At any time prior to the expiration of the period allowed by law to perfect an appeal to the supreme court, or before the determination of the suit, any party to said suit, or any witness who may have testified therein, may, upon petition duly filed and presented to the court or presented to the trial judge thereof in vacation, and upon ten days notice to the opposite party or parties, or to one of his attorneys of record, in which notice the time and place of the presentation of the petition shall be given, obtain an order from the court or judge authorizing the clerk of the court to permit said petitioning party to withdraw from the clerk’s custody, any exhibit, map or other item of evidence, which may be the property of said party or witness, if in the opinion of the court or judge such withdrawal shall be proper. Provided, however, the party or witness requesting the withdrawal shall cause a true copy of such exhibit, map, or other item of evidence, or matter of proceeding to be made by the clerk, and such clerk shall duly certify to the correctness of the copy, and such party or witness shall pay all fees authorized by law for making such copy and for such certificate; the clerk shall be required to make the copy and certificate upon the payment of such fees. Thereafter such certified copy of said exhibit, map or other item of evidence, or matter of proceedings shall remain in custody of the clerk, and during any hearing or trial of the cause and for all other purposes the duly certified copy of such exhibit, map or item of evidence, or matter of proceeding shall be deemed and considered as the true exhibit, map, item of evidence or matter of proceeding exhibited and introduced in such suit.