Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-07-28
TPUBLIC-No. 1887

PUBLIC-No. l03.
AN ACT to incorporate the guardian society
and reform juvenile offenders in the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Be it enacted by the senate and house of
representatives of the United States in con-
greSs assembled, that Amos Kendall, John NJ.
Brodhead, Zenas c. Robbins, Sayles j. Bow
en-, Nehemiah B. Northrop, Benjamin b.
French, Joseph Bryan, Peter NJ. Higinboth-
am, Thomas c. Jenner, David w. Heath,
James r. Barr, Matthew Waite, Samuel A.
II. McKim, John r. Nourse, and Stephen
Prentiss, and their associates and successors,
being members of said society, by paying into
its treasury the sum of two dollars annually,
or life members, by paying fifty dollars
at one time, and ten dollars annually, for
six years, are hereby Incorporated and
made a body polite by the name of the
guardian society,"" for the purpose of en-
couraging and aiding iufpartially such of the
poor, the ignorant, and the vicious, as can be
induced to make such efforts as they ought for
the improvement of their condition, and by
that name shall have perpetual succession,
with the power to use common seal, TO sue
and be sued, to plead and to be implicated, in
any court of the United States, to collect sub
scriptions, make bylaws and rules needful
for the government of said corporation not
may have, hold, and receive real and person
al estate, by purchase, gift, or devise; may
use, sell, or convey the same for the purposes
and benefit of said corporation; may choose
such officers and teachers as they may deem
necessary; prescribe their duties, and fix
their compensation.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, that they
may, at their discretion, receive into a house
of industry provided by said society, any1n-
nors, under the age of eighteen years, who
shall be convicted of any crime, otfense, or
misdemeanOr, other than such as are capital
or punishable by imprisonment for life and
such persons shall be committed by the court
or magistrate before whom the conviction
shall be had, to said house of industry, with
an alternate sentence to the Jail or peniten-
tary of the District of Columbia, if the trus-
tee decline to receive or keep them, and to
the commitments shall be annexed the names
and residences of the witnesses examined,
and the substance of the evidence given.
Sect. 3. And be it further enacted that the
court may, with the consent of accused per-
sons, or their parents or guardians in writing,
arrest proceedings at any time and commit
them to the house of industry.
Sect. 4. And be it further enacted, that the
trustees may receive any children at the re-
quest of the parents or guardians, or next
friend, or the mother, if the father be dead or
has abandoned his family, or does not provide
for their support, or is an habitual drunkard;
such parents, guardians, or next friend, or
mother, making a written surrender of such
children.
Sect. 5. And be it further enacted that the
trustees shall not be required to receive any
offenders known to be extremely vicious, nor
to keep any who may prove incorrigible, or
whose continuance may be deemed injurious;
and those whom any two of the trustees or
the superintendent, if duly authorized by the
board, shall refuse to receive or keep shall be
disposed of according to their alternate sem
fences.
Sect 6. And be it further enacted, that per-
sons committed as witnesses, and those under
the age of eighteen years committed for trial,
srll be placed in the house of industry III
stead of the Jail or pententiary, unless they
are SO vicious that placing them in it should be
deemed injurious.
Sect Z. And be it further enacted, that no
commitment shall be for a shorter term than
until the offender is reformed or twenty-one
years of age, except such as may be commit
ted for trial as witnesses; but any of them
who may be deemed to be thoroughly re-
formed, may be discharged during good beha
vior, on the order of the board of trustees,
duly entered upon their record.
Sect s. And be it further enacted, that the
superintendent may, with the concurrence of
the board of trustees, govern the inmates,
preserve order, enforce discipline, impart in
struction in the veneratiOn and love of God,
in morality, useful knowledge, and some reg
ular course of labor, and establish rules for
the preservation of health and their proper
physical, intellectual, and moral training, un-
til they are reformed and discharged, or TWEEN
ty-one years of age, or remanded as incorrig-
ible. The trustees may bindout with their CON
sent, by lndenture, any who may appear to be
reformed, where they will have the benefit
of good example, wholesome instruction, and
other means of improvement in virtue and
knowledge, and the opportunity Of becoming
intelligent, moral, and useful members of So
ciety. They may appoint committee Of one
or more of their own number to execute and
deliver indentures, which shall be filed and
kept in the office of the house of industry.
The superintendent may let out inmates to
hire during the day time to employers whose
work is not too distant from the house of in
dustry for him to have the general inspection
of their conduct and the treatment they re-
ceive.
Sect. 8. And be it further enacted, that if
any apprentices prove untrustworthy and I'M
reformed, the trustees may at their discre-
uon, permit their return, and order the inden-
lures cancelled. Fugtives from the house of
industry, or from apprenticeship, may be ar
rested and returned to the house Of industry
by sheriff, constable, police officer. or an
oihcer Of the house Of industry, on the writ
zen order Of any two of the trustees or the
superintendent. WV
sect TO- And be it further enacted that
persons under the age Of eighteen years shall
be entitled to private examination and trial
II they request it in writing, at which only
the parties shall be admitted, their parents.
guardians, or other legal representatives.
Sect IL. And be it further enacted tho,
the expenses of maintenance of the inmates
committed for offences against the people. or
for trial. or as witnesses, shall be paid by the
county, and those Of persons committed by
parents, guardians, or next friends, shall be
paid by the persons committing them, unless
the trustees shall otherwise determine. The
rates of expenses shall be fixed by the board
Of trustees.
Sec. IL. And be it further enacted that the
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