The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-04-04
Chapter al.
An Act to amend Section thlrty-six of
Chapter one hundred and one of the
Revised Statutes, in relation to Bail


justice Of the peace Is attorney or ad-
visor Of any parry by him bailed IN any
case IN which he has acted as bal com
missioner. So that sstld section as amend
Cd shaH read as follow.
section - Any p"r=pa under arrest on
criminal process for Il haLldble oit"nse,
NAY. before contnitm j To lall, II 50
requests. I've taken by the officer having
hiu. in charge. before such c0mmissi1ner
Is 10 my inquire into the case and adj
nil him to bail. Ana ANY person dr-
rested II the Lord s. daE. or on th" after
noon or evening preceding, for q bailable
offeuse, may be admitted to bail on that
day by such commissioner. No ban cpn-
missioner shall appear before any court
or Justice OF the peace As attorney or ad-
visor Of any party by him bated in any
case in which he has acted as such bail
commissioner.
Improved March 6. 1901
Chapter %.
An Act TO prevent Desoftion and non
support Of Families
Section / ANY pcrSau " ho shall nth
out lawful excuse de z.rt his wife When
such wife Is in destitute or necesSitouS
circumstances. OF any person VINO being
able by means Of his property or labor
to provide for thu necessary support and
maintenance OF his wilc. shall wiliully
nesicct or refuse To pr}vide such support
and maintenance when such wife is in
destitute or neecSStGus circumstances,
or any person who shtll without lawful
excuse desert his or her minor child or
children under the dge of sixteen years,
whom such child or children are in such
circumstances. or who being able by
means 81 his or her property or labor To
provide flr tile necessary support and
maintenance of his 81 ler minor child or
children under said axe, shall Wltully
neglect or refuse to provide such support
and maintenance when such child or
children are In destitute or necossitou5
circumstances shall b. deemed guilty or
a miS1emeanor. and on conviction there
Of shall be punished by a fine Of not
more than five hundred dollars or by in
prIsOnmcut with or without hard labor
Ton not more than SIX months, Or by
both such fine and imprisonment; and
should a fine be imposed 1t may be di-
rected by the court to be paid In whole
or in part to the wife OF to the guardian
or custodian OF the minor child or
children. provided that before the triad,
with the consent of the defendant, or
after conviction. instead of imposing the
punishment hereinbcfore provided, or in
addition thereto, the court in its discre-
ton, having regard to the circumstances
and to the financial ability or earning
capacity of the defendant, shall have tho
power to make an order which shall be
subject to change by 1t from time to
time as circumstances may require, di-
rcCtlns the defendant to pay certan
sum weekly for the space Of one year to
the wife, or to the guardian or custodian
OF the minor child or children, or to an
organization or individual approved by
the court as trustee. and to release the
defendant from custody on probation for
the space of one year upon his or her
entering into recognizance, with sure
tics or surety where such can be fur
nished. otherwise without sureties, in
such sum as tho court may direct. The
condition of the recognzance shall he
such that II the defendant shall make his
or her personal appearance In court
whenever ordered to do so within the
year, and shall further comply with the
terms Of the order and Of any subsequent
modification thereof, then the recogn-
zance shall be void, otherwise of fun
force and effect.
II the court shall be satisfied by infor-
nation and due proof, under oath, that
at any tire during the year the defend
ant has violated tho terms f such order,
It may forthwith proceed With the trial
of tine defendant under the original in
dlCtIUcnt, or sentence him under the orig
nal conviction, r. enforce the original
sentence, as the case may be. In
case Of forfeiture 81 n rccognizancc.
and enforce Clent thereof by CX Gu
ton. the sum recovered may. in the dis
cret!on OF the coHrt be piid in whole or
In Iart to the wife or to the guardian OF
custodian of the minor child or children.
Section 2 When any person Is sem
fenced to hard labor and actually enc
poycd In such labor in the county Jail
on account OF any sentence imposed I'm
der this act. it shall be the duty of tho
keeper of said Jail to certify at the end
cf each week to the county commission
crs the number Of days during which
such persons shall have been actual Y
employed in said jail as aforesaid, and
the County commissioners shall thereup-
on draw their order upon the county
treasurer for sum equal to fifty cents
for each days hard labor so performed
by such person and the same shall there
upon he paid forthwith by the county
treasurer tn the wife of such person or
to the guardian or custodian of his or
her minor child or children. or to any
organization or individual as truste e
which shall be approved by the court
imposing such sentence.
M
vided for by the terms Of this act may
be recovered or enforced by complaint or
indictment and in all prosecutions under
this chapter and apv amendments and
additions thereto, Judges of municipal
courts and police courts within their re-
spective counties shall have original and
concurrent jurisdiction with the superior
and supreme judicial courts.
Section 4. This act shall take effect
when approved.
tApproved March g. 1901
Chapter 43.
An Act to amend Chapter one hundred
and tWenty-thrce of the Public Laws
of nineteen hundred and five. entitled
AN Act fer tho Protection of Chill
drcn"
Section /. Section one of chapter one
hundred and twenty-tnree of the public
laws OF nineteen hundred and five Is
hereby amended so that the same as
amended. shall read rs follows:
Section l. Upon application by the
mayor ana aldermen OF any city, tho Sc
lectmen of any town, or the president
and n majority of the directors of any
society for the protection of children, or
prevention of cruelty to the same the
governor and council shall issue badge
and commission to any suitable person
designated in said application. appointing
such person an Agent for the protection
of children to serve within and for the
county for which he or she shall be APP
pointed and within which he or she shall
reside. authorizing such agent to arrest
persons charged with violating any of the
provisions of this act or any other act or
law concerning the protection of children
or prevention of cruelty to the same and
to serve any process, civil or criminal
provided for by the terms OF said acts
or required for the enforcement of the
same, in the SAINT manner and with tho
same powers In the premises as any
sheriff, deputy sheriff, police officer or
constable, and to perform such other
duties as may be provided for by. this
act; provided that the powers and duties
of such agent shah he confined to the
limits Of the. county for which lie or She
Is appointed
Section =. Section two of said chapter
Is hereby amended so that the same as
amended, shall read as follows:
Section 2 Any agent for the protec-
ton OF children appointed as aforesaid
aud all sheriffs, deputy sherlffs police
all cases of cruel or injurious treatment
of children coming to their knowledge.
and shall cause offenders against any
provisions of this act or any other act
concerning the protection OF children
or prevention of cruelty to the same to
be prosecuted. For their services in con-
Quoting such investigations said agents