Private Law 83–419

the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to pay, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the Columbia Hospital of Richland County, South Carolina, the sum of $18,322.92. Such sum represents reimbursement for the reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by such hospital in providing care and treatment during the period beginning September 18, 1942, and ending October 18, 1952, to one Halsford V. Sharpe, a former prisoner of the United States who is permanently and totally disabled as a result of an injury sustained by him in the course of his arrest on March 7, 1942, by agents of the Alcohol Tax Unit, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of the Treasury, and who was placed in such hospital by such agents on such date. The United States, through the Department of Justice, paid all expenses for such care and treatment for the period beginning March 7, 1942, and ending September 17, 1942, during which period the said Halsford V. Sharpe was in the custody of a United States marshal but, on the latter date, the said Halsford V. Sharpe was discharged from such custody and the United States disclaimed further liability in law to pay such expenses.

After reference of the matter to the United States Court of Claims by H. Res. 404, Eighty-second Congress, agreed to on October 4, 1951, such court in the congressional reference case styled Columbia Hospital of Richland County against the United States (Congressional Numbered 17872, decided July 13, 1953) determined (1) that there was a moral obligation on the part of the United States to compensate the Columbia Hospital of Richland County, South Carolina, for the reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by such hospital in the care and treatment of the said Halsford V. Sharpe, (2) that the sum of $18,322.92 is the amount of such expenses for the period beginning September 18, 1942, and ending October 18, 1952, and (3) that the United States should compensate such hospital for all such expenses occurring after the end of such period or, in lieu thereof, should arrange the transfer of the said Halsford V. Sharpe to a Federal institution properly equipped to care for him on a permanent basis.

In accordance with such determination of the court, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs are authorized and directed to make such arrangements as may be necessary and appropriate (1) to assist in the transfer of the said Halsford V. Sharpe, on the earliest practicable date, from the Columbia Hospital of Richland County, South Carolina, to any hospital under the jurisdiction of the Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, or the Veterans’ Administration, which is properly equipped to receive and care for the said Halsford V. Sharpe, and (2) to provide care and treatment on a permanent basis for the said Halsford V. Sharpe in such hospital under the jurisdiction of the Public Health Service or the Veterans’ Administration, as the case may be. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Treasury for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to enable the Secretary to reimburse the Public Health Service or the Veterans’ administration, as the case may be, for care and treatment provided under the authority in this subsection.

The Secretary of the Treasury is further authorized and directed to pay, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the Columbia Hospital of Richland County, South Carolina, a sum equal to the amount which shall be certified by such hospital to the United States Court of Claims, and shall be approved and certified by such court to the Secretary of the Treasury, as being the amount of the reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by such hospital in providing for the care and treatment of the said Halsford V. Sharpe during the period beginning October 19, 1952, and ending on the day immediately prior to the date of the transfer of the said Halsford V. Sharpe to the hospital under the jurisdiction of the Public Health Service or the Veterans’ Administration, as provided for in subsection (c).

The payments to the Columbia Hospital of Richland County, South Carolina, of the sums referred to in subsections (a) and (d) and the transfer of the said Halsford V. Sharpe to a hospital under the jurisdiction of the Public Health Service or the Veterans’ administration for care and treatment therein on a permanent basis as provided for in subsection (c) shall be in full settlement of all claims against the United States for reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with the care and treatment of the said Halsford V. Sharpe.

No part of either of the sums appropriated in this Act in excess of 10 per centum thereof shall be paid or delivered to or received by any agent or attorney on account of services rendered in connection with the claim or portion thereof settled by the payment of such sum, and the same shall be unlawful, any contract to the contrary notwithstanding, nor shall any sum appropriated in this Act be paid to such agent or attorney with respect to amounts accrued after the date of enactment of this Act. Any person violating the provisions of this subsection shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not exceeding $1,000.