JOHN HENRY, Efquire, Governor.

1797.

for himfelf and family free from rent, upon his keeping the feveral apartments
in his poffeffion in fufficient repair, and taking a juft and faithful charge and care
of the entire premises.

C H A P.

XVII.

VII. And be it enacted, That the faid keeper fhall be difqualified, during his
continuance in the faid office, from holding any ordinary, or houfe of entertain-
ment in the faid gaol, or at any other place, and from retailing fpirituous liquors;
and if the keeper of the faid gaol, or any of his domeftics, fhall fell fpirituous
liquors, or caufe or fuffer the fame to be fold, to any of the prifoners confined in
the faid gaol, or to any other perfon for the ufe of any of the faid prifoners, and
fhall be convicted thereof, he fhall forfeit and pay the fum of ten dollars for
every offence.

VIII. And, in order to fecure as much as poffible the proper and humane
treatment to prifoners confined in the faid gaol, and to caufe to be punifhed all
perfons who fhall infringe the regulations provided for the fame, Be it enacted,

Not to hold
any ordinary,

&c.

That it fhall be the duty of the grand jury of the county to vifit the faid gaol
once in every term, and to infpect the feveral apartments thereof, and to inquire
into the treatment of the feveral prifoners therein confined, and into their health
and fituation, and to prefent, or otherwife report to the court, fuch facts and
circumftances as they fhall receive knowledge of, either upon their own view or
from the evidence of other perfons; and the juftices of the faid court fhall be
and they are hereby empowered to act upon fuch prefentments or reports, and to
make fuch order therein as fhall appear to them to be neceffary to accomplish the
defigns of this act respecting the regulation of the faid gaol.

Jury to vifit
the gaol, &c.

C II A P. XVIII.
An ACT authorising the juftices of the levy court of Somerfet
county to levy a fum of money on the affeffable property of the
faid county for building a prifon in the county, and other pur-
pofes therein mentioned.

Paffed Janua-
ry 20.

WHEREAS it is reprefented to this general affembly, that there is no
prifon in Somerfet county fufficient for the confinement of debtors or
felons, which is very injurious to the peace and fecurity of the faid

county,

Preamble.

II. Be it enacted by the General Affembly of Maryland, That Meffieurs John
Done, George Robertfon, Levin Winder, William Jones, (Menokin,) Levin
Gale, Zadock Long and John Stewart, or the major part of them, fhall be
commiffioners, and are hereby authorifed to purchafe, for the ufe of Somerset
county, a piece of ground in the town of Princefs-Anne, in faid county, where-
on to build a new prifon; and the faid commiffioners, or a majority of them,
are hereby empowered to contract for materials, and to agree with workmen to
build and finifh the faid prifon, and to plan and fuperintend the faid building un-
til finifhed, which, when completed, fhall, by the faid commiffioners, be put
into the cuftody and poffeffion of the fheriff of Somerfet county for the time be-
ing, and fo fhall remain and continue in the cuftody and poffeffion of fuch fhe-
riff, and his fucceffors, as a public prifon for Somerfet county.

Commiffion-
ers appointed,
&c.

III. And be it enacted, That the juftices of the levy court for Somerfet coun-
ty, at the time of laying their next county levy, be and they are hereby autho-

rifed and directed to impofe on the affeffable property of the faid county a fum
not exceeding four thoufand dollars, together with an allowance to the collector
of fix per cent. for collection of the fame; which fum, when collected, fhall, by
the faid be paid to the commiffioners aforefaid, or the major part of them,
to be by them applied in purchasing the ground, and erecting the faid prifon.

Juftices to le-
vy money,
&c.

IV. And be it enacted, That the fheriff, or other perfon appointed to collect
the faid fum of money for the purpofe aforefaid fhall pay the fame to the faid
commiffioners, or the order of the major part of them, at or before the time

To be paid to
the commif-
fioners.