Criminal Court. the refuge conducted by it, all such females as may be committed to mitted by it by the Criminal Court of Baltimore City, the Circuit Court of any county, or any justice of the peace in the State of Maryland under the provisions hereinafter contained, and the same to retain within the said refuge for their several terms of commitment; provided, however, that the directors of the said corporation may at any time, prior to the expiration of her term of commitment, dis- Term. charge and release any female so committed to their care, on being Discharge. satisfied of her reformation. Procedure. 162. The judge of the Criminal Court of Baltimore City, or Id. s. 7. any judge of any Circuit Court for any county or the city of Baltimore, upon information that any female under the age of eighteen years, in their several counties, or the city of Baltimore, as the case may be, leads a disorderly and dissolute course of life, may, upon application of the parent or next friend of such female, issue a warrant or order directed to the sheriff, or to any constable or police officer in such county or city, commanding him to bring the person against whom the information is so given before said court or said justice, on any day to be named therein, not more than one week from the day of the warrant, to answer said charge; and the said court or said justice, upon proof of said charge, may commit such female to the said House of the Good Shepherd of the city of Baltimore, for not less than one week nor more than two months for the first occasion, and not less than one month nor more than six months for the second or any subsequent occasion; pro- Proviso. vided, however, that in every case so brought before the Criminal Court of Baltimore City, or the Circuit Court of any county, the trial shall be by jury, if demanded by the party charged; and if in Trial by jury. any case brought as aforesaid before any justice of the peace, the party charged shall demand a jury trial, the said justice shall certify said case to the Criminal Court or the Circuit Court for the county, as the case may be, to be proceeded with and tried by said court in the same manner as if the case had been originally brought before said court, and such court or justice may commit said person, in the absence of suitable bail, to the said House of the Good Shepherd, instead of the common jail, pending the said charge. 163. The directors of the said House of the Good Shepherd, Id. s. 8. Report to in the city of Baltimore, shall annually report to the governor of governor. this State a full account of the operations of the said corporation, and the comptroller of the State shall semi-annually, on the first days of January and July, draw his warrant on the treasurer to the order of the president of the said corporation for an amount at the rate of twenty cents per diem for each of the average number of females committed by any court or justice of the peace as hereinbefore provided, who shall have been in the said institution during the preceding six months; and the sum of two thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to Appropriation. Id. s. 9. Visitation and inspection by judge of Crimi nal Court, pres ident of police board, and marshal of police. pay the said twenty cents per day, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. 164. The judge of the Criminal Court of Baltimore, the presi dent of the board of police commissioners, and the marshal of police of the city of Baltimore shall, at such times as they think proper, visit and inspect the said institution. |