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[CHAPTER 547-2D SESSION]

[S. 342] AN ACT

To amend section 5296 of the Revised Statutes, as amended, relating to the discharge of indigent convicts for nonpayment of fines.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 5296 of the Revised Statutes, as amended by section 4 of the Act entitled "An Act to amend certain laws governing Federal prisoners, and for other purposes", approved June 29, 1940 (54 Stat. 692; 18 U. S. C. 641), is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 5296. When a poor convict, sentenced by any court of the United States to be imprisoned and pay a fine, or fine and costs, or to pay a fine, has been confined in prison thirty days, solely for the nonpayment of such fine, or fine and costs, such convict may make application in writing to the nearest commissioner of the United States court in the district where he is imprisoned or, if confined in a Federal penal institution, to the warden of such institution, setting forth his inability to pay such fine, or fine and costs, and after notice to the district attorney of the United States, who may appear, offer evidence, and be heard, the commissioner or the warden as the examining authority to whom such application is addressed shall by an appropriate administrative proceeding inquire into the matter. If on examination it shall appear to the examining authority that such convict is unable to pay such fine, or fine and costs, and that he has not any property exceeding $20 in value, except such as is by law exempt from being taken on execution for debt, the examining authority shall administer to him the following oath: 'I do solemnly swear that I have not any property, real or personal, to the amount of $20, except such as is by law exempt from being taken on civil process for debt by the laws of (naming the State where oath is administered); and that I have no property in any way conveyed or concealed, or in any way disposed of, for my future use or benefit. So help me God.' Upon taking such oath such convict shall be discharged; and the examining authority shall file with the institution in which the convict is confined a certificate setting forth the facts. Any such convict to whom the warden shall fail or refuse to administer the oath may apply to the nearest commissioner for the administration of the oath upon a proceeding de novo as above provided, and upon taking such oath shall be discharged. In case the convict is found by the examining authority to possess property valued at an amount in excess of said exemption, nevertheless, if the Attorney General finds that the retention by such convict of all of such property is reasonably necessary for his support or that of his family, such convict shall be released without further imprisonment solely for the nonpayment of such fine, or fine and costs;

or if he finds that the retention by such convict of any part of such property is reasonably necessary for his support or that of his family, such convict shall be released without further imprisonment solely for nonpayment of such fine or fine and costs upon payment on account of his fine and costs, of that portion of his property in excess of the amount found to be reasonably necessary for his support or that of his family."

Approved July 10, 1946.

[CHAPTER 606—2D. SESSION]

(H. R. 4180]

AN ACT

To amend the law relating to larceny in interstate or foreign commerce.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act of February 13, 1913, as amended (47 Stat. 773; U. S. Č., title 18, secs. 409 to 411), be, and it is hereby, amended to read as follows:

"(a) Whoever shall

"(1) unlawfully break the seal or lock of or enter any railroad car, vessel, aircraft, motortruck, wagon, or other vehicle containing interstate or foreign shipments of freight or express, with intent to commit larceny therein; or

"(2) embezzle, steal, or unlawfully take, carry away, or conceal, or by fraud or deception obtain from any

(i) railroad car, motortruck, wagon, or other vehicle, (ii) station house, platform, depot, or terminal,

(iii) steamboat, vessel, or wharf,

(iv) aircraft, airport, aircraft terminal or air navigation facility,

any goods or property moving as or which are a part of or which constitute an interstate or foreign shipment of freight or express, with intent to convert such goods or property to his own use, or shall buy, receive, or have in his possession any such goods or property, knowing the same to have been embezzled or stolen; or

"(3) embezzle, steal, or unlawfully take, carry away, or by fraud or deception obtain any baggage which shall have come into the possession of any carrier for transportation in interstate or foreign commerce, or shall break into, steal, take, carry away, or conceal any of the contents thereof, with intent to convert the same or any part thereof to his own use, or shall buy, receive, or have in his possession any such baggage or any article therefrom, of whatever nature, knowing the same to have been embezzled or stolen; or

