Pennsylvania Act 1887-39 — COUNTIES PERMITTED TO RELEASE PRISONERS

Act text

COUNTIES PERMITTED TO RELEASE PRISONERS
                   Act of May 5, 1887, P.L. 86, No. 39                Cl. 39
                                  AN ACT

     To authorize the commissioners of the several counties of this
        Commonwealth to discharge from prison all persons confined in
        jail, without proceedings under the insolvent laws.

        Section 1.  Discharge of certain offenders without proceeding
     under insolvent laws
        The county commissioners, upon the order of the court of
     quarter sessions, or, in vacation, of a law judge thereof, in
     the exercise of its or his discretion, and upon such terms as
     the court or judge may impose, may discharge from prison,
     without the delay and expense of any proceedings under the
     insolvent laws of this Commonwealth, every convict who shall
     have served out his or her term of imprisonment, or who shall
     have been committed for nonpayment of costs only; or any person
     who shall have failed to comply with the order of the court of
     quarter sessions upon conviction of fornication or bastardy, or
     for fornication and bastardy, and been confined for a period of
     more than three months, notwithstanding if he be convicted and
     shall not have paid the costs of prosecution, fine, or made
     restitution, or paid the value of stolen goods or property, or
     failed to comply with the court's order upon conviction of
     fornication or bastardy, or fornication and bastardy: Provided,
     That, in the opinion of said commissioners, such person is
     unable to pay or restore the same; and, provided, that such
     discharge shall not prevent the Commonwealth, or any person
     interested in such payment or restitution, from proceeding by
     action to recover the same from the property of such person; but
     no such person shall be so discharged until he or she shall have
     made, under oath or affirmation, duplicate schedules of all his
     or her property, real, personal or mixed, so far as he or she
     can ascertain the same, one of which shall be filed among the
     papers of the said prison, and the other with the clerk of the
     Court of Quarter Sessions; Provided further, That nothing in
     said proceedings shall either add to or take from the liability
     of said county for costs, under existing laws of this
     commonwealth. 1887, May 6, P.L. 86, Sec. 1; 1915, May 6, P.L.
     266, Sec. 1.