The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-09-09
WHO ARE VAGRANTs.

/. Persons wandering Or strolllng
about in idleness who are able to work
and have no property to support them.
Q. Persons leading an idle, immoral
or prohigate life, who have no property
TO support them, and who are able TO
work and do not work.
8. All persons able to work. having
no property to support them, and who
have no visible or known means Of a
fair. honest and reputable livelihood.
The term visible and known means
Of a fair, honest and reputable llveli-
hood as used in this section shall be
construed to mean reasonably contlnu-
Gus employment at sorae lawful oc-
cucation for reasabonle compensation
or fzed and regular income from
nroperty or other investment which
income is sufficient for the support and
mainbeance Of such yagrant.
a. Persons having a fixed abode who
have no visible property to support
them. and who live by stealing or by
trading or bartering stolen property.
). Professional gamblers living IN
idleness
6. All able-bodied persons who are
fonnd begging for living or who quit
their houses, and leave their wives and
children without the means OF sub
sistence.
:. That all persons who are able to
work and 1ho do not work but hire
ont their minor children and live upon
their wages shall be deemed and con-
sidered vagrants.
s. All persons over Is and under q
years Of age able to work and who do
not work ard have no property to
support them and hare not some known
and visible means of fair, honest and
reputable livelihood ard whose parents
are unable to support them and who
are not in attendance upon some
educational institute.
1t shall be, and is hereby made, the
duty Of the sheriff and tie constables
of every county, the police and town
marshals or other like officials IN ev-
cry town and city in this state to give
information under oath to any otbcer
now empowered by law to issue cri-
mlnal warrants, of all vagrants within
their knowledge or WHOM they nave
good reasons to suspect as being
yagrants, il their respective countles.
town and cities; thereopon the said
officer shall issue a warrant for the
apprehension of the person alleged to be
a vagrant, and upon being brought be
fore him the said officer and probable
cause be shown, shall bind such person
over to any court of the county having
jurisdiction in misdemeanor cases. Ii
upon trial by jury sworn to inquire
whether such person be vagrant or
not, the fact of vagrancy be established,
the said vagran5 shall be bound IN
sufficient security, in the discretion
of the court for his future industry
and good conduct for one year. Said
bond shall be payable TO the court.
Upon such vagrant's refusal or failure
to give such security the said vagrant
shall be punished for misdemeanor,
provided. that it shall be sufficient
defense to the charge Of vagrancy un-
der any of the provisions of this act
that the defendant has made bona hde
efforts to obtain employment at rea-
sonable price for his labor and has
failed to obtain the same.
Sec. 2 Be il further enacted by the
authority aforesaid, that all laws
and parts of laws in conflict with this
act be, and the same are hereby 70,
pealed. .ooo
Approvsd August 18th, 1903.