knowledged by any other church or society of said respective professions, or members of, or belonging to such church or society, shall be permitted to labor in their respective professions or vocations on the first day of the week; and that they shall have liberty quietly and peaceably to pass and repass, on foot or horseback, about their ordinary business, any thing herein to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided aboays, That this act shall not ex- Provis. tend to grant any liberty of opening shops or stores on the said day, for the purpose of trade and merchandize, nor to the lading, unlading or fitting out of vessels, nor to the working at the smith's business, nor any other mechanical trade, in any compact place, except the compact villages in Westerly and Hopkinton; nor to the drawing of seines, or fishing or fowling, in any manner, in public places, and out of their own possessions: and in case any dispute shall arise respecting the persons entitled to the benefit of this act, and who shall be exempted thereby :

from the

sive.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That in all such cases Certificate a certificate from a regular pastor or priest of any of the pastor to aforesaid churches or societies, or from any three of the be conclu standing members of such church or society, declaring the person or persons claiming the exemption aforesaid to be a member or members of, or owned by, or belonging to such church or society, shall be received as full and conclusive evidence of the fact.

An act to prevent unlawful Gaming.

1749 '53

77 '98.

at

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, and Penalty by the authority thereof it is enacted, That if any person or for playing persons in this State shall play or game at cards, dice ta- &c. bles, bowls, wheels of fortune, shuffle-boards, raffling, cock-fighting, or any other game of chance, other than billiards, for money or any other valuable consideration, the person losing at any such game or games shall forfeit, as a penalty or fine, four dollars for the first offence, and for the second offence, eight dollars, and for the third offence, sixteen dollars; and the winner at any such game or games shall pay as a fine, four dollars and the sum or sums won, for the first offence, and for the second offence eight dollars, and the sum or sums won, and for the third offence sixteen dollars and the sum or sums won.

At billiards.

Tavern

&c. per

be played.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall play or game at billiards for money or other valuable consideration, the person losing at such game shall forfeit as a penalty or fine, twenty dollars for the first offence, and for the second offence fifty dollars, and for the third offence one hundred dollars; and the winner at such game shall pay as a fine twenty dollars, and the sum or sums won, for the first offence, and for the second offence, fifty dollars, and the sum or sums won, and for the third offence, one hundred dollars, and the sum or sums won.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That if any tavernkeepers, keeper, innholder, retailer, coffee-house keeper, tea-house mitting keeper, or keeper of any other house of public resort within gumes to this State, shall suffer any person or persons whomsoever to use or play at any of the said games, in his or her house, out-house, yard, garden or other place or places in his or her possession or improvement, he or she shall, for every such offence, forfeit and pay as a fine or penalty the sum of thirty dollars for the first offence, and for the second offence fifty dollars; and upon conviction thereof, if the offender be a retailer, tavern-keeper or innholder, or keeper of any other of the public houses aforementioned, his or her licence shall be declared null and void by the court where he or she shall be convicted.

For betting.

&c. won,

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That all persons betting at any of the aforesaid games shall be liable to the same fines and penalties as persons playing at any of the said games are by this act.

Securities SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That all bills, bonds, for money' notes, judgments, mortgages, deeds or other securities void. given for money or lands, houses or other things, won by playing at any of the aforesaid games, or by betting on either side of such as play at any of the aforesaid games, or for repayment of any money lent knowingly for such gaming or betting, shall be utterly void: and that the councils to town-councils in this State be and they are hereby rerity for quired and commanded to take good security of all percompli- sons they shall grant licence to for tavern-keeping, innthis act. holding or retailing strong drink, to comply with this act in all respects as far as possible, according to its true intent and meaning.

Town

take secu

ance with

Penalties, how re

covered.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That all the fines and penalties in this act expressed may be prosecuted for and recovered in any court proper to try the same, by action of debt or bill of indictment, one moiety of said fines and

penalties shall be paid to him who shall inform and prosecute for the same, and the other moiety to and for the use of the town where such offence or offences shall be committed; but if there be no informer or private prosecutor, then the whole fine or penalty shall be to and for the use of said town.

for betting

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That any person or Penalty persons whosoever that shall hereafter make and bet or on horselay any wager of any kind upon any horse, mare or geld-races. ing, to start or run therefor, shall forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred dollars, one half to him or her who shall sue for the same, and the other half to the State, to be recovered by action of debt or information before any court proper to try the same.

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That if any person or Horses persons shall knowingly suffer or permit any horse, mare forfeited. or gelding belonging to him or them, to start or run for any bet or wager, he, she or they so offending shall forfeit his, her or their horse, mare or gelding, starting or running as aforesaid, to and for the use of the town where such offence shall be committed, to be recovered by information before any court proper to try the same.

