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CHAPTER XIII.

The Poor, &c.

1. It shall be the duty of the overseer of the poor, on the
application by or on behalf of any person or family, unable to
support himself or themselves, if he or they have a legal settlement
in the town, to provide for or assist such person or
family. But no person shall be deemed to have a legal settlement
in the town until he shall have resided therein for one
year, nor if he has migrated into the State within three years,
unless at the time of migrating he was able to maintain himself.

2. If, upon such application, the overseer refuse either
provision or assistance, the applicant shall have right of appeal
to the council.

3. It shall be the duty of the overseer to see that no person
is allowed to come into the town and obtain a settlement
therein who is likely to become chargeable thereto, and on the
complaint of the overseer before the mayor, that any such
person is within the corporate limits, the mayor may, by his
warrant, cause such person to be removed to the district or
county where he was last settled, unless he be so sick or disabled
that he cannot be removed without danger to life; in
which case he shall be provided for by the town, and after his
recovery he shall be removed as aforesaid. The overseer shall
keep an accurate account of the expenses incurred in providing
for such pauper, and he shall furnish the collector a statement
thereof, that he may collect the same, in the manner prescribed
by law, from the county, town or district wherein such
person was last legally settled.

4. All persons to be provided for or assisted by the overseer
shall, as far as practicable, be kept at the place of general
reception, and he shall purchase the necessary supplies, preserve
good order, and generally do and perform all things necessary
for the comfort of the paupers therein.

5. It shall be the duty of the overseer to exert himself to
prevent any person from staying in the streets to beg or from going

about the town begging. Every such person shall be immediately
arrested and conveyed to the place of general reception
or removed to the place of his last legal settlement.

6. The overseer shall each quarter in each year, make report
to the council, setting forth the number provided for
during the preceding quarter, how many were white and how
many were colored, the name of each, and for what length of
time and where each was provided or assisted. The report
shall also show the amount of expense incurred by him for the
poor at the place of general reception, and the amount incurred
for those supported or assisted elsewhere.

7. Vagrants—All vagrants, or persons without visible
means of support, found within the limits of the town, shall at
once be arrested by the police and upon conviction of said
offence, shall be punished as provided by law.