372
Comptroller
authorised to
examine offi-
cers upon
oath.
Failure or
neglect of
company to
pay.
Ten per cen-
tum to be
added
Institute' suit.
Failure to ap-
pear
|
LAWS OF MARYLAND.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted. That tire Comp-
troller of the Treasury be and he is hereby authorized
and empowered to examine upon oath any officer of
any railroad company in tins State, touching the
gross receipts or revenues of said railroad company,
and any such officer refusing to he sworn or to tes-
tify his Information, shall he guilty of a misdemeanor,
and upon indictment and conviction thereof in any
court of this State having jurisdiction, shall for every
offence be fined not less than one hundred dollars,
nor more than live hundred dollars, in the discretion
of the court.
SEC. 5. And he it further enacted, That if any such
railroad company, from whom taxes shall be due and
payable on their gross receipts us aforesaid, shall fail
or neglect to pay the same to the Treasurer of the
State for the space of one month after the same shall
be due and payable as aforesaid, said company shall,
for such offence, forfeit and pay to the [State of
Maryland an additional amount often per centum as
penalty or damages to be added to the said taxes so
due and unpaid, and it shall be the duty of the
Comptroller to add the same to the said account, and
forthwith to make out said account and certify the
same under the seal of his office to the State's Attorney
of the county where the principal office of such com-
pany is located, or to the State's Attorney of the City
of -Baltimore, if such principal office be located in
said city; and it shall be the duty of the said State's
Attorney forthwith to bring suit, by action of debt in
the name of the State of Maryland, against such com-
pany in the Circuit Court of the county or the Supe-
rior Court of Baltimore city, as the case may be, and
the said suit shall stand for trial at the first term
after service of the writ shall have been made on said
company, and service of the writ aforesaid on any
officer, agent, or employee of such railroad company
shall be deemed and taken as sufficient service on
on said company.
SEC. 6. And be it further enacted. That if upon the
return of the writ issued against such railroad com-
pany, and the said company being duly summoned as
aforesaid, such company shall fail to appear by attor-
|
