1792.

LAWS of MARYLAND,

C H A P.
LXXI.

Duties not to
be performed
on Sundays.

XXXV. And be it enacted, That if any of the days appointed by this act for
the performance of any of the duties hereby required, fhall happen to be a Sun-

day, then fuch duties fhall be performed on the day following.

Suits to be
brought with-
in fix months,
&c.

XXXVI. And be it enacted, That if any fuit fhall be brought againft any per-
fon for any thing done in purfuance of this ad, the fuit fhall be commenced
within fix months after the fad committed, and the defendant in any fuit fhall
plead the general iffue, and give this act and the fpecial matter in evidence, and
that the fame was done in purfuance and by authority of this act; and if it fhall
appear fo to be done, or if any fuit fhall be brought after the time limitted, then
the jury fhall find for the defendant; and if the plaintiff fhall become nonfuit,
or fuffer a difcontinuance, or if a verdict fhall pafs, or, upon demurrer, judgment
fhall be given, againft him, the defendant fhall recover treble cofts, and have
fuch remedy for the fame as any defendant hath for cofls of fuit in other cafes at
law.

C H A P. LXXII.

Paffed De-
cember 22.

An ACT to reftrain the ill practices of fheriffs, and to direct their
condud refpecting runaways.

Preamble.

WHEREAS it is reprefented to this general affembly, that the fheriffs of
the refpective counties have negleded to advertife runaways, to the
great injury of the owners; therefore,

Runaways
committed
to be adver-
tifed, &c.

II. Be it enacted, by the General Affembly of Maryland, That it be the duty
of the feveral and refpedive fheriffs, and they are hereby required and direded,
upon any runaway being committed to their cuftody, to caufe the fame to be ad-
vertifed in fome public news-paper within twenty days after fuch commitment,
and to make particular and minute defcription of the perfon, cloaths and any

bodily marks, of fuch runaway.

If not applied
for, to be a
gain adver-
tifed, &c.

Penalty for
neglect, &c.

III. And be it enacted, That if no perfon fhall apply for fuch runaway within
the fpace of thirty days from fuch commitment, then it fhall be the duty of fuch
fheriff, if refiding on the weftern fhore, to caufe the faid runaway to be adver-

tifed, as heretofore direded, in the Maryland Journal and George-town Weekly
Ledger, and, if refiding on the eaftern fhore, to caufe the fame to be advertifed
in the Maryland Herald and Maryland Journal within fixty days from fuch com-
mitment, and to continue the fame therein until the faid runaway is releafed by
due courfe of law,

IV. And be it enacted, That if any fheriff fhall refufe or negled to comply
with the directions of this ad, he fhall, for every fuch refufal or negled, forfeit
and pay the fum of twenty pounds current money to the owner of fuch runaway.

Duration.

V. And be it enacted, That this act fhall commence and be in full force from
the firft day of April next.

C H A P. LXXIII.

Paffed De-
cember 22.

A Supplement to an ad, entitled, An act for the prefervation of
the breed of fifh.

Preamble.

WHEREAS the breed of fifh, efpecially of herrings, in Patuxent river,
is extremely injured by the cuftom which prevails of whipping and
beating the water with large poles for the purpofe of driving the fifh,
whereby the fpawn of faid fifh is deftroyed; in order to prevent the like improper
practices in future.

Penalty on
free perfons
whipping the
water, &c.

II. Be it enacted, by the General Affembly of Maryland, That if any free per-
fon fhall whip and beat the water in the river Patuxent, with poles or fticks, for
the purpofe of driving the fifh in the faid river, or for any other purpofe, at any
time between the firft day of February and the firft day of June in each year,
during the continuance of this act, fuch perfon, fo offending, fhall forfeit and