. The 

 surety on sjiid bond may pay into court, for distribution among 

 said claimants and creditors, the full amount of the sureties' liability, 

 to wit, the penalty named in the bond, le.ss any amount which said 

 surety may have had to pay to the United States by reason of the 

 execution of said bond, and upon so doing the surety will be relieved 

 from further liability: Pronded further^ That in all suits instituted 

 under the provisions of this Act such personal notice of the pendency 

 of such suits, informing them of their right to intervene as the court 

 may order, shall be given to all known creditoi's, and in addition 

 thereto notice of publication in some newspaper of general circula- 

 tion, published in the State or town where the contract is being per- 

 formed, for at least three successive weeks, the last publication to 

 be at least three months before the time limited therefor." 



Act February 24, 1005, c. 778. 33 Stat. 811, amending act August 13, 

 1894. c. 280. 28 Stat. 278. 



ACT MARCH 4. 1909, c. 321. (35 Stat. 1088.) 

 Officer making false acknowledgments; punishment. 



Sec. 31. Whoever, being an officer authorized to administer oaths 

 or to take and certify acknowledgments, shall knowingly make any 

 false acknowledgment, certificate, or .statement concerning the appear- 

 ance before him or the taking of an oath or affirmation by any j^erson 

 with respect to any proposal, contract, bond, undertaking, or other 

 matter, submitted to, made W'ith, or taken on behalf of, the United 

 States, and concerning which an oath or affirmation is required bv law 

 or regulation made in pursuance of law, or with respect to the finan- 

 cial standing of any principal, surety, or other party to any such 

 proposal, contract, bond, undertaking, or other instrument, shall be 

 fined not more than two thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more 

 than two years, or both. 



Act March 4. lf)09, c. 321, s. .'il, 35 Stat. 1094. 



This is a .section of "An act to codify, revise, and amend the penal 

 laws of the I'nited States." cited above. 



PUBLIC MONEYS AND ACCOUNTING. 



HEV. ST. SEC. 236. 



Public accounts to be settled in the Department of the Treasury, 



Sec. 23G. All claims and demands whatever by the United States 

 or again.st them, and all accounts whatever in which the United 

 States are concerned, either as debtors or as creditors, shall be settled 

 and adjusted in the Department of the Treasury. 



