BY-LAWS
OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OF THE
TOWN OF LITTLE ROCK
Whereas, by an act of the General Assembly of the Territory of Arkansas,
entitled An act for the regulation of the Town of Little Rock, and for other
purposes, approved the 27th day of October 1825, and the act supplementary
to
said act, approved the 20th day of October 1827, power is granted to the
trustees,
to make such By-Laws, as they may deem proper for the maintenance of
good
order and the suppression of vice and immorality, within the limits of the
corporation
of said town: Therefore, Be it enacted by the Trustees of the Town
of Little Rock-
1st. That any person or persons guilty of riotous or disorderly conduct tending
to a
breach of the peace, or the disturbance of the quiet of the citizens, or
guilty of any
indecency or lewdness, within the limits of the corporation of
said town, for each
and every offence shall forfeit and pay the sum of Five
Dollars, or be committed
to the jail of the county for any length of time not
exceeding three months.
2d. That any person or persons who shall erect or establish any gaming table, or
practice any gaming device with cards or dice, or in any other manner whatever,
at which money or property may be won or lost, within the limits of said
corporation,
shall forfeit and pay the sum of Ten Dollars, for each and every
twelve hours or
less period of time such gaming table or gaming device shall be
kept up, used, or practiced.
3d. That any tavern keeper or other householder, within the limits of said
corporation,
who shall permit such gaming tables or gambling devices to be
erected, kept up,
used, or practiced in his, her, or their house, or on his,
her, or their premises, he,
she, or they so offending, shall, upon conviction
thereof, forfeit and pay the sum of
Ten Dollars, for every twelve hours or less
time, he, she, or they, shall permit
such gaming table or gaming device to be
kept up, used, or practiced, in his, her,
or their, house or premises.
4th. That any person firing a gun, or pistol, within the limits of the
corporation,
shall forfeit, and pay any sum not exceeding Fifty Dollars, nor
less than Five
Dollars, for each and every such offence.
5th. That any person or persons who shall have a horse, cow, hog, or any other
animal or thing, dead, within the limits of said corporation or otherwise cause
or create any nuisance of any kind whatever, shall forfeit and pay the sum of
Ten Dollars, unless the said nuisance shall be removed within twelve hours after
a notice thereof is given to such person or persons, by the town constable.
6th. That no person, within the limits of said corporation, shall sell any
spirituous
liquors, or wine to any slave or slaves, without the permission or
request of the
owner or employer of such slave or slaves, under the penalty of
Five Dollars, for
each and every such offence.
7th. That any person or persons who shall oppose or obstruct the execution of
any
of the by-laws or ordinances of the trustees of said corporation, shall
forfeit and
any sum not exceeding Fifty Dollars, nor less than Five Dollars, for
every such
offence, and be committed to the jail of the county until such fine
and the costs of
prosecution be paid.
8th. That in all cases for the infraction of any of the by-laws or ordinances of
the
trustees of the town of Little Rock, the same shall be cognizable before any
justice
of the peace of said town, who shall issue his warrant in the name of
the corporation
of the town of Little Rock and trial shall be had instant, and
no continuance shall
be granted by said justice unless for good cause shown upon
affidavit, and in no
case shall a longer continuance be had than thirty days.
9th. That is shall be the duty of the chairman and each member of the board of
trustees, to attend punctually at each stated meeting, and at all called
meetings,
being duly notified thereof, under the penalty of one dollar for each
failure, unless
a satisfactory excuse is made to the board; and the chairman and
members of the
board shall receive no compensation for their services, until the
treasury is in a
better condition than at present.
10th. That is shall be the duty of the town constable to cause the by-laws and
ordinances of the said corporation to be duly observed and carried into effect,
and when an infraction of any one or more of them comes within his knowledge,
he
shall report the same to some justice of the peace within the corporation, and
cause the offender to be brought forthwith before such justice, to be dealt with
according to law; and that the said constable shall be allowed the extra sum of
two
dollars for each person so informed against and prosecuted to final
conviction,
to be paid out of the property of such offender, if sufficient, and
if not, out of the
funds of the board of trustees.
11th. That it shall be the duty of the town constable and the treasurer, to make
out
and render to the board, once in every three months, a full and fair
statement of
their official transactions, respectively, and account for all
moneys which may
come into their hands for the use of the corporation, under the
penalty of five dollars
for each and every such neglect.
12th. That the officers of the board shall be entitled to such compensation for
their services as shall from time to time be allowed.
13th. The foregoing ordinances and by-laws are hereby declared to be in full
force from and after the 15th day of February, one thousand eight hundred and
twenty-eight; after which time, all by-laws or ordinances, heretofore, passed
by
the board of trustees, which are inconsistent with, or repugnant to, those now
passed, shall be, and are hereby, repealed.
Ordered, That the foregoing by-laws and ordinances be signed by the chairman
and
clerk, and be published three weeks in the Arkansas Gazette.
Passed and approved on the 2d day of February 1828.
B. Smith, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Attest: J.W.F. Baxley, Clerk
Little Rock, February 4, 1828
