447.010 . Duty of persons finding lost money, goods
447.020 . Appointment of appraisers by circuit judge
447.030 . Appraiser's list, where filed--publication
447.040 . Procedure if no owner appears, when
447.050 . Restoration of property, when--owner may sue, when
447.060 . Failure to discover--penalty
447.070 . Goods retained until payment of charges
447.080 . Sale of unclaimed property
447.090 . Unclaimed proceeds
447.100 . Carrier's responsibility ceases, when
447.110 . Sale of property upon which advances are made, when
[Sections 447.500 to 447.721 omitted.]
447.010. Duty of persons finding lost money, goods
If any person finds any money, goods, right in action, or other personal property, or valuable thing whatever, of the value of ten dollars or more, the owner of which is unknown, he shall, within ten days, make an affidavit before some judge of the circuit court of the county, other than a municipal judge, stating when and where he found the same, that the owner is unknown to him, and that he has not secreted, withheld or disposed of any part thereof.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15317. Amended by L.1978, p. 826, H.B. No. 1634, § A(§ 1), eff. Jan. 2, 1979.)
447.020. Appointment of appraisers by circuit judge
Such judge shall then, if necessary, summon three disinterested householders to appraise the same; such appraisers, or any two of them, shall make two lists of the valuation and description of such property, money, or other valuable thing, and sign and make oath to the same, and shall deliver one of the lists to the finder and the other to the judge.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15318. Amended by L.1978, p. 826, H.B. No. 1634, § A(§ 1), eff. Jan. 2, 1979.)
447.030. Appraiser's list, where filed--publication
The judge shall file such list and the finder shall transmit a copy of the same to the clerk of the county commission within fifteen days, and shall set up at the courthouse door, and four other public places in the township or city, a copy of such valuation within ten days.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15319. Amended by L.1978, p. 827, H.B. No. 1634, § A(§ 1), eff. Jan. 2, 1979.)
447.040. Procedure if no owner appears, when
If no owner appear and prove the money or property within forty days, and the value exceed twenty dollars, the finder shall, within thirty days thereafter, cause a copy of the description to be inserted in some newspaper of general circulation, qualified pursuant to chapter 493, RSMo, and located in the county where the money or property was found, once per week for three consecutive weeks; and if no owner prove the property within one hundred eighty days after such publication, the same shall vest in the finder.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15320. Amended by L.2003, S.B. No. 288, § A.)
447.050. Restoration of property, when--owner may sue, when
If, within one year, any owner appear and prove the property, and pay all reasonable charges, the finder shall restore the same to him; and on failure to make restoration of such property, or the appraised value thereof, on being tendered such charges, the owner may recover the same or the value thereof, by civil action, in any court having jurisdiction.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15321.)
447.060. Failure to discover--penalty
If any person find any money, property or other valuable thing, and fail to make discovery of the same as required by this chapter, he shall forfeit to the owner double the value thereof.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15322.)
447.070. Goods retained until payment of charges
When any goods, merchandise or other property shall have been received by any railroad or express company, or other common carrier, commission merchant or warehouseman, and shall not be received by the owner, consignee, or other authorized person, it shall be lawful to hold the same by said carrier, commission merchant or warehouseman, or the same may be stored with some responsible person, and be retained until the freight and all just and reasonable charges be paid.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15323.)
447.080. Sale of unclaimed property
If no person call for said goods, merchandise or other property, within sixty days from the receipt thereof, and pay freight and charges thereon, it shall be lawful for such carrier, commission merchant or warehouseman to sell such goods, merchandise or other property, or so much thereof at auction, to the highest bidder, as will pay said freight and charges, first having given twenty days' notice of the time and place of sale to the owner, consignee or consignor, when known, and by advertisement in a daily paper, or if in a weekly paper, four weeks, published where such sale is to take place; and if any surplus be left after paying freight, storage, cost of advertising and all other just and reasonable charges, the same shall be paid over to the rightful owner of said property at any time thereafter, upon demand being made therefor, within sixty days; provided, however, that any common carrier may sell such goods, merchandise, or other property in accordance with the provisions of the bill of lading applicable thereto, where the form of bill of lading used has been duly filed with the public service commission of Missouri.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15324.)
If the rightful owner or his agent fail to demand such surplus within sixty days of the time of such sale, then said surplus shall be paid into the county treasury, subject to the order of the owner.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15325.)
447.100. Carrier's responsibility ceases, when
After the storage of goods, merchandise or property as herein provided, the responsibility of the carrier shall cease, nor shall the person with whom the same may be stored be liable for any loss or damage on account thereof, unless the same shall result from his negligence or want of proper care.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15326.)
447.110. Sale of property upon which advances are made, when
When any commission merchant or warehouseman shall receive, on consignment, produce, merchandise or other property, and shall make advances thereon, either to the owner or for freight and charges, it shall be lawful for the person who may make such advances, if the same be not paid to him within sixty days from the date of such advances, to cause the produce, merchandise or property on which the advances were made to be advertised and sold as provided in section 447.080.
CREDIT(S)
(R.S.1939, § 15327.)