in process of construction, or shall willfully or maliciously interfere in any way with the working or use of any such line, or system, or shall willfully or maliciously obstruct, hinder, or delay the transmission of any communication over any such line, or system, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 60, 35 Stat. 1099; 18 U. S. C., sec. 116.)

1249. Counterfeiting weather forecasts.-Whoever shall knowingly issue or publish any counterfeit weather forecast or warning of weather conditions falsely representing such forecast or warning to have been issued or published by the Weather Bureau, United States Signal Service, or other branch of the Government service, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 61, 35 Stat. 1099; 18 U. S. C., sec. 117.)

1250. Molesting employees of Bureau of Animal Industry; using deadly weapon.-Whoever shall forcibly assault, resist, oppose, prevent, impede, or interfere with any officer or employee of the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture in the execution of his duties, or on account of the execution of his duties, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and whoever shall use any deadly or dangerous weapon in resisting any officer or employee of the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture in the execution of his duties, with intent to commit a bodily injury upon him or to deter or prevent him from discharging his duties, or on account of the performance of his duties, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 62, 35 Stat. 1100; 18 U. S. C., sec. 118.)

1251. Counterfeiting Government seal; fraudulently or wrongfully affixing seal of executive departments to certificate or instrument.-Whoever shall fraudulently or wrongfully affix or impress the seal of any executive department, or of any bureau, commission, or office of the United States, to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper of any description; or whoever, with knowledge of its fraudulent character, shall with wrongful or fraudulent intent use, buy, procure, sell, or transfer to another any such certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper, to which or upon which said seal has been so fraudulently affixed or impressed, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (June 15, 1917, sec. 1, 40 Stat. 227; 18 U. S. C., sec. 130.)

1252. Falsely making or forging seal of executive department.-Whoever shall falsely make, forge, counterfeit, mutilate, or alter, or cause or procure to be made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered, or shall willingly assist in falsely making, forging, counterfeiting, mutilating, or altering the seal of any executive department, or any bureau, commission, or office of the United States, or whoever shall knowingly use, affix, or impress any such fraudulently made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal to or upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper, of any description, or whoever with wrongful or fraudulent intent shall have possession of any such falsely made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal, knowing the same to have been so

falsely made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. (June 15, 1917, sec. 2, 40 Stat. 228; 18 U. S. C., sec. 131.)

1253. Making or forging official passes and permits.-Whoever shall falsely make, forge, counterfeit, alter, or tamper with any naval, military, or official pass or permit, issued by or under the authority of the United States, or with wrongful or fraudulent intent shall use or have in his possession any such pass or permit, or shall personate or falsely represent himself to be or not to be a person to whom such pass or permit has been duly issued, or shall willfully allow any other person to have or use any such pass or permit, issued for his use alone, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (June 15, 1917, sec. 3, 40 Stat. 228; 18 U. S. C., sec. 132.)

1254. Hunting or taking eggs on bird breeding grounds.-Whoever shall hunt, trap, capture, willfully disturb, or kill any bird or wild animal of any kind whatever, or take or destroy the eggs of any such bird on any lands of the United States which have been set apart or reserved as refuges or breeding grounds for such birds or animals by any law, proclamation, or Executive order, except under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of Agriculture may, from time to time, prescribe, or who shall wilfully injure, molest, or destroy any property of the United States on any such lands shall be fined not more than $500, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. (June 28, 1906, 34 Stat. 537; Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 84, 35 Stat. 1104; Apr. 15, 1924, 43 Stat. 98; 18 U. S. C., sec. 145.)

1255. Counterfeiting, altering, or uttering Government transportation requests. That whoever shall falsely make, forge, or counterfeit or cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counterfeited, or shall willingly aid or assist in falsely making, forging, or counterfeiting, in whole or in part, any form or request in similitude of the form or request provided by the Government for requesting a common carrier to furnish transportation on account of the United States or any department or branch thereof, or shall knowingly alter, or cause or procure to be altered, or shall willingly aid or assist in so altering, any form or request provided by the Government for requesting a common carrier to furnish transportation on account of the United States or any department or branch thereof, or whoever shall knowingly pass, utter, publish, or sell, or attempt to pass, utter, publish, or sell, any such false, forged, counterfeited, or altered form or request, shall upon conviction be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. (Dec. 11, 1926, sec. 1, 44 Stat. 917; 18 U. S. C., sec. 146.)

