SAMUEL SPRIGG, ESQ. GOVERNOR.

161

are now by law authorised to lease or let out, without setting such
ground up at public auction, if in their judgment they shall think it
expedient, any thing in any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

Dec. Ses. 1821.

CHAPTER 229.

An act relating to Crimes and Punishments in the City of Baltimore.
Whereas, Persons charged with assaults and batteries and
other small offences against the peace, in the city of Baltimore, who
are unable to give bail for their appearance at the stated term of the
city court, often suffer a long imprisonment before a trial can be
had in the ordinary course, which is both oppressive to the accused
and expensive to the city; for remedy whereof,

Passed Feb. 23,
1822.
Preamble.

Sec. 1 Be it enacted By the General Assembly of Maryland,
That it shall be the duty of the justices of the peace in the city of
Baltimore, whenever they shall commit any person or persons for
trial on a charge of assault and battery, for keeping a disorderly
house, for selling liquor without license, to endorse on said com-
mitments the names and places of residence, of the witnesses who
shall have appeared before them, on behalf of the prosecution; and
it shall be the duty of the sheriff on receiving the same, to enter the
names and places of residence of said witnesses on their docket,
and on demand to give a copy thereof to the accused.

Justices to en-
dorse names
&c. of witness-
es.

2. And be it further enacted, That if any of the said
persons committed to gail as aforesaid for want of bail for any of
the offences aforesaid, shall think proper to waive his or her right
to a trial by jury, and have his or her cause heard and determined
in a summary way, he or she may, in the interval between the stated
terms of the city court, make application in writing to the clerk of
said court, for that purpose, who shall docket the same, and it shall
be the duty of the judges of said court or any of them, to appoint
an early day for hearing said case; and the same shall be proceeded
on in the same manner and to the same legal effect, as if it had
been submitted on presentment or indictment found by the grand
jury; and the clerk and prosecutor shall be entitled to the same fees
as in cases of presentment by the grand jury.

Accused may
waive trial by

jury.

3. And be it enacted, That the sheriff of Baltimore county
shall bring into court when he brings the accused, the original com-
mitment or a copy thereof, and file the same with the clerk of said
city court.

Sheriff shall
produce orgin-
al commit-
ment.

CHAPTER 230.

An act relating to the paving of certain streets in the city of Balti-
more.
Be it enacted By the General Assembly of Maryland, That
the Mayor and City Council of the City of Baltimore, be and they
are hereby authorised to pass such ordinances as they may deem
most effectual to carry into operation the design of an ordinance
passed by the said corporation and approved on the third clay of
December eighteen hundred and twenty-one, entitled, A further
supplement to the ordinance entitled, An ordinance for preserving
the health of the city.

Passed Feb. 23,

1822

City council
may pass ordi-
nances.