Chap. 492.—An ACT to require junk dealers to keep certain books and exhibit
the same, to make report of certain articles received or purchased by them and
prescribing penalties for failing to do go.

Approved February 24, 1898.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That every junk
dealer shall keep at his place of business a book, or books, in which
shall be fairly written in English an accurate description of each article
purchased or received by him (except rags, bones, old scrap iron other
than gas-pipe, and paper), with the price paid therefor, together with
the name, residence, occupation and a correct description of the person
from whom he received the same. The said book shall at all times be
open to the inspection of any sheriff, sergeant, constable or police
officer of the county or corporation in which such junk dealer shall do
business. ,

Every junk dealer doing business in any city or town shall, every day
(except Sunday) before eleven o’clock in the forenoon, deliver to the
chief of police of such city or town, on a blank form to be prescribed
by such chief of police, a legible and correct transcript from his book or
books of his transactions of the previous day. No junk dealer shall sell,
melt, change the form of or dispose of any article bought or received by
him which he is required by this act to make record of ‘and report within
five days after sueh report.

Any junk dealer who shall fail to keep such book, or who shall, on
demand, fail or refuse to exhibit the same to any sheriff, sergeant, con-
stable or police officer, or who shall fail or refuse to make a correct re-
port as required by this section, or who shall in any other respect violate
the provisions of this act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and
for each offence shall, on conviction thereof, be punished with a fine of
not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars.

2. If any junk dealer shall have in his possession any article which is
proved to have been stolen, except rags, bones, old scrap iron other than
was-pipe, and paper, the receipt or purchase of which he has not recorded
in the book which he is required to keep, or which he has not reported,
as prescribed by the preceding section, he shall be deemed guilty of the
larceny thereof.

This act shall be in force from its passage.