Statute ⅠⅠ.
Chap. XXXVII.—An Act for the punishment of crimes in the District of Columbia.[1]
Offences.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, from and after the passage of this act, every person who shall be convicted, in any court of the District of Columbia, of any of the following offences, to wit: manslaughter, assault and battery with intent to kill, arson, rape, assault and battery with intent to commit a rape, burglary, robbery, horse stealing, mayhem, bigamy, perjury, or subornation of perjury, larceny, if the property stolen is of the value of five dollars or upwards, forgery, obtaining by false pretences any goods or chattels, money, bank note, promissory note, or any other instrument in writing for the payment or delivery of money or other valuable thing, or of keeping a faro bank or other common gaming-table, petty larceny upon a second conviction, committed after the passage of this act,Punishment. shall be sentenced to suffer punishment by imprisonment and labour, for the time and times hereinafter prescribed, in the penitentiary for the District of Columbia.
Manslaughter, &c.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That every person duly convicted of manslaughter, or of any assault and battery with intent to kill, shall be sentenced to suffer imprisonment and labour, for the first offence for a period not less than two nor more than eight years, for the second offence for a period not less than six nor more than fifteen years.
Arson.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That every person duly convicted of the crime of maliciously, wilfully, or fraudulently burning any dwelling-house, or any other house, barn, or stable, adjoining thereto, or any store, barn, or out-house, having goods, tobacco, hay or grain therein, although the same shall not be adjoining to any dwelling-house; or of maliciously and wilfully burning any of the public buildings in the cities, towns, or counties, of the District of Columbia, belonging to the United States, or the said cities, towns or counties; or any church, meeting-house or other building for public worship, belonging to any voluntary society, or body corporate; or any college, academy, school-house, or library; or any ship or vessel, afloat or building; or as being accessary thereto; shall be sentenced to suffer imprisonment and labour, for a period of not less than one, nor more than ten years for the first offence, and not less than five nor more than twenty years for the second offence.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That every free person, duly convicted of rape, or as being accessary thereto before the fact, shall be sentenced to suffer imprisonment and labour, for the first offence for a period not less than ten nor more than thirty years, and for the second offence for and during the period of his natural life.
Assault and battery to commit rape.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That every free person duly convicted of an assault and battery with intent to commit a rape, shall be punished for the first offence by undergoing confinement in the penitentiary for a period not less than one nor more than five years, and for the second for a period not less than five nor more than fifteen years.
Burglary.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That every person duly convicted of burglary, or as accessary thereto before the fact, or of robbery, or as accessary thereto before the fact, shall be sentenced to suffer imprisonment and labour, for the first offence for a period not less than three nor more than seven years, and for the second offence for a period not less than five nor more than fifteen years.
Horse theft, mayhem, bigamy.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That every person convicted of horse stealing, mayhem, bigamy, or as being necessary to any of said crimes before the fact, shall be sentenced to suffer imprisonment and- ↑ See an act more effectually to provide for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States, and for other purposes, March 3, 1825, ch. 65, and the notes.
