A runaway arrested in an incorporated city was taken by a patrolman or policeman to the police-station. He was released to his owner on payment of one dollar. If he was not called for, he was hired to the city authorities, advertised and sold at public auction to the highest bidder. The proceeds of the sale went to the city and the city authorities made a deed of sale to the purchaser. After 1819, the runaway could no longer be outlawed and killed by anyone who had the opportunity.[92] By act of 1825, a runaway was advertised one year before he was sold at public auction. If the owner, within two years from the date of sale, proved that the slave was his, he could recover the net proceeds of the sale or the slave himself by paying the purchaser the amount paid for the slave.[93] Any one who arrested a runaway and delivered him to the owner or jailer, was entitled to the sum of five dollars for his services.[94] After 1831, it was not required by law to make a proclamation concerning a runaway at church “on the Lord’s day.”[95] By act of 1844, sheriffs were given authority to hire out a runaway in their custody to municipal authorities, who, however, were required to execute bond twice the value of the slave for proper treatment of him.[96] It seems that sheriffs, constables, and patrolmen abused the power given them by act of 1831, relative to the arrest of runaways for which they received five dollars. Masters were subject to useless fees for the arrest of slaves who were not runaways. In 1852, the arrest and confinement of slaves in county jails in the towns and vicinities of their masters was forbidden.[97] B. _Importation of Slaves._ North Carolina, by act of 1786, placed a duty of fifty shillings on slaves under seven years of age and over forty; five pounds between the ages of seven and twelve, and thirty and forty; and ten pounds on ages between twelve and thirty.[98] This regulation became ineffective when North Carolina ratified the constitution in 1790. The importation of slaves into Tennessee as merchandise was prohibited in 1812.[99] This act did not prohibit people from moving to the state with their slaves, nor did it prevent citizens from bringing into the state slaves which they had acquired by descent, devise, marriage, or purchase. Persons, moving into the state with their slaves, were required within twenty days to take oath before a justice of the peace that they were not violating the spirit of the law.[100] Such persons were required to deliver to a justice of the peace an inventory of their slaves, giving their number, age and description. This inventory was filed in the office of the county court clerk. The slaves of any one violating this act were seized and sold to the highest bidder at public auction.[101] By act of 1815, such slaves were advertised twenty days before date of sale.[102]