Case Name: John Kilty against Rezin Hammond
Court: General Court of Maryland
Jurisdiction: Maryland
Decision Date: 1793-10
Citations: 3 Md. 149
Docket Number: 
Parties: John Kilty against Rezin Hammond.
Judges: 
Reporter: Maryland reports, being a series of the most important law cases argued and determined in the Provincial Court and Court of Appeals of the then province of Maryland, from the year 1700 [i.e. 1658] down to the [end of 1799]
Volume: 3
Pages: 149–151

Head Matter:
GENERAL COURT,
OCTOBER TERM, 1793
John Kilty against Rezin Hammond.
THIS was an action on the case for a reward, founded on the following proclamation and advertisement, published in one of the newspapers edited in the city of Baltimore, to wit s
By his Excellency, John Eager Howard, Esq. Governor of Maryland.
u A Proclamation.
■‘ Whereas by the deposition of Rezin Hammond, Esq. of Anne Arundel county, it appears, &c. &c. And where- ^ obviously the duty of the executive to guard as much as may be against the commission of such enormities, and to bring such offenders against the laws and peace of society to justice, I have, therefore, thought proper, by and with the advice of the council, to issue this my proclamation, authorizing and enjoining all sheriffs and other officers of the peace, to apprehend and convey before some one of the judges or justices within this state, the said Elijah Gaither, in order that he may be dealt with according to law; and I do hereby exhort and require the good people of this state to be aiding and assisting the said officers in the execution of their duty.
“ Given at Annapolis, under the seal of the state of' Maryland, this seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one.
“ J. E. HOWARD.
“ By his excellency’s command,
“ T. Johnson, jun. Secretary.
“ God save the State.
“ I hereby offer a reward of four hundred dollars for apprehending the above-mentioned Elijah Gaither, agreeably to the foregoing proclamation, and will pay the same upon his being brought before any one of the judges of the general court, or either of the associate justices of Anne Arundel county, to be dealt with according to law.
“ Rezin Hammond.
“ June 7, 1?91.”

Opinion:
At the trial of this cause, the above proclamation and advertisement were produced by theplaintiff, and offered in evidence, to support his title to the reward therein mentioned, and the advertisement was admitted to be the advertisement of the defendant; and the defendant, by his counsel, prayed the court to direct the jury, that the plaintiff could not recover in this suit, unless he proved Mmself to be a peace officer of this state, or of Anne Arundel county, where the said Gaither was arrested, or that the plaintiff had a warrant or process to arrest the said Gaither, or that the plaintiff was required by a peace officer, or other person having a warrant or process, to arrest the said Gaither, to aid and assist in the arrest of the said Gaither. The court directed the jury accordingly.
Key, for the plaintiff.
Pinkney, for the defendant.