ART. 27] SENTENCE. 929

degree, manslaughter, assault with intent to commit murder or
mayhem, or of setting fire to any building, tenement, or prop-
erty, the setting fire to which is punishable by confinement in
the penitentiary in the case of adults, shall be sentenced to the
penitentiary for the said crime in the same manner as if they
were of full age, or in the discretion of the court may be con-
fined in the house of refuge or Saint Mary's industrial school,
or house of reformation and instruction for colored children.

1888, art. 27, sec. 297. 1860, art 30, sec. 186. 1854, ch. 155, sec. 3

453. Any court in this State having criminal jurisdiction
may bind out to the managers of any house of refuge or other
institution under police regulations within the limits of the
State all infants over twelve and under the age of fifteen years,
until they shall arrive at an age of not less than eighteen nor
more than twenty-one years, who shall be convicted of any
offense punishable in adults by confinement in the penitentiary,
other than those specified in the preceding section.

Ibid. sec. 298. 1860, art. 30, sec. 187. 1854, ch. 155, sec. 2.

454. It shall be the duty of every court having criminal
jurisdiction to examine into the character of all infants con-
victed of offenses for which they may be bound as apprentices
under the preceding section, and to exercise a sound discretion
in determining whether the said infant so convicted should be
bound out in accordance with existing laws, or should be sen-
tenced to the penitentiary in the same manner with adults con-
victed of like crimes, and to bind out or sentence such infants
accordingly.

Ibid. sec. 299. 1860, art. 30, sec. 188. 1836, ch. 156, sec. 2.

455. It shall be the duty of the courts of this State in
sentencing convicts to the penitentiary to sentence them for
such a period as will expire between the first day of April and
the last day of August if they shall deem it expedient to do so.

Ibid. sec. 300. 1860, art 30, see. 189. 1825, ch. 93, sec. 1. 1839, ch. 37.

458. The courts of this State in sentencing convicts to the
penitentiary in compliance with the provisions of the preced-
ing section may in their discretion sentence them to be con-
fined in the said penitentiary for a period not less than
eighteen months in cases where the least punishment pre-
scribed for the offense is two years.