Chap. 357.—An ACT to provide for working vagrants on public roads in the
county of Norfolk.

Approved February 17, 1898

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That in addition
to the procedure adopted under section eight hundred and eighty-five of
the code of Virginia for the working of vagrants that in the county of
Norfolk it shall be made the duty of the special police of the county.
upon report that a certain person is believed to be a vagrant, to cause at
once the arrest of such person, taking him before the nearest justice of
the peace of said county, and if upon examination it shall appear that
the person apprehended is a vagrant within the meaning of section eight
hundred and eighty-four of the code of Vi irginia, such justice shall by
warrant commit him to jail for the period of thirty days, and the board
of supervisors of said county may, when five or more vagrants have
been thus arrested, work them on one or more of the public roads of
the county with ball and chain for the time of their commitment. The
board shall establish rules and regulations for the care, safe-keeping and
government of such vagrants, provide proper persons to guard them
whilst at work, and make provision for the payment of the expense inci-
dent to the keeping and working such vagrants, which expenses shall be
paid out of the county treasury. In the event the persons so consigned
to labor do not conform to the rules and regulations adopted by the
board of supervisors the same may be enforced by the infliction of such
corporal punishment as said board may prescribe, such punishment
to be executed by the jailer or officer placed in charge of such vagrants.

2. The jailer of said county shall, upon the written request of the
chairman of the board of supervisors, deliver said vagrants to the person
authorized to take charge of and work them, taking a receipt in manner
provided in section three thousand nine hundred and thirty-four of the
code of Virginia. .

3. Should there be established a chain gang in said county under sec-
tion three thousand nine hundred and thirty-two of the code of Virginia
the board of supervisors of said county, after the arrest of a vagrant or
vagrants, shall direct the delivery of such person or persons to the party
authorized to work them, and said vagrant or vagrants shall be liable to
work and be in such chain gang, governed by all the rules and regula-
tions governing the same.

4, This act shall be in force from its passage.