An act to prevent Routs, Riots and Tumultuous Assemblies, 1798. and the evil consequences thereof.

make pro

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, and Justices, by the authority thereof it is enacted, That from and after the publication of this act, if any persons to the number clamation. of twelve or more, being armed with clubs or other weapons, or if any number of persons consisting of thirty or more, shall be unlawfully, routously, riotously or tumultuously assembled, any justice of the peace, sheriff, deputysheriff, town-sergeant or constable shall, among the rioters or as near to them as he can safely come, command silence while proclamation is making, and shall openly make proclamation in the like words:

State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations.

By virtue of an act of this State made and passed in the Form. year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twentytwo, entitled" an act to prevent routs, riots and tumultuous assemblies, and the evil consequences thereof," I am directed to charge and command, and do accordingly

Refusing to dis

perse, to

&c.

charge and command all persons being here assembled, immediately to disperse themselves and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains inflicted by the said act: God save the State! And if such persons assembled as aforesaid shall not disperse themselves within one hour after proclamation is be appre- made or attempted to be made as aforesaid, it shall be hended, lawful for every such officer to command sufficient aid, and he shall seize every such person, who shall be had before a justice of the peace; and the aforesaid justice of the peace, sheriff or deputy-sheriff, is hereby further empowered to require the aid of a sufficient number of persons in arms, if any of the persons assembled are in arms; and if any such person or persons shall be killed or wounded, by reason of his or her resisting the persons endeavoring to disperse or seize them, the said justice, sheriff, deputy-sheriff, town-sergeant, constable and their assistants, shall be indemnified and held guiltless.

Penalty

&c.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any person befor refusing commanded by such justice, sheriff, deputy-sheriff, the sheriff, town-sergeant or constable as aforesaid, shall refuse or neglect to afford the assistance required, and shall be convicted thereof, upon the oath of either of the said officers so commanding, or other legal evidence, he shall forfeit and pay a sum not less than seven dollars, nor exceeding thirty dollars, to be recovered on conviction thereof before the supreme judicial court or any court of general sessions of the peace, according to the aggravation of the offence, to be paid into the general treasury for the use of the State.

For ob

him, &c.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That all persons who structing for the space of one hour after proclamation made or attempted to be made as aforesaid, shall unlawfully, routously, riotously and tumultuously continue together, or shall wilfully obstruct or hinder any such officer who shall be known or shall openly declare himself to be such, from making such proclamation, shall on conviction thereof forfeit a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, and shall suffer imprisonment not more than twelve months; and if any such person or persons so riotously assembled shall demolish or pull down, or begin to demolish or pull down, any dwelling-house or other house or parcel thereof, any house built for public uses, any barn, mill, malt-house, store-house, shop or ship, he or they shall be fined and imprisoned as abovesaid.

An act to establish the limits of the several Jail-Yards within 1800 '08 this State.

'15 '17 '18 22.

Newport.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, and by the Jailauthority thereof it is enacted, That the jail-bounds in the bounds in county of Newport shall be as follows, viz: the jail-lot ; the lot belonging to the methodist chapel, on which said chapel stands; thence down Marlborough-street, and across Thames-street, to the southeast corner of the house of the heirs of Oliver R. Warner; thence down Thamesstreet, to the long-wharf; thence down said wharf, along the building or fence of William Langley's lot, westerly to Jacob Richardson's house; thence down said wharf, on the north side along the building and fences, to the southwest corner of the house of the heirs of William Wexsell; thence westerly, enclosing the whole head of said wharf; thence easterly, on the south side of said wharf, by the buildings, fences and plate of said wharf, to Thamesstreet; thence down Thames-street, to the southeast corner of the granary or market-house; thence easterly across Thames-street, to the northwest corner of the house of Benjamin W. Case; thence up Ann-street to the northwest corner of Robert Lawton's house, northerly to the southwest corner of the house of the heirs of James Cary; thence northerly, by the buildings on the east side of Washington-square, to the southwest corner of the brewhouse of the late Giles Hosier; thence northwesterly, to the south-west corner of the house of Obadiah Williams; thence across broad-street, to the north easterly corner of farewell-street; thence northerly along farewell-street, to the south-west corner of James Taylor's house; thence westerly, down Marlborough-street, to the methodist chapel; including all the intermediate public streets and squares, together with the state-house, methodist chapel, and that part of the granary occupied as a public market, and no other buildings.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the limits and Proviboundaries of the jail-yard in Providence be as follows, to dences wit: beginning at a stake fifty feet westerly from the jailwharf, ranging with the north side of the store or barn of the late John Smith, esquire: thence easterly, by the said John Smith's land, to the north-east corner of his late dwelling-house; thence across the main-street, to the northwest corner of the friends' meeting-house yard; thence easterly, along the south side of south court-street,