|
|
Passed
Mar. 10, 1854.
|
AN ACT to provide a remedy against free negroes
who may hire for a stipulated period to any person,
and quit the service of such person after entering on
the same, and to provide a remedy against persons
who may employ such free negroes, with the knowl-
edge that they had previously hired to another, or en-
gaged in another's service.
|
|
|
|
Punishment
for leaving
service.
|
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of Maryland, That if any free negro who shall hire
himself or herself to any person, and shall leave his or
her home, and quit the service of the employer before
the expiration of the time the hiring is to terminate,
without reasonable and proper cause, he or she shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and may be punished
or dealt with as hereinafter provided; the said employ-
er may have a warrant to be issued by any justice of
the peace, on application, to be directed to any one of
the constables in the county, in the name of the State
of Maryland, for the apprehension of such free negro,
returnable on or before a day to be named therein, or
not exceeding ten days from the issuing thereof; and on
the apprehension of such free negro, immediate notice
shall be given by the constable to the employer, and
the said justice of the peace, or in case of his absence,
resignation or death, any other justice of the peace, con-
venient to the parties, shall hear and try the said com-
plaint, and give judgment as to the right and equity ap-
pertaining; each party to have the benefits of witnesses,
to be summoned as in other cases before justices, and
attached for non attendance, if attachments be demand-
ed; and if the judgment of the justice shall be in favor
of the State, it shall be that the said negro shall serve
the said employer for the residue of the time stipulated
or agreed upon between them, and that the costs and
expenses shall be paid by the said negro, and that the
lost time shall be deducted from the wages agreed upon,
and that such costs and expenses and allowance for
lost time shall be a lien on the wages, and shall be re-
tained thereout, and costs paid by the employer to the
persons entitled to receive the same; that the oath of
employer to the contract, and the evidence of some
other person that the negro acted and engaged in such
service shall be taken as prima facia evidence of the
|
|
