The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-05-19
CHAPTER 474.

An Act TO Repeal Section Forty-Seven of
Article Sixteen of the Code of Public Gen
eral Laws, title ''Chancery' subtitle "Ine-
briates," and to re-enact the same with
amendments.
Assembly Of Maryland, That Section forty
seven of Article sixteen of the Code of Public
General Laws title, "Chancery," subtitle
''Inebriates'' be and the same is hereby re-
pealed and re-enacted with amendment so as
to read as follows:
At. Whenever, by petition under oath,
any person shall be alleged to be an habituai
drunkard, incapable of taking care of himself
or herself, or his or her property, any Circuit
Court of this State, and also either of the Cir.
cult Courts Of Baltimore City, shall have the
power, in its discretion, on such preliminary
examination or inquiry as it may think proper
to make er parte, to issue warrant to the
Sheriff of the County or City, respectively, to
arrest and bring the person so charged before
such Court; and it shall be the duty of the
Sheriff to obey such warrant and such Court
shall cause a jury of good and lawful men to
be summoned by the said Sheriff, to be en-
panelled forthwith, and shall charge said iury
under oath to inquire, in the presence of such
person, whether he or she is an habituaI
drunkard, incapable Of taking care of himself
or herself; and the proceedings in such case
shall be like those now authorized by law in
cases of persons alleged to be unaticsors in
sane; aud the rules Of law and proceedings
now applicable to the property oflunatic shall
apply to cases of persons declared to be
habitual drunkards under the provisions of
this section, except when herein otherwise
directed; and any person who may be alleged
TO be an habitual drunkard may dispense
with the legal proceedings to establish the
same, and may with the appreciation of the
Court wherein said petition may be filed,
appoint his or her own committee, and may
voluntarily enter any institution selected by
the court, for limited time; and the board
OF trustees or managers of such institution
may retain snch person the length of time he
or she may have. agreed therein to remain;
and ii the person against whom the petition
may be filed shall be found by the jury to be
an habifual drnnkard, incapable of taking
care Of himself or herself, it shall be the duty
of the Court TO appoint committee Of such
person, and such committee shall, with the
written assent and appreciation of the court,
have the power of conining such person in any
suitable institution for such length of time, as
the court in writing approve; but said COM
mittee, with the written assent and approba-
ton of the court, may at any time release
from confinement said habitual drunkard, and
the period of confinement of said habitual
drunkard may, by the said committee, with
the written assent and probation of the court,
be from time to time extended for such periods
as may be necessary for his or her complete
reformation. And the words '.habitual drunk.
ard as used in this section, shall be con-
strued to embrace any person, who may be
habitually addicted to the use of alcohol,
opium, cocaine, morphine, or any other drug
or intoxicant.
SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That this
Act shall take effect from the date of its
passage.
Approved April 6, 1894
FRANK BROWN, Governor.
JOHN WALTER SMITH,
President Of the Senate.
JAMES H. PRESTON,
Speaker of the House of Delegates
We hereby certify that the aforegoing is a
correct copy Of an Act of the General Assem-
bly, Of Maryland, passed January Session. 1894.
j. ROGER McSHERRY.
Secretary Of the Senate.
B. L. SMITH,
Chief Clerk of the House of Delegates.