Chap. 15.—An ACT to regulate Contracts for Labor between White and
Colored Persons, and to impose a Fine on Persons enticing Laborers
from the service of their Employers under such Contracts.

Paased February 20, 1866.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That no contract
between a white person and a colored person, for the labor
or service of the latter for a longer period than two months,
shall be binding on such colored person, unless the contract
be in writing, signed by such white person, or his agent, and
by such colored person, and duly acknowledged before a jus-
tice, or notary public, or clerk of the county or corporation
court, or overseer of the poor, or two or more credible wit-
nesses, in the county or corporation in which the white per-
son may reside, or in which the labor or service is to be
performed. And it shall be the duty of the justice, notary,
clerk or overseer of the poor, or the witnesses, to read and
explain the contract to the colored person, before taking his
acknowledgment thereof. and to state that this has been done
in the certificate of the acknowledgment of the contract.

2. If any person shall entice away, from the service of an-
other, any laborer employed by him under a contract, as
provided by this act, knowing of the existence of such con-
tract, or shall knowingly employ a laborer bound to service
to another under such contract, he shall forfeit to the party
aggrieved not less than ten nor more than twenty dollars for
every such offence; to be recovered by warrant before any
justice of the peace.

3. This act shall be in force from and after the first day of
April, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, and the first section
shall not apply to any contract made prior to that date.

Chap. 15.—An ACT to regulate Contracts for Labor between White and
Colored Persons, aud to impose a Fine on Persons enticing Laborers
from the service of their Employers under such Contracts.

Paased February 20, 1866.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That no contract
between a white person and a colored person, for the labor
or service of the latter for a longer period than two months,
shall be binding on such colored person, unless the contract
be in writing, signed by such white person, or his agent, and
by such colored person, and duly acknowledged before a jus-
tice, or notary public, or clerk of the county or corporation
court, or overseer of the poor, or two or more credible wit-
nesses, in the county or corporation in which the white per-
son may reside, or in which the labor or service is to be
performed. And it shall be the duty of the justice, notary,
clerk or overseer of the poor, or the witnesses, to read and
explain the contract to the colored person, before taking his
acknowledgment thereof. and to state that this has been done
in the certificate of the acknowledgment of the contract.

2. If any person shall entice away, from the service of an-
other, any laborer employed by him under a contract, as
provided by this act, knowing of the existence of such con-
tract, or shall knowingly employ a laborer bound to service
to another under such contract, he shall forfeit to the party
aggrieved not less than ten nor more than twenty dollars for
every such offence; to be recovered by warrant before any
justice of the peace.

3. This act shall be in force from and after the first day of
April, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, and the first section
shall not apply to any contract made prior to that date.