"(4) embezzle, steal, or unlawfully take by any fraudulent device, scheme, or game, from any railroad car, motortruck, steamboat, vessel, aircraft, or other vehicle operated by any carrier, or from any passenger or employee thereon, when such railroad car, or the train of which it is a part, motortruck, steamboat, vessel, aircraft, or other vehicle is moving in interstate or foreign commerce, any money, baggage, goods, or property, with intent to convert the same or any part thereof to his own use, or shall buy, receive, or have in his possession any such money, baggage, goods, or property, knowing the same to have been embezzled or stolen; or

"(5) being an employee of any carrier riding in, on or upon any railroad car, motortruck, steamboat, vessel, aircraft, or other vehicle of such carrier transporting passengers or property in interstate or foreign commerce and having in his custody funds arising out of or accruing from such transportation, embezzle or unlawfully convert to his own use any such funds; shall in each case be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

"(b) The carrying or transporting of any such money, freight, express, baggage, goods, or property from one State or Territory or the District of Columbia into another State or Territory or the District of Columbia, knowing the same to have been embezzled or stolen, shall constitute a separate offense and subject the offender to the penalties prescribed in subsection (a).

"(c) The term 'interstate or foreign commerce' shall include transportation from one State, Territory, or the District of Columbia to another State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, or to a foreign country, or from a foreign country to any State, Territory, or the District of Columbia.

"(d) The term 'aircraft' shall mean airplane, glider, blimp, balloon, dirigible, helicopter, rocket ship, parachute, or any contrivance used or designed for navigation of or flight in the air.

"(e) The term 'motortruck' shall mean truck, truck-tractor, trailer, semitrailer, automobile, bus, or other vehicle used upon or designed for use upon roads, highways, or streets.

"(f) The term 'wharf' shall mean dock, quay, pier, or any structure or contrivance designed for the loading or unloading of water craft. "(g) Prosecutions under this Act may be instituted in any district wherein the crime shall have been committed, or in which the offender may have taken, removed, brought or been in possession of said money, freight, express, baggage, goods, or property.

"SEC. 2. Nothing herein shall be held to take away or impair the jurisdiction of the courts of the several States under the laws thereof; and a judgment of conviction or acquittal on the merits under the laws of any State shall be a bar to any prosecution hereunder for the same act or acts.

"SEC. 3. To establish the interstate or foreign commerce character of any shipment in any prosecution under this Act the waybill, or other shipping document, of such shipment shall be prima facie evidence of the place from which such shipment was made."

[CHAPTER 15-1ST SESSION]

[H. R. 1778]

AN ACT

To amend the Federal Firearms Act.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That paragraph (6) of the first section of the Federal Firearms Act of June 30, 1938 (52 Stat. 1250; U. S. C., title 15, sec. 901 (6)), be, and the same is hereby, amended to read as follows:

"(6) The term 'crime of violence' means murder, manslaughter, rape, mayhem, kidnaping, robbery, burglary, housebreaking; assault with intent to kill, commit rape, or rob; assault with a dangerous weapon, or assault with intent to commit any offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.' Approved March 10, 1947.

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[PUBLIC LAW 591-79TH CONGRESS]
[CHAPTER 735-2D SESSION]
[S. 496]

AN ACT

To make it a criminal offense for certain escaped convicts to travel
from one State to another.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act entitled "An Act making it unlawful for any person to flee from one State to another for the purpose of avoiding prosecution or the giving of testimony in certain cases", approved May 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 782; 18 U. S. C. 408e), be, and it hereby is, amended to read as follows:

"That it shall be unlawful for any person to move or travel in interstate or foreign commerce from any State, Territory, or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia, with intent either (1) to avoid prosecution, or custody or confinement after conviction. for murder, kidnaping, burglary, robbery, mayhem, rape, assault with a dangerous weapon, or extortion accompanied by threats of violence, or attempt to commit any of the foregoing, under the laws of the place from which he flees; or (2) to avoid giving testimony in any criminal proceedings in such place in which the commission of a felony is charged. Any person who violates the provision of this Act shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by imprisonment for not longer than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Violations of this Act may be prosecuted only in the Federal judicial district in which the original crime was alleged to have been committed or in which the person was held in custody or confinement."

Approved August 2, 1946.

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