DEPARTMENT OF LAW. 401

land that in the issuance, sale, promotion, negotiation, advertisement of
or distribution of any stocks, bonds, notes, shares, profit sharing agree-
ments, service agreements, membership certificates and trustees certificates,
or other securities within the State of Maryland, any person, partnership
or corporation is employing or is about to employ any device, scheme or
artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of any
false or fraudulent pretense, representation or promise, or the said Attor-
ney General believes it to be in the interest of the public that an investi-
gation be made with a view to the issuance of an order such as herein
provided, he may require such person, partnership or corporation to file
with him a statement in writing under oath as to all facts concerning the
same, and for that purpose may prescribe forms upon which said state-
ments shall be made. The Attorney General may require, in addition
thereto, such further data and information as he may deem relevant and
make such special investigation as may be necessary, and for the purposes
of this sub-title the Attorney General, or an Assistant Attorney General
duly authorized by him, shall have power to require by subpoena or sum-
mons, the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of any
books, accounts, records, papers and correspondence relating to any matter
which the Attorney General is authorized by this sub-title to consider or
investigate. The Attorney General or his duly authorized assistant, may
sign subpoenas, administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses and
receive evidence. In case of disobedience to a subpoena or of the con-
tumacy of any witness appearing before the Attorney General or his duly
authorized Assistant Attorney General, the Attorney General may invoke
the aid of the Circuit Court of any of the counties of the State of Mary-
land, or of the Superior Court of Baltimore City. Such court may
thereupon issue an order requiring the person subpoenaed to obey the
subpoena or to give evidence or produce books, accounts, records, papers
and correspondence touching the matter in question. Any failure to obey
such order of the court may be punished by such court as a contempt
thereof. In the case of a failure or refusal of any person, partnership or
corporation concerned in the issuance, sale, offer for sale, promotion,
advertisement or distribution of any stocks, bonds, notes, shares, profit
sharing agreements, service agreements, membership certificates and trus-
tees certificates, or other securities within the State of Maryland, to file
any statement or to furnish any information, books, papers or records
required by the Attorney General, or his duly authorized assistant, to be
filed or furnished in connection with such investigation under this sub-
title, the Attorney General may issue his order under Section 12 of this
Article.

Secs. 11-14 not repugnant to art. 27, sec. 170. State v. Coblentz, 167 Md. 528.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 12. 1920, ch. 552, sec. 12. 1931, ch. 271, sec. 12.

12. The Attorney General may, upon evidence satisfactory to him, that
in the issue, sale, promotion, negotiation, advertisement of, or distribution
of any stock, bonds, notes, shares, profit sharing agreements, service agree-