LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1839.

2341

of the orphans court, to be entered on the minutes of said court,
assign and transfer to any other person residing in the said
county, any apprentice bound under this act.

apprentice
bound un-
der this act

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That if any negro or other person
shall entice or persuade any apprentice bound under this act,
to run away or abscond from the service of the master or person
entitled to his or her service under this act, such negro or
other person so offending, shall, upon conviction in the county
court, be subject to fine and imprisonment as for a misdemea-
nor, or at the discretion of the said court, be confined in the
penitentiary house of this state for not more than four years nor
less than twelve months.

Penalty for
enticing ap-
prentice to
run away.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted. That if any apprentice under this
act, shall abscond or run away, the county court of said county
shall have full power to adjudge and order such apprentice to
serve such further time, after the expiration of the period for
which such apprentice may be bound, as will compensate the
master or person entitled to the service for all loss occasioned
by such running away, including expenses of recaption ; and
said county court shall have full power to authorize the mas-
ter of such absconding apprentice to sell him or her, and for
the whole period he or she may have to serve, to any person

Penalty on
runaway
apprentices.

within this state ; Provided, the said county court shall be
satisfied that such apprentice was not induced to run away by
the ill-treatment, or fraud or contrivance of the master.

Proviso.

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That any constable, or the sheriff
of said county, shall serve any process issued by any district
court, or the orphans court, to bring the children or child of
any free negro or mulatto before such court, and in the service
of such process shall arrest and carry such child or children
before such court, on the day named in such process ; and the
officer serving such process shall receive one dollar, and the
court binding such apprentice shall receive one dollar, and the
said sums shall be paid by the person to whom the child may
be bound as an apprentice.

Officers'
fees.

SEC. 6. And be it enacted, That upon the death of the
master or his assignee, the property and interest of said master
or his assignee shall pass to the widow, if there be a widow of
such deceased master or assignee, if no widow then to the exe-
cutor or administrator of said master or his assignee ; Provided,
that no child be bound under this act, if the parent or parents
have the means, and are willing to support such child and
keep the same employed so as to teach habits of industry ; And
provided, that in binding out as aforesaid, those persons shall
be preferred as masters who may be selected by the parents, if
there be any, and if not, by the children, if the person selected
by them be approved by the court.

On death of
master or
aatignee —
interest to
go to
widow, &c.
Provisos.