AKT. 11.] FREDERICK COUNTY. 549

28. Any justice of the peace for said county, and any person
by him authorized, may apprehend or cause to be apprehended
any rogues, vagrants, vagabonds, beggars and other idle and
disorderly persons found loitering or residing in said county, who
follow no trade or occupation, and have no visible means of sup-
port, and commit them to said alms-house, there to be kept at
hard labor for any term not exceeding three months, and the
overseer shall receive and employ them according to the tenor
of the commitment.

29. If any person shall sell or dispose of any strong liquor or
other thing to any inmate of said alms-house, he shall forfeit the
sum of twenty-five dollars.

30. All the pains, penalties and forfeitures imposed by this"
law, shall be recovered in the Circuit Court for Frederick
county, by action of debt or indictment, one-half to the in-
former, and the other half to the use of the alms-house for said
county.

31. All sheriffs, bailiffs, constables and other officers shall assist
the trustees of the alms-house, and the officers by them appointed,
in the discharge of their respective duties.

32. If any person shall at any time be sued or prosecuted for
any matter or thing by him done in pursuance of this law, or
any thing therein contained, he may plead the general issue, and
give the special matter in evidence in his defence, and if the
plaintiff shall be non suit, or discontinue, or if the defendant upon
trial shall have verdict, be shall recover treble costs, and if the
plaintiff be unable to pay them, they shall be paid by the attorney
who brought the suit, unless the plaintiff shall give security for
the costs, to be approved by the court/

33. The trustees of the alms-house, and their clerk, shall
receive two dollars a day for every day they shall be in session,
and for every meeting they, or either of them, shall attend.

34. They shall pay to the treasurer of the trustees of the
poor, for his services as treasurer, any sum not exceeding fifty
dollars per annum, in addition to his regular per diem allowance
as trustee.