1. When it shall come to the personal knowledge of the county commissioners, or a majority thereof, of any of the counties in this state, that the crime of murder has been committed in the county, or whenever one or more of the residents of the county shall state in writing and under oath that such crime has been committed in the county, and that to the best of their knowledge and belief the person or persons, whether known or unknown, committing the crime have not, at the time of making such statement, been apprehended or taken into custody, and the board, from such statement or other evidence, believes that a murder has been committed, and that the offering of a reward would tend to cause the arrest of the perpetrator or perpetrators of the crime, the board of county commissioners, or a majority thereof, is authorized to offer a reward for the arrest and safe delivery of such criminal or criminals to the proper officers.
2. In no case shall a reward be offered, as provided in this section, for more than $500 in each case, and such offer shall expire so soon as the board of county commissioners offering the reward shall make an order to that effect, which it is authorized and empowered to do at any general session or at a special session convened without notice, and shall cause the same to be entered in the minutes of proceedings.
3. No reward shall be offered as herein authorized until after an order shall have been made by the board and entered in the minutes of proceedings, reciting the name of the person or persons murdered, and the amount of the reward offered, and the order shall have been approved by the board and attested in the usual manner of attesting the minutes of the proceedings in other cases.
4. All claims for rewards, as provided for in this section, shall be allowed and paid as other claims against the county, under the direction of the county commissioners, as provided for by law.
[1:65:1869; B § 3106; BH § 2022; C § 2172; RL § 3906; NCL § 6721] + [2:65:1869; B § 3107; BH § 2023; C § 2173; RL § 3907; NCL § 6722]