friends. In 19031 the hospital board was empowered to expend not more than $1,000 annually for religious services in the home.

In addition to these general laws, the assembly in 1899 2 granted to the quartermaster-general $10,000 to pay the expenses due to the sickness of Connecticut volunteers in the Spanish-American war. The accounts were to be submitted to the quartermaster-general and surgeon-general and be approved by the governor.

SOLDIERS' ORPHANS

3

4

The laws regarding aid to soldiers' orphans have not been changed since 1875. The state grants $1.50 a week for each child under fourteen, not in an almshouse and without adequate means of support, whose father served as a Connecticut soldier or enlisted in the navy from Connecticut in the Civil War and died by reason of wounds received or disease contracted in the service. The selectmen of towns and the treasurers of the New Haven and Hartford orphan asylums, Fitch's home for soldiers, and the Connecticut soldiers' orphans' home," make quarterly returns to the comptroller of the names and ages of all such children resident in their towns or institutions, with the name of the father, the organization to which he be longed, and the place and date of his death. They must certify that all the children named are entitled to the bounty and are without adequate means of support. The certificates must be signed and be verified by affidavits. Reports must be made from time to time of the changes which occur by the death of children or their arrival at the age of fourteen.

'C. 76.

3 From 1868, c. 36. 'Closed in 1875.

'S. A., pp. 553, 554.

Vid., p. 253. 'No longer receives children. §§ 2889, 2890; from 1866, c. 59. Vid. p. 252.

Within the first ten days of each quarter, the comptroller draws his order on the treasurer for the sums due the treasurers of the towns and institutions. Upon receiving these sums, the treasurers of the towns at once pay the proportion of each child to his legal guardian or actual custodian, unless the selectmen apprehend that an improper use will be made of it. In that case they may direct to whom it shall be paid.1

Any town officer who appropriates or unnecessarily detains such sums pays treble damages to the aggrieved party, while a selectman who wilfully neglects or refuses to comply with the law is fined $200. A fine of not more than $50 or imprisonment for not more than two months is prescribed for making false statements to treasurers or selectmen in order to obtain for any child such allowance.2

Naturally, the amount expended for this purpose is gradually diminishing. For the fiscal year 1903 the sum was $1,398.25.

In 1883 the supreme court stated that the selectmen. were agents of the state for the distribution of the bounty for soldiers' orphans. For any neglect to pay over these sums, they were personally liable, while the towns were

The suit to recover, however, was dismissed on other grounds, the court holding that for several reasons the plaintiff had not established his claim for the bounty alleged to have been kept by the selectmen."

9. PROTECTION OF MINORS

Since 1875 the care and protection of minors have called for over a hundred acts. While in general these have followed the lines previously laid down, there have been two

§§ 2891, 2892; from 1866, c. 59. §§ 2893-2895; from 1866, c. 59. 'Hartwell v. New Milford, 50 Conn., 523.

new lines of development, one of which is a radical departure from Connecticut precedents. These two classes of laws concern the supervision of homes for infants and the establishment of county temporary homes for children. The first act regarding the boarding of infants was passed in 1883.1 As revised in 1887, the law reads:

Every person who shall make a business of taking children under ten years of age, other than members of such person's family, to entertain or board, in any number exceeding two in the same house at the same time, shall within three days after the reception, removal, or death of any such child give written notice to the selectmen of the town within which such house is situated, specifying the name and age of such child, the place of residence of the parties so undertaking its care, and the birthplace and parentage of the child if known.

The selectmen or some proper person appointed by them" must visit and inspect such premises at least once each month and within a week thereafter make a written report, which is kept on file in the office of the registrar of vital statistics, and must state "the number of such children in said house, the number received and removed since the last visit, the number of deaths and the causes thereof, and the condition of the premises and of the children."

Such premises must be open to inspection at all hours during the day and before nine o'clock in the evening to any officer or agent of the state board of health, the state

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33 years in 1883, c. 103.

4 1903, c. 22. By § 1855 of the general statutes (1886, c. 31) each town clerk is ex officio registrar of births, marriages, and deaths, except where such registrar is elected under a special law.

§§ 2553, 2554.

6 Composed of six members appointed by the governor, with the ad

board of charities, or of the Connecticut Humane Society,' provided the visit is made in company with a selectman of the town, or with some other proper person appointed by them, by the court of probate, or the judge of the local or district court having jurisdiction over children committed to a county temporary home. "Such authorized visitors may direct and enforce such suitable measures respecting such children and premises as they may deem proper.' Any one who violates these provisions or refuses admission to authorized visitors may be fined not more than $500, or be imprisoned not more than one year, or both." In their report of 1895 the state board of charities described two such homes. One of them had been used as

a refuge for unfortunate girls expecting confinement until the selectmen stopped it. The home was then being used for the boarding of small children, though the place and its managers were unfit for such work. The records were very imperfect. The other home was still used as a lying-in hospital for unfortunate girls and as a home for illegitimate children. All cases were admitted and they came from all over Connecticut and from Massachusetts. The premises were out of repair and little attention was paid to neatness and good order.

At the next session of the legislature, additional legislation was passed. The statute requires any person who keeps a maternity hospital or lying-in place to secure a license from the mayor or board of health of the city or from the health officer of the town within which it is

vice and consent of the senate, for terms of six years, and of a secretary chosen by them. The six members must include three physicians and one lawyer. § 2502 et seq.

'Cf. post.

'§§ 2555, 2556.

* 1895, c. 102.

'Rep. Board of Charities, 1895, p. 252 et seq.

located. Within six hours after the departure, removal, or withdrawal of any child born on the premises, the keeper is required to make a record of the fact, together with the names and residence of those who took the child, and what disposition was made of the child or of its body, and the place where it was taken and left. Such record must be produced by the keeper or licensee on the demand of any one authorized to make an inspection by the licensing authority. Every such person must be admitted and be permitted to make a full inspection for the purpose of detecting any improper treatment of any child, or any improper management or conduct in the place or its appurHe may remove any article which he thinks presents evidence of any crime being committed therein and deliver it to the coroner to be disposed of according to law. Violations of this law are punished as in the case of boarding places for infants, except that the fine must not be less than $50.1

tenances.

COUNTY TEMPORARY HOMES

In 1875 there was no public provision for children who could not or ought not to remain in their homes, except almshouses and the industrial and reform schools, which were primarily intended for incipient criminals. In 1882 * a commission was appointed to inquire into the condition and number of neglected, abused, or dependent children who were or should be under the care of state or town or who deserved different care from what they were receiving, and to report to the next general assembly. As a result, an important law was passed for the establishment of county temporary homes for dependent children. They were to be opened not later than January 1, 1884, and $1883, c. 126.

1§ 4670.

3

'S. A., p. 618.