The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-02-19
New Vagrancy Law.

A vagrant law has been introduced in
the House of Delegates by Mr.. Collins. of
Talbot county. The measure thus de
fines Migrants:
First-All persons who shall Unlawful.
ly return into any county or corporation
whence they have been legally removed.
Second-All person who, not having
wherewith to maintain themselves and
their families, live idly and without EN-
ployment and refuse to work for the usu-
al and common wages given to other lab
orers in the like work in the place where
they then are.
Third-Persons wandering or strolling
about in idleness who are able to work
and have no property to support them.
Fourth-Persons leading an idle, i'm
moral or prohigate life. who. have no
property to support them and who are
able to work and do not work.
Fifth-All able-bodied persons found
begging for living or who quit their
houses and leave wives or children with
out the means of subsistence.
Sixth-All persons who shall come from
any place without this Commonwealth to
any place within it and shall be found loi-
tering and residing therein aud shall fol-
low no labor, trade, occupation or bust
ness, and have no visible means Of subsis-
tence, and can give no reasonable account
%l,o thoir h,,cin in
places.
Seventh-All 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
Eighth-All persons who are able to
work and who do not work, but hire out
their minor children and live upon their
wages.
Ninth-All gypsies and strolling bands
of players travelling through the country
telling fortunes, giving seances and So
called spiritualistic meetings.
1t shall be lawful for the sheriffs of the
counties and Of Baltimore city to hire per-
sons 80 convicted to contractors for road
or street work or for other labor, provid
ed such contractors give bond to the State
for the safe-keeping of snch persons.
They;are authorized to use the ball and
chain upon the prisoners. The money
coming from the hire of Migrants to be
paid into the city or county treasury.
1t shall be the duty of the Sheriff and
constables of every county, the police or
other like officials in every city and town
in this State to give information under
oath to any officer empowered by law to
issue criminal warrants of all Migrants
within their respective counties, cities
and towns; and thereupon, or upon the
complaint of any person upon oath, the
said officer shall issue a warrant for the
arrest of the person alleged to be vagrant
and he shall be brought before any mag
istrate having jurisdiction Of misdemean-
ors within said county, city or town, and
upon conviction shall be punished by
confinement in Jail or house of correction,
or by committing to the custody of the
Sheriff, who, in execution of such sen.
tence by the trial justice, shall conduct
such prisoner to the Jail yard and there
administer the whipping; provided how
ever, that the magistrate may. in his
discretion, or the court before which the
case may be tried on appeal may, in its
discretion, permit such person SO con-
victed to give bond, with sufficient secnr-
ity, in an amount not exceeding $500 nor
less than 800, conditioned upon his fu-
ture industry and good conduct for one
year. Upon giving such bend. such per-
son shall be set at liberty without under
going the punishment imposed by his
conviction; and provided, further, that it
shall be sufficient defence to the charge
of vagrancy under this and the preceding
section that the defendant has made bona
dde efforts to obtain employment at -ea-
sonable prices for his labor and has fail
ed to obtain the same.