JOSEPH KENT, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR,

1827

CHAPTER 91.

An act Relative to the Inspection of Tobacco,

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That from and after the first day of March next, it shall
be the duty of each and every inspector of tobacco at the se-
veral tobacco ware houses in this state, to brand (or cause the
same to be done,) on every hogshead of tobacco raised, cured
and packed in this state, which they or either of them shall
inspect, with the word MARYLAND, in capital letters on
the bilge of the hogshead, in such manner that the said word
shall not easily be cut or rubbed out, without injury to the
part of the hogshead on which it is branded.

CHAP. 91

Passed Feb'ry. 26.
1828,

Brand directed for
Maryland tobacco

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That any hogshead or hogsheads
of tobacco, which shall be offered to any inspector or inspec-
tors as Maryland tobacco, for the purpose of being branded
as such, which was not raised, cared and packed in the state
of Maryland, shall be forfeited by the person or persons offer-
ing the same, and so soon as the inspector or inspectors shall
discover that the said tobacco was not raised, cured and
packed in this state, he shall take possession of the same in
the name of the state, and shall advertise the same for sale to
the highest bidder for ready cash, and proceed to sell it after
giving not less than thirty days notice from the seizure thereof,
and after paying the cost of such sale, shall pay one half of
the nett proceeds to the treasurer of the western shore of
Maryland, and the other half to the informer

Forfeited for attemp-
ted fraud.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That if any person shall think
him or hesrelf aggrieved, he may lodge his complaint by mo-
tion in writing, before the city court of Baltimore, or any of
the county courts of this state where the tobacco ware house
is situated, and the city or county court, as the case may be,
shall immediately hear and determine the same, and if the
court shall decide that the tobacco was the growth of Mary-
land, then the tobacco if not sold, shall be immediately re-
stored to the owner or owners, and it sold, the nett proceeds
thereof in money but if the court shall decide against the
party claiming, he, she or they, shall pay all costs.

Appeal

Sec. 4. And be it enacted, That any person or persons
branding any hogshead or hogsheads of tobacco, with the
word Maryland, on the bilge or any other part of a hogs-
head or hogsheads, with intent to evade the provisions of
this act, the person or persons so offending, shall be deemed
guilty of felony, and prosecuted in any court in this state, in
the same manner as persons are prosecuted for aay other fe-
lony, and upon conviction thereof, shall undergo a confine-
ment in the, Penitentiary, for not less than two, or more than
four years.

Forcing the brand
made felony.

Sec. 5. And be it enacted, That the several tobacco inspectors
in this state, be, and they are hereby authorised and required to
procure the branding irons necessary to carry this law into ef-
ect upon the best terms they can, and charge for the same In
12

Brands procured