Chap. 183.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 367 of the Code of Vir-
ginia, relating to the protection of books and other property in the State
library, or other repository of public records; punishment for defacement.
destruction and removal of same. [S B 392]

Approved March 20, 1930

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
three hundred and sixty-seven of the Code of Virginia, be amended
and re-enacted so as to read as follows:
Section 367. Any person who wilfully, maliciously or wantonly
writes upon, injures, defaces, tears, cuts, mutilates, or destroys any
book, plate, picture, engraving, map, newspaper, magazine, pamphlet,
manuscript, record, or other property belonging to, or in the custody of,
the State library, or other repository of public records, shall be punished
by a fine of not less than five dollars nor more than one thousand
dollars, one-half of which shall go to the informer upon conviction of
the offender, or by imprisonment in jail for a period not exceeding
twelve months, or both, in the discretion of the court or jury trying the
case.

Any person who wilfully and without authority removes any book
or other property from the State library, or other repository of public
records, shall be deemed guilty of larceny thereof, and shall be punished
by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, one-half of which
shall go to the informer upon conviction of the offender, or by imprison-
ment in jail for a period not exceeding one year, or both, in the discre-
tion of the court or jury trying the case.

Any person having in his possession any book or other property of
the State library, or other repository of public records, which he shall
fail to return within thirty days after receiving: notice in writing from
the custodian, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished according
to law; provided, however, that if such book should be lost or destroyed,
such person may, within thirty days after being so notified, pay to the
custodian the value of such book, the value to be determined by the
governing board having jurisdiction.

The several penalties in this act shall be enforced when their re-
spective offenses shall be committed against any library or collection be-
longing to, or in the custody of, any educational, eleemosynary, benevo-
lent, hereditary, historical library or patriotic institution, organization
or society.