The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-04-22
RECENT ENACTMENTS.
Laws oflnterest Passed by the Twelfth
Session.
AN ACT concerning vagrancy.
BE ii enacted by the Legislative Assembly Of u

AN ACT concerning vagrancy.
BE ii enacted by the Legislative Assembly Of the
Territory Of Montana.
Section |. Every idle and dissolute person,
without visible or known means of living,
who has the physical ability to work, and
who does not for the space Of ten days make
proper inquiry for, and use due diligence to
seek employment, nor labor when employ
ment is offered him; also, every healthy beg
gar who sslicits aims As a business; also.
every person who makes practice OF going
from house to house begging food, money or
other articles or seeks admission to such
houses upon frivolous pretexts; every le"d
and disaOlute male person who lives in ana
and about houses of ill-fame; also, every lewd
and disSOlute female person known as
"Strect walker" or common prostitute, VINO
shall, upon the street or in and about any
public place or assemblage, or in any saloon'
bar room, club room, or any other pubic or
general place of resort for men, or anywhere
within the sight or hearing of ladies or chill
dren, conduct or behave herself in an I'M
modest, drunken, indecent, profane or OBJ
scene manner, either by action, language or
improper exposure of person; every common
drunkard who is in the habit of lying around
the streets, alleys, sidewalks, saloons, bar
rooms or other public places, in state OF
gross intoxication, upon conviction Thereon
shall be deemed vagrant, and punished as
herein provided.
Sec. 2. All male persons having the physi-
cal ability to work, convicted Of vagrancy
and imprisoned on Judgment therefor, may
be required to perform labor on the public
| works, buildings, grounds, or ways in the
county, and the sheriff or other person or
persons having them in charge while per-
forming such labor may, in his discretion,
employ any usual, reasonable, humane, and
sufficient means to guard against and pre-
vent such persons escaping from custody
while being so employed.
Sec g. For each and every days work will
ingly and faithfully performed by such va
grant, he shall receive credit for two days
time. which shall be by the sheriff applied
upon and deducted from his term OF imprison-
ment.
Sec l. If any imprisoned vagrant convict
ed under this act, having the physical ability
| TO work, ard refuse to work when required to
do so, a. herein provided, he may, As pun
|
ed to pack sand, or any other material OF
weight from place to place, or to perform
other labor not unreasonable, inhumane, OIL
too burdenSomc, until he declares himse'
willing to work and, does work a. required
or in lieu thereof he may, in the discretion
of the sheriff be confined in the cell OF thu
iail and fed upon no other food except bread
and water, until he declares himself willing t.
workls required herein but both methods
punishment herein prescribed shall IN no IN
stance be inflicted at the same time.
Sec 5. 1t shall be the duty OF the sherih
during fair and and reasonable weather, whel
the same can be done without extra expens
to the county, to procure employment 10
and set at work such convicted Migrants VIII
are serving out their terms of Imprisonment
Sec 6. All persons violating any OF tn
, provisions of Section of this Act shall b
punished by imprisonment in the county jai
for a term not exceeding 30 days for frs
offensc and not exceeding 30 days for eac
subsequent otfcnse.
Sec. l. Nothing in this Act shall be cor
strued as depriving any incorporated tow
or city, incorporated under the laws OF thl
Territory, from furnishing vagrancy
Approved February -, 1881.