The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-04-19
JERSEYS BLUE LAWS.
Some Queer Old Statutes
Dug Up Apropos of the
Sunday Agitation.
SUDDEN DEATH FOR EVERYTHING
Hard on the chippies and Nash
ers---ShilIing Fines for Stay
ing Ont Late.


When people read IN last Sundays cdr
ton OF THE JERSEY CRY News OF all the
things it is unlawful to do on the first day
Of the week commonly called Sunday,
they wondered what age and generation
enacted such laws. the absurdity of which
Is SO apparent Ia this age that they are
observed only in tlfs breach Those peo-
pie will not be surprised then to learn
that our Sunday law pretty much as it
stands on our statute books today was
passed by the sGovernor, Council and
Burgesses of the General Assembly Of the
Province Of Nova CRsarea or New Jer-
sey" on December 2, 1915, when the great
Philip Carteret was Governor. II they
examine the old law books they viii find
that the laws which were enacted by the
council" etc, aforesaid in those days
were in strict keeping with their Sunday
law. On the same day it was enacted
that anyone who should disturb any pub
lie minister in time of divine service
should receive such punishment as the
Court should see cause to infiict.
The first Assembly of Provincial New
Jersey met in Elizabethtown on May %,
1858, and was composed OF "Tbe II on
Philip Cateret, Esquire, Governor
council consisting Of one member from
each OF the six townships then In tho
Province and an Assembly Of two men,
bers from each township. Bergen, which
then contained much Of the territory
which is now In Jersey City, was repre-
scented by Mr.. Casper Steenmetts and
Mr.. Ba1razar Bsyard. The first Law
which this General Assembly enacted, or
"lmpreniis," as it appears upon the
statute book, provided that any person
who should resist the authority esEab-
lished by the Lord Proprietors should be
punished as the court saw dc. The next
enactment looked to the defense of the
Province, and provided that any male be-
tween eighteen and sixty years who
failed to be furnished, at his own cost aud
charge, with :" a good sefT1cable gun,
well fixed, one pound Of good powder,
four pounds of pistol bullets suited 20 the
gun ; q pair of bandaleers or good horn
ard sword and belt, shall pay a shilling
for the first weeks neglect and two shil-
linRs for every week thereafter"
RATHER FREE WITH THE DEATH PENALTY.
Then the burgesses turned their atten-
ton to crimes, and enacted that anyone
who maliciously fired dwelling houee,
ter. were to make entire satisfaction
therefor, and if they were unable to do
that, they were to be placed at the mercy
of the court, which was to decide whether
they should be tried for life or should sur
Ter some other corporal punishment.
Murder, of course, was punished with
death. So was maliciously bearing false
witness or plotting TO take a mans life
away. The death penalty was also pre-
seribed for the stealing Of any mankind
and crimes against nature.
| If person committed burglary or high
way robbery, he was to be punished for
the first offence By being burnt IN the
hand with the letter I, and being COM
PEELED to make fun satisfaction for the
goods stolen For the second offence he
or she was compelled to make the
same restitution, and TO be branded on
the forehead with the letter R. while for
the third offence the burglar was 10 be
put to death as incorrigible-
If any person was found stealing or
"proTen to have stolen any goods. money
or cattle, or any kind Of beast whatso-
ever, he or she shall make treble restftu-
ton for the first offence and the like for
the second and third offence, with such
further increase of punishment as the
Court shall see cause, and it incorriglble
to be punished with death"
In case the thief were not able to make
restitution he was to be sold to work out
the satisfaction. There was a sort of
nullity about this law in the shape OF a
proviso to the effect that If the thief was
unable through poverty or other cause to
make restitution either in the case of
theft or burglary, he should suffer such
corporal punishmentas the Court deemed
proper. The stolen goods were TO be re-
stored to the owner no matter where
found. It would seem from this law that
being robbed was profitable business
provided the thief was caught and the
goods found.
Witchcraft was punished with desth
and so was any one who conspired to sur
prise and invade any town or for of the
No Of1r
had great respect for the fifth command
ment, for one of the first laws they
enacted provided that any child or child
rem above sixteen years of age and of
sufficient understanding who should
smite or curse their natural father or
mother, except in self defence, should be
put to death
HARD ON THE CHIFPIES AND MASTERS
1t would never have done for the pert
young chewing gum Miss and her tough
admirers who make Newark avenue al
most Impossible nights, aud furnish the
patronage of the summer night picnies,
TO have lived in those days, for one law
provided that If any person or persons
shall be abroad from their usual place of
abode and found in night, walking, drink
ing, in any tap house or in any other
place or house at unreasonable times,
after nine of the clock at night
shall be secured By the constable or some
other officer and shall receive such pun
ishment as the Court may deem proper.
Drunkenness appears 70 have been held
in great contempt by the good Dutchmen
who formed the great part of the inhabi-
tants OF the Province at that time. Among
the laws enacted at this first session OF
the Assembly was one which reads
Concerning that beastly vice drunken
ness it is hereby enacted that ii any per-
son shall be found TO be drunk he shall
pay one shilling for the first time, two
shilungs for the second time, and for
every time after two shiliings and six
pence. Such as have nothing TO pay shall
suffer corporal punishment, and for those
who are unruly and distnrbers of the
peace they shall be put in the stocks until
they are sober, or during the pleasure OF
the officer in chief in the place where he
is drunk.
Swearing was also held in detestation
BIZ these early Jerseymen and all persons
who profRnely took the name of God in
vain were fined Que shilling, one half OF
which went 10 the informer and one Eaif
into the Provincial treasury. It was
nothing like the picnic 1t Is now 10 be a
mem Der OF the General Assembly in those
days. There were no railroads to give
passes and make attention TO legislative
duties profitable, no institutions TO be
visited or junkets under the guise of cleo
ton frauds investigations. On the con-
rrary each deputy furnished his own tran
sportation and he who absented himself
from the Assembly was fined forty shi IL
In0s which In those DAYS was a large