390 CHANCERY. [ART. 16

Inebriates.

1888, art 16, sec. 47. 1888, ch. 71. 1894, ch. 474.

47. Whenever, by petition, under oath, any person shall
be alleged to be an habitual drunkard, incapable of taking care
of himself or his property, any circuit court of this State and
also either of the circuit courts of Baltimore city shall have
the power, in its discretion, on such preliminary examinations
or inquiry, as it may think proper to make ex parte, to issue a
warrant to the sheriff of the county or city, respectively, to
arrest and bring the party so charged before such court; and
it shall be the duty of the sheriff to obey such warrant; and
such court shall cause a jury of good and lawful men, to be
summoned by the said sheriff, to be empaneled forthwith, and
shall charge said jury, under oath, to inquire, in the presence
of such person, whether he is an habitual drunkard, incapable
of taking care of himself; and the proceedings in such case
shall be like those now authorized by law in cases of persons
alleged to be lunatics or insane; and the rules of law and pro-
ceedings now applicable to the property of lunatics shall apply
to cases of persons declared to be habitual drunkards under
the provisions of this section, except when herein otherwise
directed; and any person who may be alleged to be an habitual
drunkard may dispense with the legal proceedings to establish
the same, and may, with the approbation of the court wherein
said petition may be filed, appoint his own committee, and may
voluntarily enter any institution selected by the court, for a
limited time; and the board of trustees or managers of such
institution may retain such person the length of time he may
have agreed therein to remain; and if the person against
whom the petition may be filed shall be found by the jury to
be an habitual drunkard, incapable of taking care of himself, it
shall be the duty of the court to appoint a committee of such
person, and such committee shall, with the written assent and
approbation of the court, have the power of confining such
person in any suitable institution, for such length of time, as
the court may, in writing, approve; but said committee, with
the written assent and approbation of the court, may at any
time release from confinement said habitual drunkard, and the
period of confinement of said habitual drunkard may, by the
said committee, with the written assent and approbation of the
court, be from time to time extended, for such period as may
be necessary for his complete reformation; and the words
"habitual drunkard, " as used in this section, shall be con-