The Government Class Book eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 386 pages of information about The Government Class Book.

The Government Class Book eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 386 pages of information about The Government Class Book.

Sec.14. Larceny is theft or stealing.  The stealing of property above a certain amount in value is called grand larceny, and is a state prison offense.  If the value of the property stolen is of less amount, the offense is called petit larceny, and is punished by fine or imprisonment in jail or both.

Sec.15. Perjury is willfully swearing or affirming falsely to any material matter, upon an oath legally administered. Subornation of perjury is procuring another to swear falsely; punishable as perjury.

Sec.16. Bribery is promising or giving a reward to a public officer, to influence his opinion, vote or judgment.  A person accepting such bribe, is punishable in the same manner, and forfeits his office, and, in some states, may never hold another public trust.  This offense is not in all the states punishable by imprisonment in the state prison.

Sec.17. Dueling is a combat between two persons with deadly weapons.  Killing another in a duel is murder, and punishable with death.  If death does not ensue, imprisonment.  Challenging, or accepting a challenge to fight, or to be present as a second, imprisonment.  Dueling is not a punishable offense in every state.

Sec.18.  Aiding or attempting to aid a prisoner committed for felony, to escape from confinement, or forcibly rescuing a prisoner charged with crime, from the custody of a public officer, is a crime.  If the offense for which the prisoner is committed is less than felony, the punishment is imprisonment in jail, or fine, or both.

Sec.19. Bigamy is the crime of having two or more wives, and is also called polygamy.  But bigamy literally signifies having two wives, and polygamy any number more than one.  These words, in law, are applied also to women having two or more husbands.  A person having a lawful husband or wife living, and marrying another person, is guilty of bigamy.  An unmarried person, also, who shall marry the husband or wife of another, is punishable in like manner.

Sec.20. Incest is the marrying or cohabiting together as husband and wife, of persons related to each other within certain degrees.

Sec.21. Opening a grave and removing a dead body for any unlawful purpose, or purchasing such body knowing it to have been unlawfully disinterred, is a crime.  This offense is in some states punishable by imprisonment in a county jail, or by fine, and not in a state prison.

Sec.22.  Persons sometimes advise or are knowing to the commission of felonies, but are not actually engaged in committing them.  Such are accessories.  He who advises or commands another to commit a felony, is called an accessory before the fact, and is punished in the same manner as the principal.  If he conceals the offender after the offense has been committed, or gives him any aid to prevent his being brought to punishment, he is an accessory after the fact, and may be imprisoned or fined.

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The Government Class Book from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.