LAWS OF MARYLAND.

1843

CHAPTER 241.

CHAP. 241.

An act relating to Dogs in Port Tobacco in Charles
county.

Passed March
4, 1844.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That Aquilla Batemen, Elijah W. Day and
William M. Hodges, be, and they are hereby appointed,
commissioners in and for the Town of Port Tobacco, for

Commission-
ers.

the purposes herein specified.
Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That the said commission-
ers shall have power to fill any vacancy in their board,
which may happen from refusal to act, death removal or
other cause.

May fill va-
cancies.

Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That there shall be, and
hereby is imposed upon every dog owned or remaining
longer than five days in Port Tobacco, an annual tax of
two dollars, and upon every bitch, an annual tax of five
dollars, which tax shall be paid on or before the first day
of May, in each and every year to the said commission-
ers, who are required upon the payment of such tax, to
issue a license or permit, to be signed by one of said
commissioners to the owner of such dog or bitch, for

$2 tax on each
dog.

twelve months, describing the same as near as may be.
Sec. 4. And be it enacted, That any dog or bitch,
which shall be kept closely confined upon the premises of

Dog confined
on premises,
exempt.

its owner shall not be subjected to such tax.
Sec. 6. And be in enacted, That all money which may
arise under the operation of this act, shall be expended
under the direction of said commissioners, in cleaning and
improving the said town.

Applied to im-
provement of
town.

Sec. 6. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty
of the town constable and he is hereby authorized and re-
quired to kill any dog or bitch going at large in the town
whose owner has not complied with the provisions of this
law, and for such services the said commissioners are au-
thorized to allow him such compensation as they may
think just and right, to be paid out at the funds, arising

Constables to
kill dogs go-
ing at large.

under the provisions of this act.
Sec. 7. And be it enacted, That the said constable for
every failure to discharge the duties required of him by
this act, shall forfeit the sum of ten dollars, which may be
recovered by common warrant before a justice of the
peace, in the name of "the commissioners of Port To-
bacco," as aforesaid.

Constable to
pay fine of ten
dollars for ne-
glect of duty.