E. LOUIS LOWE, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

1852.

CHAPTER 276.

AN ACT to provide a more effectual punishment far
the violation of the ordinances passed by the Bur-
gess and Commissioners of the town of Williams-
port, in Washington county.

CHAP. 276.

Passed May
27, 1852.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly

of Maryland, That the fines or forfeitures prescribed
by the ordinances heretofore passed, or hereafter to be
passed, by the burgess and commissioners of the town

of Williamsport, in Washington county, for the viola-
tion of the same, shall be imposed or adjudged by the
burgess of said town, or by any justice of the peace of
said county, upon a warrant to be issued by him against
the offender or offenders, to any constable of said coun-
ty, or to the bailiff of said corporation, returnable with-
out delay, and after a hearing upon proof.

Fines and for-
feitures.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the said burgess,
or the said justice of the peace, shall have power, when
imposing any fine or forfeiture for the violation of any

of said ordinances, to direct and order the person con-
victed of the same, to be committed to the public jail

of said county, in case he shall fail or refuse to pay
said fine or forfeiture, and costs, when so imposed or
adjuged, there to remain or stand committed, until such
fine or forfeiture, and costs be paid, or until discharged
as hereinafter provided.

Person failing
to pay fine may
be committed
to jail.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That fire said burgess,
or any justice of the peace of said county, shall have
power to order any person so committed, to be dis-
charged from the custody of the sheriff, after the space

of ten days from the dale of said commitment, upon
satisfactory proof, adduced before him upon affidavit, or
by oral testimony under oath, that said person is wholly

Power of bur-
gess.

unable to pay said line or forfeiture, and costs; Pro-
vided, however, That in case the fine or forfeiture shall
exceed the sum of five dollars, the person so commit-
ted shall not be discharged until after the expiration
of thirty days from the time of his commitment.

Proviso.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That the said burgess or
justices of the peace shall have power to issue subpoenas
for witnesses, whose attendance shall be enforced as in
cases of small debts, before a justice of the peace, and
they and the said constable or bailiff, shall be entitled
for their services in each case to the same fees as are
allowed by law for similar services in cases of the re-
covery of small debts out of court.

Justices to
have power to
issue subpoe-
nas for wit-
nesses.