1256. Same; possession of plates and use thereof; printing.-That whoever, except by lawful authority, shall have control, custody, or possession of any plate, stone, or other thing, or any part thereof, from which has been printed or may be printed any form or request for Government transportation, or shall use such plate, stone, or other thing, or knowingly permit or suffer the same to be used in making any such form or request or any part of such a form or request, or whoever shall make or engrave, or cause or procure to be made or engraved, or shall assist in making or engraving, any plate, stone, or other thing, in the likeness of any plate, stone, or

other thing designated for the printing of the genuine issues of the form or request for Government transportation; or whoever shall print, photograph, or in any other manner make, execute, or sell, or cause to be printed, photographed, made, executed, or sold, or shall aid in printing, photographing, making, executing, or selling, any engraving, photograph, print, or impression in the likeness of any genuine form or request for Government transportation, or any part thereof; or whoever shall bring into the United States or any place subject to the jurisdiction thereof, any plate, stone, or other thing, or engraving, photograph, print, or other impression of the form or request for Government transportation, shall upon conviction be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. (Dec. 11, 1926, sec. 2, 44 Stat. 918; 18 U. S.

C., sec. 147.)

1257. Same; Secret Service.-The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to direct and use the Secret Service Division of the Treasury Department to detect, arrest, and deliver into custody of the United States marshal having jurisdiction any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this Act [18 U. Š. C., secs. 146-148]. (Dec. 11, 1926, sec. 3, 44 Stat. 918; 18 U. S. Č., sec. 148.)

1258. Payments made for influence exerted in procuring appointive public office prohibited. That it shall be unlawful to pay or offer or promise to pay any sum of money, or any other thing of value, to any person, firm, or corporation in consideration of the use or promise to use any influence, whatsoever, to procure any appointive office under the Government of the United States for any person whatsoever. (Dec. 11, 1926, sec. 1, 44 Stat. 918; 18 U. S. C.; sec. 149.)

1259. Payments received for influence exerted in obtaining appointive public office prohibited. It shall be unlawful to solicit or receive from anyone whatsoever, either as a political contribution, or for personal emolument, any sum of money or thing of value, whatsoever, in consideration of the promise of support, or use of influence, or for the support or influence of the payee, in behalf of the person paying the money, or any other person, in obtaining any appointive office under the Government of the United States. (Dec. 11, 1926, sec. 2, 44 Stat. 918; 18 U. S. C., sec. 150.)

1260. Punishment for violating provisions of act.-Anyone convicted of violating this Act [18 U. S. C., secs. 149-151] shall be punished by imprisonment of not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Dec. 11, 1926, sec. 3, 44 Stat. 918; 18 U. S. C., sec. 151.)

OFFENSES RELATING TO OFFICIAL DUTIES

1261. Extortion by officers, clerks, etc., of United States.-Every officer, clerk, agent, or employee of the United States, and every person representing himself to be or assuming to act as such officer, clerk, agent, or employee, who, under color of his office, clerkship, agency, or employment, or under color of his pretended or assumed office, clerkship, agency, or employment, is guilty of extortion, and every person who shall attempt any act which if performed would make him guilty of extortion, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. (Mar. 4, 1909. sec. 85, 35 Stat. 1104; 18 U. S. C., sec. 171.)

1262. Receipting for larger sums than are paid.-Whoever being an officer, clerk, agent, employee, or other person charged with the payment of any appropriation made by Congress, shall pay to any clerk or other employee of the United States a sum less than that provided by law, and require such employee to receipt or give a voucher for an amount greater than that actually paid to and received by him, is guilty of embezzlement, and shall be fined in double the amount so withheld from any employee of the Government and imprisoned not more than two years. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 86, 35 Stat. 1105; 18 U.S. C., sec. 172.)

1263. Disbursing officers unlawfully using public money.-Whoever, being a disbursing officer of the United States, or a person acting as such, shall in any manner convert to his own use, or loan with or without interest, or deposit in any place or in any manner, except as authorized by law, any public money intrusted to him; or shall, for any purpose not prescribed by law, withdraw from the Treasurer or any authorized depositary, or transfer, or apply, any portion of the public money intrusted to him, shall be deemed guilty of an embezzlement of the money so converted, loaned, deposited, withdrawn, transferred, or applied, and shall be fined not more than the amount embezzled, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 87, 35 Stat. 1105; May 29, 1920, 41 Stat. 654; 18 U. S. C., sec. 173.)

