90 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 115

of Wife or Child", making it unlawful to desert or abandon
a child under twelve years of age.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Section 97 of Article 27 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1939 Edition), title "Crimes and Punishments",
sub-title "Desertion of Wife or Child", be and it is hereby re-
pealed and re-enacted, with amendments, to read as. follows:

97. Any person having the care, custody or possession of any
child under the age of twelve years, who shall desert or
abandon such child with the intent ?that it shall become a
public charge, or without making provision for its proper sup-
port and maintenance for a period of at least three years with
some responsible person or institution duly authorized to take
and care for infants, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction thereof shall be fined not. exceeding one hun-
dred dollars or be imprisoned in jail or in the House of Cor-
rection for a period not exceeding one year.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take
effect June 1, 1945.

Approved February 16, 1945.

CHAPTER 115.
(House Bill 49)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section
339 of Article 23 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1939
Edition), title "Corporations", sub-title "Police", relative
to administering the oath of office to Special Policemen.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Section 339 of Article 23 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1939 Edition), title "Corporations", sub-title
"Police", be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with
amendments, to read as follows:

339. Every policeman so appointed shall, before entering

upon the duties of his office, take and subscribe before the
Clerk of the Court of the county or the Clerk of the Superior
Court of Baltimore City, in which his commission may be
received, the oath or affirmation prescribed by the fourth
section of the first article of the constitution, which oath