804

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

SEC. 23. And be it enacted, That the said
Lunacy Commission is empowered by this act
to issue compulsory process for the attend-
ance of witnesses, and the production of papers,

Powers.

to administer oaths and examine persons under-
oath, and exercise the same powers as belong
to a Justice of the Peace in all cases when
from evidence laid before them there is
reason to believe that any person is wrong-
fully deprived of his or her liberty, or has
been cruelly or negligently treated in any
place or institution or almshouse; bat in all
cases in which said Commission shall take
action or determine any question affecting any
insane person or persons supposed to be in-
sane, or any institution in which such insane
or supposed to be insane person is confined,

Appeal.

the managers of such institution shall have
the same right of appeal from said action or
determination of said Commission as is now
allowed by law in cases instituted before Jus-
tices of the Peace of the State, the Commis-
sioners shall be empowered to present the
offenders before the Grand Jury of the city or
county in which such offence may have oc-
curred.

To report.

SEC. 24. And be it enacted, That the said Lu-
nacy Commission shall make an annual report
to the Governor of the State in the month of
December of each year, giving an account of
their proceedings, also a report of the condi-
tion of all the different institutions, public,
corporate and private, including almshouses
where the insane or idiotic are kept.

SEC. 25. And be it enacted, That the Lunacy
Commission shall be authorized to require a
written report from all institutions, public.

Institutions
to make writ-
ten report.

corporate or private, including almshouses
in which the insane or idiotic may be kept;
said report to be in such form and at such time
as they may adopt with any other facts con-
cerning the treatment of the insane which
they may think proper.