1264. Unlawful use of public moneys by custodians.-Every officer or other person charged by any Act of Congress with the safe-keeping of the public moneys, who shall loan, use, or convert to his own use, or shall deposit in any bank or exchange for other funds, except as specially allowed by law, any portion of the public moneys intrusted to him for safe-keeping, shall be guilty of embezzlement of the money so loaned, used, converted, deposited, or exchanged, and shall be fined in a sum equal to the amount of money so embezzled, and imprisoned not more than ten years. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 89, 35 Stat. 1105; 18 U. S. C., sec. 175.)

1265. Failure to render accounts.-Every officer or agent of the United States who, having received public money which he is not authorized to retain as salary, pay, or emolument, fails to render his accounts for the same as provided by law shall be deemed guilty of embezzlement, and shall be fined in a sum equal to the amount of the money embezzled and imprisoned not more than ten years. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 90, 35 Stat. 1105; 18 U. S. C., sec. 176.)

1266. Failure to deposit as required.-Whoever, having money of the United States in his possession or under his control, shall fail to deposit it with the Treasurer or some public depositary of the United States, when required so to do by the Secretary of the Treasury, or the head of any other proper department, or by the General Accounting Office, shall be deemed guilty of embezzlement thereof, and shall be fined in a sum equal to the amount of money embezzled and imprisoned not more than ten years. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 91, 35 Stat. 1105; May 29, 1920, sec. 1, 41 Stat. 654; June 10, 1921, sec. 304, 42 Stat. 24; 18 U. S. C., sec. 177.)

1267. Persons affected. The provisions of the five preceding sections [31 U. S. C., sec. 173-177] shall be construed to apply to all persons charged with the safe-keeping, transfer, or disbursement of

the public money, whether such persons be indicted as receivers or depositaries of the same. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 92, 35 Stat. 1105; 18 U.S. C., sec. 178.)

1268. Record evidence of embezzlement.-Upon the trial of any indictment against any person for embezzling public money under any provision of the six preceding sections [18 U. S. C., secs. 173-178], it shall be sufficient evidence, prima facie, for the purpose of showing a balance against such person, to produce a transcript from the books and proceedings of the General Accounting Office, as required in civil cases, under the provisions for the settlement of accounts between the United States and receivers of public money. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 93, 35 Stat. 1105; June 10, 1921, sec. 304, 42 Stat. 24; 18 U. S. C., sec. 179.) 1269. Prima facie evidence of embezzlement.-The refusal of any person, whether in or out of office, charged with the safe-keeping, transfer, or disbursement of the public money, to pay any draft, order, or warrant, drawn upon him by the General Accounting Office for any public money in his hands belonging to the United States, no matter in what capacity the same may have been received, or may be held, or to transfer or disburse any such money, promptly, upon the legal requirement of any authorized officer, shall be deemed, upon the trial of any indictment against such person for embezzlement, prima facie evidence of such embezzlement. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 94, 35 Stat. 1106; June 10, 1921, sec. 304, 42 Stat. 24; 18 U. S. C., sec. 180.)

1270. Evidence of conversion.-If any officer charged with the disbursement of the public moneys accepts, receives, or transmits to the General Accounting Office to be allowed in his favor any receipt or voucher from a creditor of the United States without having paid to such creditor in such funds as the officer received for disbursement, or in such funds as he may be authorized by law to take in exchange, the full amount specified in such receipt or voucher, every such act is an act of conversion by such officer to his own use of the amount specified in such receipt or voucher. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 95, 35 Stat. 1106; June 10, 1921, sec. 304, 42 Stat. 24; 18 U. S. C., sec. 181.)

1271. Banker receiving unauthorized deposit of public money.Every banker, broker, or other person not an authorized depositary of public moneys, who shall knowingly receive from any disbursing officer, or collector of internal revenue, or other agent of the United States, any public money on deposit, or by way of loan or accommodation, with or without interest, or otherwise than in payment of a debt against the United States, or shall use, transfer, convert, appropriate, or apply any portion of the public money for any purpose not prescribed by law; and every president, cashier, teller, director, or other officer of any bank or banking association who shall violate any provision of this section is guilty of embezzlement of the public money so deposited, loaned, transferred, used, converted, appropriated, or applied, and shall be fined not more than the amount embezzled, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. (Mar. 4, 1909, sec. 96, 35 Stat. 1106; 18 U. S. C., sec. 182.)

1272. Embezzlement by internal revenue officer.-Any officer connected with, or employed in, the Internal-Revenue Service of the United States, and any assistant of such officer, who shall embezzle or wrongfully convert to his own use any money or property of the United States, and any officer of the United States, or any assistant