650

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

may be found begging about the streets of said
city, or who are children of beggars, which chil-
dren so committed to said charge and care, shall
be and remain under the control and restraint, and
in charge of said Corporation, and of the mana-
gers thereof, and bound to obedience to their rules
and regulations and discipline, to every effect as
apprentices are bound in respect of their masters
and mistresses, and subject to all laws concerning
the duties and liabilities of apprentices.

Entitled to re-
tain female
children under
care until they
are eighteen
years of age.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the "Home of
the Friendless," and the managers aforesaid,
thereof, shall be entitled to retain under their
care, restraint and charge aforesaid the said fe-
male children until they shall be eighteen years
old, or any shorter period, and to bind them out
for a time not to exceed said age of eighteen
years, as apprentices to learn any trade or busi-
ness, or to learn to be useful in housewifery, or
may under terms proper in the view of the said
managers, and to be by them stipulated, place
them for adoption, or as inmates with any fami-
lies or persons; said Corporation in the exercise
of any of these powers of binding or placing out,
not being limited to places within this State, and
all such acts being required to be in writing,
signed by the President, and at least two Mana-
gers of said Corporation, and by the persons tak-
ing the children as apprentices, or as aforesaid,
and by said signers acknowledged before a jus-
tice of the peace for Baltimore city, and within
six months from the date of such writing, re-
corded in the office of the Register of Wills of
said city.

Copies of wri-
tings under the
official seal of
Register to be
evidence.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That if any pa-
rent or guardian, or any Judge of the Orphans'
Court of Baltimore city, or any Justice of the
Peace for said city, shall place under the care and
control of the "Home of the Friendless," any fe-
male child under the age of eighteen years, such
judge or justice so providing for the children as
being within the description of children herein-
before mentioned, or as suffering through the ex-
treme indigence, or vagrancy, or bad habits, or
neglect of parents, or as being illegitimate
children, or children of persons out of this State,
without a sufficient sustenance afforded, the said