Chap. 260.—An ACT prohibiting the corrupt influencing of agents, employees.
or servants, and prescribing penalties upon persons using such influence.
and upon agents, employees, or servants submitting themselves thereto.

Approved March 15, 1906.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That any person
who gives, offers, or promises to an agent, employee, or servant, any gift
or gratuity whatever, without the knowledge and consent of the principal.
employer, or master of such agent, employee, or servant, with intent to
influence his action in relation to his principal’s, employer’s, or master’s
business; or an agent, employee, or servant who without the knowledge
and consent of his principal, employer, or master, requests or accepts a
gift or gratuity or a promise to make a gift or to do an act beneficial t
himself, under an agreement or with an understanding that he shall act
in any particular manner as to his principal’s, employer’s, or master’:
business ; or an agent, employee, or servant, who being authorized to pro-
cure materials, supplies, or other articles either by purchase or contract
for his principal, employer, or master, or to employ service or labor for
his principal, employer, or master, receives directly or indirectly, for
himself or for another, a commission, discount, or bonus from the person
who makes such sale or contract, or furnishes such materials, supplies.
or other articles, or from a person who renders such service or labor; and
any person who gives or offers such an agent, employee, or servant such
commission, discount, or bonus shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and
shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars, or by
such fine and by imprisonment for not more than one year: provided, that
nothing contained in this act shall be construed to mean that an agent.
servant, or employee shall not resign his position whenever he so desires.
nor shall it be construed to mean that no person shall employ said agent.
servant, or employee. ,

2. No witness called by the court or Commonwealth’s attorney and
giving evidence for the prosecution either before the justice of the peace.
the grand jury, or the court in a prosecution under this act, shall ever
be proceeded against for any offense hereunder concerning which he
testifies, but such witness shall be compelled to testify and for refusing
to answer a question shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars, and
be imprisoned for a term not exceeding six months.