§15-4-10. Money and property of deceased to be delivered to county treasurer; exception; disposition of property and proceeds therefrom.

(a) Within 30 days after an inquest on a dead body, the coroner must deliver to the county treasurer any money or other property which may be found on the body, unless claimed in the meantime by the legal representatives of the deceased. If he fails to do so, the treasurer may proceed against him for the amount or value thereof, on 10 days' notice to him and his sureties, or against any of them served therewith and recover the same, with 20 percent damages on the amount or value thereof.

(b) Upon the receipt of the money by the treasurer, he must place it to the credit of the county. If it is other property, he must sell it within three months at the courthouse of the county at public auction, upon reasonable public notice, and in like manner must place the proceeds to the credit of the county.

(c) If such money in the treasury is demanded in six years by the legal representatives of the deceased, the treasurer must pay it to them, after deducting the fees of the coroner, expenses of sale and five percent on the balance for the treasurer, or it may be paid at any time thereafter upon the order of the county commission.

(Code 1852, §§820-822; Code 1867, §§4371-4373; Code 1876, §§3999-4001; Code 1886, §§4810-4812; Code 1896, §§4933-4935; Code 1907, §§7171-7173; Code 1923, §§4566-4568; Code 1940, T. 15, §§85-87.)