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753.03 IMPOUNDING EVERGREENS.
Any forest or park officer, peace officer or highway patrolman of this State may stop any truck, trailer or other vehicle engaged in the transporting of the evergreen trees or boughs described in Section 753.01, except trucks or trailers licensed for and engaged in interstate commerce, and require the operator to produce the bill, invoice or statement of ownership required by Sections 753.01 and 753.02 as evidence of lawful ownership or custody of such cut trees or boughs. Failure to produce upon demand such bill of sale, invoice or statement or offering a bill of sale, invoice or statement which fails to provide the information required by such sections is a violation of such sections; and such truck, trailer or other vehicle, together with its contents, shall be impounded by the investigating officer for a period of forty-eight hours, unless a satisfactory and genuine bill of sale, invoice or statement is sooner presented.
Failure to furnish a satisfactory and genuine bill of sale, invoice or statement within forty-eight hours from the time that such truck, trailer or other vehicle is impounded constitutes prima-facie evidence that the trees or boughs so impounded are not the property of the person engaged in transporting them and that such person is unlawfully transporting such trees or boughs. (1954 Code Sec. 20.604)
753.05 DISPOSITION OF TREES.
At the discretion of the court before whom the defendant is brought for a violation of Sections 753.01 to 753.03, the cut trees or boughs being transported at the time of the offense may immediately be disposed of at the highest obtainable price, and the money obtained from such sale shall be impounded by the court, pending determination of the ownership of such trees or boughs. If such owners are unknown and cannot be ascertained within thirty days after such sale, or if there is money remaining after the claims of known owners have been satisfied, all money thereafter remaining shall be paid to the local County welfare board for expenditures in aid to crippled or indigent children. (1954 Code Sec. 20.608)
753.99 PENALTY.
Whoever violates any provision of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.