The Democratic advocate., 1904-02-27
A New Vagrancy.

Delegate Collins, of Talbot county. has in.
troduced into the House of Delegates bill
designed to break up vagrancy and enforce
industry upon the lazy and Indifferent The
bill defines vagrants as follows:
First-All persons who shall unlawfuly re-
turn into any county or corporation whence
they have been legally removed
Second-All persons who, not having
wherewith to maintain themselves and their
families, live idly and without employment
and refuse to work for the usual and common
wages given to other laborers in the like work
in the place wnere they then are.
Third-Persons wandering or stroling
about in idleness who are able TO work and
have no property to support them
Fourth-Prrsous leading an idle. immoral
or profiigate life, who have no property to sup
port them and who are able to work and do
not work.
F,flh-All able bodied persons found beg
giug for living or who quit their houses and
leave wives or children without the means of
Suhsi>trn f.
Sixih-AH persons who shall come from
any place without thus Commonwealth to any
place within it and shall be found lettering amd
residing therein and shall follow no labor,
trade, occupation or business, and have no
visible means of subsistence and can give no
I U
iness in such places.
Sevenih-All persons having a fixed abode
who have no visible property to support them
and who live by stealing or by trading or bar
teriug stolen property.
Eight-All persons who are able to work
aud who do not work, but hire out their minor
children and live upon their wages.
Nin,h-All gypsies and strolling bands of
players travelling through the country telling
fortunes, giving seances and so-called spirit.
ualisIIc meetings.
Ii shall be lawful for the sheriffs of the coun.
hes and Baltimore city TO hire persons so cou-
vicied 20 contractors for road or street work
or for other labor, provided such contractors
give bond to the State for the safe keeping of
such persons. They are authorized to use the
ball and chain upon the prisoners. The money
coming from the hire of yagranis to be paid
into the city or county treasury.
II shall be the duty OF the Sheriff and con
stables 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 10 issue criminsI
warrants Of all yagrants within their know
edge or persons whom they have good reason
TO suspect of hsing vsgrsnts IN their resnec-
tive Cnuufls~. cite, aud tuwus: aud IheIeupon, b,
or upon the complaint or any person upon
F
the arrest % she person alleged 20 be yRgrAni,
aud BE- shall b. brought before any magistrate
haylHg jurisdiction oi mlsdemsauors within
said county. city or town and upon CHnvIc
zion shall H. punished by confinement IN Iall
or house If CORRECTION. or b. committing %
The custody of the Sheriff, Who. iu execution
u, such scuiruce by the trial justice. shall con
daCi such PRISONER 60 tbs jail yari aud there
. administer the shipping; provided, howeveT.
thai ihr magistrate UiAy, IN has discretion. or
lGe ,,1mtt before ~hica the case may he tired
on appeal nav. IN as discretion, permit such
{ person 20 convicted 20 give bond, Sllh snth
r1~ut srCaytiy IH zH amngnt not exceeding
$50 sr l-Ss ihan SlOo. conditioned upuu hi-
u'arc industry Aad z,ui couduvi frr uur
yvaf ipou giving SsCh bond such person
sh4.i h. se1 a. bterry usshaul undergoing the
T punish nest Imposed by b. conviction; and
provided further that q shall h. a sufficient
/ dcie,sse go the charge ut vagraucy undcs ,his
and ibr preceding srcglon that the defendant
has made bona eie efforts to ob,atH sgaptoy
meul al rcasogab3c prices tar hfs labor sad
has failed 90 Obtain the saiue.