The warrant may be issued whenever it shall appear by affidavit that a cause of action exists against the defendant, specifying the amount of the claim and the grounds thereof, and that the defendant is:

(1) A foreign corporation or not a resident of this State;

(2) The master, captain or agent of any sailing vessel entering any of the ports of this State and is about to take such vessel out of any port of this State without paying the pilotage fees provided by law; or

(3) (a) Has departed from the State with intent to defraud his creditors or to avoid service of a summons or keeps himself concealed therein with the like intent, (b) has removed or is about to remove any of his property from this State with intent to defraud his creditors or (c) has assigned, disposed of or secreted or is about to assign, dispose of or secrete any of his property with the like intent, whether such defendant be a resident of this State or not.

But in cases in which the defendant is the master, captain or agent of any vessel entering any of the ports of this State it shall only be necessary that the affidavit show that a cause of action exists against such defendant for pilotage services, specifying the amount of the claim and the grounds thereof, and that the defendant is about to take such vessel out of any port of this State and refuses to pay or has not paid the fees provided by law for such pilotage services.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 10-905; 1952 Code Section 10-905; 1942 Code Section 529; 1932 Code Section 529; Civ. P. '22 Section 502; Civ. P. '12 Section 281; Civ. P. '02 Section 250; 1870 (14) 475 Section 252; 1897 (22) 451; 1899 (23) 31.