The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1904-04-20
THE yAGRANT Law.
FULL TEXT OF THE NEW STATUTE TO
GO INTO EFFECT APRIL 70.
Drastic Medicine for Chronic Loafers
Deadbeats. Gamblers. Blind
TIGERS. Etc.

1892, to define who are vagrants,
lprescribe the rules for procedure
lin trials for vagrancy and the pun
ishment thereof.
Section /. Be it enacted by the
legislature of the state Of Missis-
sippi, That Sections 1922, 1928,
1924 and 1926 of the Code of 1892,
be and the same are hereby repeal
ed, and the following Act adopt
ed, viz:
Migrants: Who are The fol-
lowing persons are and shall be
punished as vagrants, viz:
(al Persons known as tram ps,
wandering or strolling about in
idleness, who are able to work and
have no property to support
them.
(b) Persons leading an idle,
immoral or profiigate life, who
have no property to support them,
and who are able to work and do
not work.
(c) 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 liveli-
hood, "as used in this section shall
be construed to mean reasonably
continuous employment at some
lawful occupation for reasonable
compensation, or a fixed and reg
ular income from property or
other investment, which income is
Sufficient for the support and
maintenance of such persons.
I'D Allable bodied persons who
habitually loaf, loiter and idle in
the cities, towns and villages or
about steamboat landings or rail
road stations or any other public
| places in the state for the larger
portion of their time, without any
regular employment and without
any visible means of support. An
offense under paragraph D., of
this section shall be made out
whenever it is shown that any per
Ison has no visible means of sup
| port and only occasionally has em-t
pioyment at odd jobs, being for
the most Of the time out of en-
lployment.
(e) Persons trading or barter
| ing stolen property, or who un-
lawfully sell or barter any vinous,
alcoholic, malt, Intoxicating or
spurious liquors.
Q) Every common gambler or
person who, for the most part,
maintains himself by gambling.
(g) Every able bodied person
who shall go begging fora liveli-
hood.
| (h) Every common prostitute.
(i) Every keeper of a house of
prostitution.
(D Every keeper Of a house of
gambling or gaming.
(k) Every person who shall
abandon his wife or family, with
out just cause, leaving her, or
them without support, or in dan
ger of becoming a public charge.
O Every able-bodied person
who lives without employment or
labor, and who has no visible
means of support.
(m) All persons who are able
to work and do not work, but hire
out their minor children or allow
them to be hired out, and live upon
their wages.
(n) All persons over sixteen
yeals of age and over twenty y-one,
able to work and do not work,
and have no property to support
them, and have not some known
Visible means of a fair, honest and
repuTable livelihood, and whose
parents or those in loco PARENTS
are. unable to support them, and
who are not in attendance upon
Isome educational institution.
Section 2. 1t shall be the duty
lof every sherilf, deputy sheriff
and constable in every county, and
/ of The police, town marshal, depu-
lty marshals and Of other like off
cials..in' every county, city, town
or village in the state. TO give in
formation under oath to any Off
Ger empowered to issue criminal
warrants, of all vagrants within
their knowledge, or whom they
thaye good reason TO suspect as be-
ling Vagrants in their respective
counties, cities, towns and vii
Ilages; theFeupon the said officer
Ishall issue q warrant for the ap-
Iprehensinn Of the person alleged
Ito be yagrant,
/ Section 5. All information charg-
ling Vagrancy shall be under oath;
land while it is made the special
Iduty of the officers named in sec
ltion two hereof, to file the said
information whenever they shall
lhaveE knowledge ol good reason
Ito suspect thai any person IS q
vagrant as defined By any clause
Tor section of this act, ret any in
formation charging vagrancY may
Ebe filed under oath BIZ any resi-
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