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WILLIAM SMALLWOOD, Esq; Governor.
or breaking a store-house, warehouse, or other out-house, in the day
or night,
with intent to commit a felony therein, or stealing slaves or vessels,
to work and
labour for any time in their discretion, not exceeding seven years for
the same
crime or offence, on the public roads of the said county, or in making,
repairing
or cleaning, the streets or bason of Baltimore-town; and the said justices
may procure a proper place or places for the confinement of such criminals,
and
may appoint and employ a fit and proper person or persons to take care
of such
criminals, and to keep (and secure them in irons, if necessary) to constant
and
hard labour, according to their ability and strength of body, age and sex;
and
the said justices may compel any of the said criminals to be confined and
whipped
for any misconduct, or refusal or neglect to labour, and to be fed with
bread and
water; and if any of the said criminals shall run away, the time of service
and
labour of such criminal shall be extended by the said court, not exceeding
one
year for every time such criminal shall run away; and if any criminal
shall actually
labour and serve the full time appointed, such labour and service shall
have
the effect of a pardon, to all intents and purposes, for the crimes
for which such
criminal was committed. |
1788.
CHAP.
XI. |
X. And be it
enacted, That any one of the said justices shall have full power
and authority to order any person within Baltimore-town, or its precincts,
whom
he shall suspect of being a vagrant, vagabond, or disorderly person, or
a common
prostitute, to appear before any two or more of the said justices; and
such
order shall be directed to, and served by, any constable of the said county;
and
if on the appearance of such person, and examination by testimony, any
two or
more of the said justices shall determine such person to come within any
of the
said descriptions, the said justices may adjudge such person to work and
labour
as a criminal for any time not exceeding one year, unless good security
be given
to such justices, to their satisfaction, for the future good behaviour
of such person
so taken up as aforesaid. |
Justices may
order persons
to be apprehended,
&c. |
XI. And,
to ascertain what persons shall be deemed vagrants, vagabonds, and
disorderly persons, within the intention of this act, Be
it enacted, That every
person who has no visible means of maintenance from property or personal
labour,
and lives idle, without employment, and every person who wanders about,
and begs in the streets, or from door to door, and every person who wanders
abroad, and lodges in out-houses, barns, market-places, or the open air,
and
cannot give a good account of his or her living, and every woman who is
generally
reputed a common prostitute, and every juggler, fortuneteller, or common
gambler, shall be adjudged a vagrant, vagabond, or disorderly person, within
the
meaning of this act. |
What persons
are deemed
vagabonds,
&c. |
XII. And be
it enacted, That the said justices be authorised to appoint any
number of constables they may think proper, and to displace them and appoint
others in their room, for the execution of this act, and the said justices
may
allow such constables such salary or other reward as the said justices
may think
reasonable. |
Justices may
appoint constables,
&c. |
XIII. And be
it enacted, That the expence attending the execution of this
act shall be paid by Baltimore county, and shall be assessed by the said
justices,
and collected with the county assessment. |
Expence to
be paid by
Baltimore
county, &c. |
XIV. And be
it enacted, That the general court, or any county court, may
pass such judgment against any criminal convict before them as the law
requires,
or they may, in their discretion, adjudge any person convicted before
them for any of the crimes and offences herein before enumerated, to work
and
labour for any time in their discretion, not exceeding seven years
for the same
crime or offence, on the public roads in Baltimore county, or in making,
repairing
or cleaning, the streets or bason of the said town, and may order such
criminal to be conveyed, if convict in the general court, at the expence
of the |
General
court, &c.
may pass
judgment,
&c. |
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