250 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 78

chattels so stolen or pay the full value thereof to the owner
thereof, and be fined not more than fifty dollars or impris-
oned for not more than eighteen months in the House of
Correction or jail, or both fined and imprisoned; provided
that all actions or prosecutions hereunder shall be com-
menced within two years after the commission of said
offense.

All prosecutions for violations of the provisions of this
section may be either upon presentment and indictment in
any court having criminal jurisdiction in this State, or by
trial before any justice of the peace in and for the county
where the offense occurs (but not applicable to the justices
of the peace in and for Baltimore City, who have no such
power or jurisdiction conferred upon them by virtue of
this Act), and jurisdiction original and concurrent with
the said courts having criminal jurisdiction is. hereby
given to the said justices of the peace, (excluding the
justices of the peace in Baltimore City), and they shall
have power to issue all processes and do all acts which may
be necessary for the exercise of said jurisdiction; and may
try and determine all such cases and may pronounce judg-
ment and impose sentence therein to the same extent as the
aforesaid courts having criminal jurisdiction could do in
such cases, if such cases were tried before such court with-
out a jury; provided, however, that if any person when
brought before any such justice having jurisdiction of the
case, shall, before the trial for the alleged offense, pray a
jury trial, or if the State's Attorney for the county where
the offense occurs shall, before the trial of such alleged of-
fense, pray a jury trial on behalf of the State, it shall be
the duty of such justice to commit such alleged offender
for trial, or to hold him to bail to appear for trial in 'the
court having criminal jurisdiction in the case, at its then
or next session, and to transmit said commitment or recog-
nizance, with the names and residences of the witnesses
for the prosecution endorsed thereon, forthwith to the
Clerk of such Court; and the justice of the peace, before
whom the accused is brought for trial, shall inform him
seasonably of his right to demand a trial by jury.

Provided further that jurisdiction to try and determine
all cases under this Act, occurring within the City of Balti-
more, shall remain in the Criminal Court of Baltimore City
exclusively.

Provided further that nothing in these sections shall be
construed to change, enlarge or diminish the jurisdiction
of Justices of the Peace in any of the Counties of the State
who are herein specifically vested with authority to hear,
try and determine cases under Section 319 of this Act, but