1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That if any person shall hereafter habitually or generally keep or carry about his person any pistol, dirk, bowie knife, or any other weapon of the like kind, from the use of which the death of any person might probably ensue, and the same be hidden or concealed from common observation, and he be thereof convicted, lie shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum of not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, or be imprisoned in the commnn jail for a term not less than one month nor more than six months, and in each instance at the discretion of the jury; and a moiety of the penalty recovered in any prosecution under this act, shall be given to any person who may voluntarily institute the same.

2. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall hereafter be examined in any county or corporation court upon a charge of murder or felony, perpetrated by shooting, stabbing, maiming, cutting or wounding, and it shall appear that the offence charged was in fact committed by any such weapon as is above mentioned, and that the same was hidden or concealed from or kept out of the view of the person against whom it was used, until within the space of one half hour next preceding the commission of the act, or the infliction of the wound, which shall be charged to have caused the death, or constituted the felony, it shall be the duty of the examining court to state that the fact did so appear from the evidence; and if the court shall discharge or acquit the accused, such discharge or acquittal shall be no bar to an indictment for the same offence in the superior court having jurisdiction thereof, provided the same be found within one year thereafter. And whether the accused shall be by such court sent on further trial or discharged, it shall be lawful to charge in the indictment that the offence was committed in any of the modes herein before described; and upon the trial it shall be the duty of the jury (if they find the accused not guilty of the murder or felony) to find also whether the act charged was in fact committed by the accused, though not feloniously, and whether the same was cotmitted or done with or by means of any pistol, dirk, bowie knife, or other dangerous veapon, which was concealed from or kept out of the view of the person on or against whom it was used, for the space hefore mentioned, next preceding such use thereof; and if the jury find that the act was so committed, they shall assess a fine against the accused, and it shall be lawful for the court to pronounce judgment as in cases of misdemeanor.

3. This act shall be in force from and after the first day of June next.