Any person found guilty was remanded to the custody of the Governor of
the district to await the decision of the Supreme Court. If they
appealed, and the appeal was not confirmed, they were sent to the
nearest State Prison, of which there are at the present time twenty-five.
No fines were imposed for any crime and no confiscation of property for
any cause.
A Magistrate was elected in every sub-district, according to
population. One for every ten thousand inhabitants, at a salary of three
dollars per day the year 'round, and who tried all persons charged with
Felony, and if proven guilty, committed them to the District Court-but a
charge of Felony could be made before the District Court, and if
probable cause was shown, the case came up for trial. The Magistrate was
authorized by law to release any person charged with a misdemeanor on
probation, or to sentence them from one month to twelve months'
imprisonment at hard labor within the district, and the prisoners were
paid for their work from five to twenty-five cents per day, according to
their ability and skill, and the money they earned was sent to their
wives and children, if they had any.
Pages:
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30