OBSCENE PRINTS, BOOKS, or PICTURES (ante). By U. S. revised statutes, sec 2,491, all persons are prohibited from importing into the United States from any foreign country any obscene book, pamphlet, paper, writing, advertisement. circular, print, picture, drawing, or other representation, figure, or image, on or of paper or other material, or any instrument or drug for any immoral purpose. No invoice or _package containing such articles shall be admitted at the custom house. Any judge of any U S. district or circuit court, before whom complaint in writing is made upon knowledge or belief, and if upon belief, setting forth the grounds of such belief, supported by complainants' oath, may issue a warrant to any marshal or deputy mar shal to search for and seize such immoral articles, and to make return so that they may be condemned and destroyed. The proceedings, as in other cases of municipal seizure, are subject to appeal or writ of error. It was held in The U. S. vs. Oae case of Stereo scopic Slides. Sprague. 407, that where an invoice contains any immoral articles, the bole is forfeited. By sec. 3,878, obscene publications. etc., are excluded from the mails. By sec. 3,893 any person who shall knowingly deposit in or take out from the mails,such things for the purpose of circulation or distribution, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and for each offense be fined not less than $100 or more than $5,000, or imprisoned not less than one year or more than 10 years, or both at the discretion of the court. The prohibition of these statutes is against every article or thing intended or
adapted to any obscene, indecent. or immoral use. By sec. 5,389, every person in the district of Columbia, or any of the territories, or elsewhere within the United States jurisdiction. who sells, lends or gives away, or in any manner exhibits or publishes or offers to publish any obscene publication etc., shall be punished with hard labor in the penitentiary for not less than 6 mouths, or more than 5 years for each offense, or shall be fined not less than $100 or mole than $2,000 with costs. By sec. 1785, any officer, agent, or employee of the United States who violates laws against obscene literature etc.. is guilty of misdemeanor, and for each offense, shall be fined not less than $100, nor more than 85.000, or shall be imprisoned at hard labor' for not less than one year, nor more than 10 years or both.