The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-02-08
The Tramp Nuisance Bill.

The Tramp Nuisance Bill.
The following is a synopis of bill sub
mitted to the Legislature by the committee
appointed'by the recent tramp convention
in Baltimore;
Whereas of late the evil of vagrancy has
seriously increased, to the great insecurity
ofpersons and property in all parts of the
State, and there exists an urgent necessity
to provide remedy against such mischiefs;
therefore,
SEC. /. Be 1t enacted by the General As
sembly of Maryland, that the following
described persons are hereby declared to
be tramps or Migrants, and that for the
purpose of this act the terms tramps and
Migrants are declared to be of the same le-
gal import and meaning.
LIST. All persons who shall come from
any place without this State to any place
within it, who shall have no fixed or per-
manent residence in the State in which
such persons shall be found, and shall fol-
low no labor, trade or occupation or bust
ness, and shall have no visible means of
subsistence, and can give no satisfactory
assurance that they are not charge upon
the public.
Cd. All persons who shall refuse to work
for the usual and common wages given to
other persons for like work in the places
such persons then are, and who shall be
found lettering or wandering from place
to place without any fixed place of resi-
dence within the city, town or district in
which such persons shall be found.
Sd. All persons going about from door
to door, or placing themselves in streets,
highway or roads, to beg or gather aims.
The bill defines further what constitutes
a tramp, and says upon conviction by two
credible witnesses, the person convicted
is liable to labor upon farms, roads, streets,
Jail or house of correction.
The committing magistrate is required
to keep docket entries of persons convict
ed, and it is provided that the person ar
rested may demand jury trial upon the
charge of which he is accused.
1t is provided, further, that every Satur-
day wardens and custodians shall send list
of names of all persons committed to their
custody to Circuit Courts, who shall have
power to review commitments, discharge
or recommit
1t is declared to be the duty ofwardens
or custodians to find proper work for the
tramp, punishable by fine and imprison.
ment.
The bill also provides that all poor
houses, amshouses and other places pro.
vided for the keeping of the poor are here
by declared workhousrs for the purposes
of this act.
Upon his discharge ticket shall be
given which shall exempt him from any
further arrest for vagrancy for period o
ten days The discharged tramp shall al
so be paid for his labor at half its marke
value. 1t is further provided that the &C
shall not apply to Baltimore city.
The Baltimore Sun says of this bill:
"To what extent this bill, so guarded
for the protection Of the tramp from illega
arrest, and with the obligations it impose
upon custodians of tramps to feed ant
clothe and exercise vigilant watch owe
them, would prove efficient in its operation
can only be determined after the expert
ment has been tried. But it is clear tina
the expense OF dealing with the tramp i
the manner prescribed would fall heavil
on the counties, for the work that he woul
do would he small, and after he had bee
fed and clothed all his efforts would be d
rected to escaping from those who had hir
in charge, q genuine tramp hating wor
worse than the Russians hate the Turks O
a mad dog the sight of water. Some CON
pensation, however, would lie in the fat
that the county would he rid of him for
time"