The bill to suppress gaming.
--This bill, which originated in the Senate and passed that body several days ago, came up for consideration in the House of Delegates, at its night session on Wednesday evening. The first section of the bill provides that any person convicted of exhibiting the game of faro shall be deemed guilty of an infamous offence in the meaning of the
Constitution of this State, and shall be confined in jail not less than two nor more than twelve months, and all his right and title in any
real estate in which such gaming is carried on shall be absolutely forfeited to and rest in the
Commonwealth.
The second section provides that any person who shall knowingly rent any real property for such unlawful gaming, or any person who shall hire a slave to any such person, to be employed in any service connected with such gaming, shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, and, upon conviction, shall-forfeit his right and title in such
real estate or slave; and also further provides that any free negro engaged as a servant in a house of this class shall, upon conviction, be declared a slave for life, and sold into slavery.--Section 3d makes it the duty of the
Court in which a conviction may be made to order any property forfeited by the provisions of the bill to be sold for cash, one-half of the nett proceeds to be paid to the informer, if there shall be an informer, and the residue to be paid into the Treasury.
If there shall be no informer, then the
Court shall order the same to be paid into the Treasury.
The 5th section provides that no conviction shall be had under the act upon the testimony of an informer without other corroborative evidence, unless such informer shall disclaim any right to the proceeds of any forfeiture under the act. The 6th and 7th sections define the duties of justices of the peace and mayors of cities, and commonwealth attorneys in prosecuting the provisions of the preceding sections.
These are briefly, but substantially, the provisions of the bill as it passed the Senate.
In the
House there were several amendments to the sections already referred to, and in addition there was an amendment adopted making it imperative upon any magistrate or judge before whom any party might be found guilty of the offences prescribed in the sections given, to order such party to receive thirty-nine lashes on the bare back, well laid on, at a public whipping-post.
The bill with this and other amendments, was sent back to the Senate, and the amendment with reference to the infliction of stripes so amended as to leave it discretionary with the judge or magistrate before whom such conviction may be had. The bill was then returned to the
House, which will doubtless concur in the Senate's modification, and the bill will become a law.
