542 CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS. [ART. 27.

Thieves and Pickpockets.

1864, ch. 88.

255. It shall be the duty of all police officers in Baltimore

city to arrest and take before some one of the station house
justices in Baltimore city, all persons whom they shall find in
any passenger railway car, or in or about any railway depot in
Baltimore city, or in any place of public amusement, of in any
street of the city, who they shall know or have good reason to
believe are common thieves or pickpockets; and said justices
shall commit or bail such persons for trial before the criminal

court; and if any person in Baltimore city shall be charged on
oath before any justice of the peace in Baitimore city, or before
the judge of the criminal court, with being a common thief or
pickpocket, such justice or judge shall issue a warrant for the
arrest of such person, and commit or bail him for trial; and any
person convicted in the criminal court of Baltimore of being a
common thief or common pickpocket, shall be imprisoned in jail
not more than two years nor less than six months, and be fined
not more than one hundred dollars; but if any person is arrested
or indicted a second time or more for such offence, he shall be
convicted only on proof that he has continued to be a common
thief or pickpocket for at least one month since his last convic-
tion or acquittal; and it shall be necessary to charge in the indict-
ment only that the person is a common thief or common pick-
pocket ; and any evidence, either of facts or reputation, proving
that such person is habitually and by practice a thief or pick-
pocket, shall be sufficient for his conviction if satisfactorily
establishing the fact to the court or jury by whom he is tried;
and there shall be no discretion in any police officer or justice of
the peace to discharge or release any person who is by such proof
before them, or knowledge on their part, shown to be a thief or
pickpocket as aforesaid; but such person shall be bailed or com-
mitted for trial; and no conviction or charge of, or for being a
common thief or pickpocket, shall prevent any such person from
being tried and convicted for any particular act of larceny he
may have committed.
World v. State, 50 Md. 55.

1864, ch. 38.

256. If any person shall be arrested at any place on the line
of the Baitimore and Ohio railroad, or on the line of the