Daily Republican., 1879-08-11
THE DELAWARE TRAMP LAW,
Al General PrOsfsiODs-The Act an
Arbitrary Oue-hard Taskmas.
'ers. Poss Hsoa ssA IItsis Pay u
be In lr 4. 0t.

be IN ir 4 0t.
As all the citizens OF Delaware are
NOR. or less interested in the tramp
q question, for their benefit We publish
to-day the following to punish tramps
by the last Legislature Of the State:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives OF the State OF
Delaware in General Assembly met:
Amend by striking out all after the
Q acting clause, and insert the follow
ing:
Spction l. Any person without q
home in the town or hundred in which
h- may he found wandering about with
out employment, and the regular and
visible mesns Of living, shall be DEEM
ed and taken to be tramp, and shall
be dealt with accordingly.
Section 2. 1t shall be the duty of
the corporate officers Of every city and
town in this State TO cause every tramp
found within the limits of such town,
to be mediately arrested and put TO
work on the streets, or other public
works thereof, or to hire out such
tramps to private persons, and for this
purpose said officers may employ such
ov-rseers az many be necessary.
Section 3. When such tramps are
worked on the strsets, or public works,
they shall BE- provided with reasonable
food and lodging by said officers, at the
expense Of the city OF town, and shall
be allowed such wages as the said
officer shall deem reasonable, to bs paid
them at the end of their employment.
But before any wages shall bs paid
them, a Just deduction should be made
from the gross sum for whatever board,
lodging cr medicine they may have
been furnished respectively, and also
their just proportion of whatever may
have been paid for overseeing their
work when an overseer has been en-
ploy-d. The said officer may also i'm
pose fines for insu ubordination, or refu-'
sal to perform, in a proper manner, such
work as may s- provided.
Section 4. The term Of working such
tramps Oh the streets, or other public
works or Of hiring them to pubic per-
sons, shall not exceed one month, at
any time, and at the end O their time
they shall be discharged, but may be-
again rearrested and again put to work
az before tor Ii offending.
Section 5. The Mayor of Whining
ton, all Justices Of the peace through.
out the State, in their several and re
spective cities, hundreds and districts,
snail, Independently and respectively,
hav. the same jurisdiction and powers
to cause them to be arrested, worked
and hired out, as town Commissioners
nave In the towns. And the failure of
any such officers to &C. promptly in the
premises shall bs sufficient cause and
authority for any other such officers to
act. Aud it shall bs the duty OF any
and all such officers to act promptly
and efficiently, either OH their own mo
tion, or when called upon by any cid'
Zen 10 do so.
Ssction 6. 1t shall be the duty OF
all sheriffs, coroners, constables, police
men and watchmen, to arrest and
commit any tramp and otherwise aid
and assist any of the officers h rein
before mentioned in the discharge Of
their duties and any such officer ne
glecting or refusing to do 80, shall be
guilty Of misd meanor and punished
accordingly. And t.e jlils of the
proper counti-s may be temporaril,
used for the confinement of tramps when
commi ted by any officers m4ntioned in
tn. second or fifth section of this act.
Section 7. Any person arrested as a
tramp, under the provisions of the act,
snall be entitled to trial by jury, II
he demand the same, uron entering
into fecognizapca with one or more
Suvety, in the sum of five hundred
dollars, conditioned for his appearance,
1t the next session of the Court of Gen,r
al Sessions of the Peace to answer the
charge.
Section s. Any tramp, who shall
enter any dwelling house, or kindle
any fire in any public highway, or on
the land of another without the consent
Of the owner or occupant thereof, or
shal. BE- found carrying any tirrarm or
other dangerous weapon, or shall do
or threaten to do any injury to any
erson, or to the real or personal es-
tate of another, shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor. and punished according.
Iy.
Section 9. This act shall not apply
to any female, nor to any minor under
the age OF l6, nor to any blind person.
charles RI. tcher Objects.