LAWS OF MARYLAND.

1842

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That every one who shall
permit any gaining table, prohibited by this act, to be kept
in any house over which he or she, has the occupancy or
control, either as owner, tenant or temporary occupant, shall
be deemed guilty of keeping a gaming table within the mean-
ing of this act.

CHAP. 190.

Deemed guil-
ty of keeping
a gaming ta-
ble.

SEC. 6. And be it enacted, That this act shall be liberally
Construed, as a remedical law, and not strictly as a penal
law.

To be liberal-
ly construed.

SEC. 7. And be it enacted, That all fines and forfeitures
under this act, shall be recovered in the name of the state,
before a single justice of the peace as small debts are now
recovered, and the proceedings shall in all respects be simi-
lar to those for the recovery of small debts, with the same
right of appeal either on the part of the State, or the
part of the defendant.

To be reco-
vered in name
of the stats.

SEC. 8. And be it enacted, That all fines recovered
under this act, shall go one half to the state, and the other
half to the informer, and the informers shall be a competent
Wil ness without releasing his interest in the penalty.

One half
to the state
and the other
to the infor-
mer.

SEC. 9. And be it enacted, That no proceedings under
this act shall be quashed, nor shall any judgment for a fine
under the same, be reversed by reason of any error in stat-
ing who was informer, or any other matter of form, but the
proceedings in every case, may be amended at any stage of
them, either before the justice of the peace, or before the
county court on appeal, so as to bring the real merits of the
case to trial, and ascertain whether there has been a viola-
tion of this act, by the party accused.

Proceedings
are not to be
quashed.

SEC. 10. And be it enacted, That the fines under this act
may be recovered as hereinbefore provided or by indict-
ment in the county court or city court of Baltimore, and
it is further enacted, that all acts of Assembly heretofore

Fines recover-
ed by indict-
ment.

passed, for the purpose of suppressing gaming, be and the
same are hereby repealed.

Repealed.

SEC. 11. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty of
all constables to visit all the places within their respective
districts, cities, or counties, where it is suspected gaming
tables are kept, and give in information of all violations of
this act to the next county court of their respective counties,
or the city court of Baltimore, where the violations occur
in said city.

Constables to
visit places.

SEC. 12. And be it enacted. That the several county
courts, and the city court of Baltimore, shall give this act
in charge to the grand jury of each county court or city
court, to be held hereafter, and no person who has or may
have bet at any gaming table, shall be excused from testify-
ing under this act, but whenever it may be necessary to
21

County courts
to give it in
charge.