A public corporation may incur liability on implied contract if it could make an express contract of the same nature, and if the statute does not prescribe the exclusive method of making such contracts.1 Thus where a city causes part of the electricity furnished, to be used in lighting public buildings, and refuses to designate the lights to be removed and notifies the company not to remove any, it is liable for the electricity furnished in excess of the contract amount.2 So it may be liable on an implied contract for attorneys' fees.3 If the statute prescribes the method of making a contract, a city cannot be held liable on an implied contract, not entered into according to statute.4 If there is no power to make an express contract there can be no implied contract.5 Thus where by statute there can be no contract between the city and an official, a pound master can have no claim on an implied contract for premises furnished as a pound.6 Thus in the absence of statute a county is not liable to an acquitted defendant for costs in a criminal case,7 nor to compensate attorneys for defendant on appeal,8 nor for physician's services at an inquest,9 nor for compensation for a sheriff's posse.10 So as he is not a peace officer a deputy marshal can have no fees for arrest of vagrants under the statute.11 The statute may impose a liability on the county for services rendered by a member of a board of health of a village to the poor during an epidemic of smallpox.12 A limitation on the amount of indebtedness applies to implied contracts as well as to express ones.13 It doe* not apply, however, to quasi-contract as distinguished from genuine implied contracts. Thus it does not apply to the return of money paid for illegal tax certificates which under the ordinance in force was never the property of the city.14

N. W. 646; State v. Martin, 27 Neb. 441; 43 N. W. 244; Oakley v. Atlantic City, 63 N. J. L. 127; 44 Atl. 651; Hoffman v. Pawnee County, 3 Okla. 325; 41 Pac. 566; Reuting v. Titusville, 175 Pa. St. 512; 34 Atl. 916; Jones v. Camden, 44 S. C. 319; 51 Am. St. Rep. 819; 23 S. E. 141; Richmond, etc., Co. v. West Point, 94 Va. 668; 27 S. E. 460; Sheafe v. Seattle, 18 Wash. 298; 51 Pac. 385; Tiede v. Schneidt, 105 Wis. 470; 81 N. W. 826.

2 Lake Charles, etc., Co. v. Lake Charles, 106 La. 65; 30 So. 289; Fawcett v. Mt. Airy, 134 N. C. 125; 45 S. E. 1029.

3 Lake Charles, etc., Co. v. Lake Charles, 106 La. 65; 30 So. 289.

1 Jacksonville, etc., Co. v. Jacksonville, 36 Fla. 229; 51 Am. St. Rep. 24; 30 L. R. A. 540; 18 So. 677; Danville v. Water Co., 178 111. 299;

69 Am. St. Rep. 304; 53 N. E. 118; Wellston v. Morgan, 65 O. S. 219; 62 N. E. 127; Markley v. Mineral City, 58 O. S. 430; 65 Am. St. Rep. 776; 51 N. E. 28; Gas and Water Co. v. Elyria, 57 O. S. 374; 49 N. E. 335; Citizens' Bank v. Terrell, 78 Tex. 450; 14 S. W. 1003; Winchester v. Redmond, 93 Va. 711; 57 Am. St. Rep. 822; 25 S. E. 1001.

2 Wellston v. Morgan, 65 O. S. 219; 62 N. E. 127; Gas and Water Co. v. Elyria, 57 O. S. 374; 49 N. E. 335.

1 Austin v. Bartholomew, 107 Fed. 349; 46 C. C. A. 327; Brush, etc., Co. v. Montgomery, 114 Ala. 433; 21 So. 960; Buck v. Eureka, 124 Cal. 61; 56 Pac. 612; New Athens v. Thomas, 82 111. 259; Frankfort Bridge Co. v. Frankfort, 18 B. Mon. (Ky.) 41.

2 Brush, etc., Co. v. Montgomery, 114 Ala. 433; 21 So. 960.

3 Buck V. Eureka, 124 Cal. 61; 56 Pac. 612.

4 Zottman v. San Francisco, 20 Cal. 96; 81 Am. Dee. 96; Detroit v. Robinson, 38 Mich. 108; Wellston v. Morgan, 65 O. S. 219; 62 N. E. 127.

5 Berka v. Woodward, 125 Cal. 119; 73 Am. St. Rep. 31; 45 L. R. A. 420; 57 Pac. 777; Spitzer v. Blanchard, 82 Mich. 234; 46 N. W. 400.

6 Macy v. Duluth, 68 Minn. 452; 71 N. W. 687.

7 Eisen v, Multonomah County, 31 or. 134; 49 Pac. 730.

8 State v. Young, 104 Ia. 730; 74

X. W. 693. Nor is it liable for defendant's attorney fees unless the statute is complied with. De Long v. Muskegon County, 111 Mich. 568; 69 N. W. 1115.

9 Galveston County v. Ducie, 91 Tex. 665; 45 S. W. 798.

10 Sears v. Gallatin County. 20 Mont. 462; 40 L. R. A. 405; 52 Pac. 204, citing Anderson v. Jefferson County, 25 O. S. 13; Chapin v. Ferry. 3 Wash. 386; 15 L. R. A. 116; 28 Pac. 754; Randies v. Waukesha County, 96 Wis. 629; 71 X. W. 1034.

11 Twinim v. Lucas County. 104 Ia. 231; 73 N. W. 473. last. John's v. Clinton County, 111 Mich. 609; 70 N. W. 131.