CLERKS OF COURTS 679

thereof shall be subject to a fine of not less than five dollars and not
exceeding one hundred dollars, for each offense.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 76. 1929, ch. 351, sec. 76.

85. Whenever any Chief Recorder of the Superior Court, of Baltimore
City or any Chief Clerk, Chief Deputy, Deputy or Assistant of the Clerk
of any of the Courts of Baltimore City, or of the Clerk of any of the
Circuit Courts for the several counties of Maryland, or of the Clerk of the
Court of Appeals of Maryland or other employee, exclusive of the said
Clerk himself and of the Recorders in the Superior Court of Baltimore
City, employed in the performance of any of the duties pertaining to the
Clerk's Office of any of the said Courts, whose compensation is limited and
fixed by the Comptroller of the State of Maryland in accordance with
Section 25 of this Article, or whose salary is fixed by statute, or whose
appointment is subject to the approval of the Judges of the Court of
Appeals in accordance with Section 54 of this Article; and likewise
whenever any Chief Deputy, Deputy Register of Wills or Assistant
Register of Wills or other employee, exclusive of the Register himself,
employed in the performance of any of the duties pertaining to the office
of the Registers of Wills of the City of Baltimore and any of the several
counties of Maryland, whose compensation is limited and fixed by the
Comptroller of Maryland in accordance with Article 93, Section 291 of this
code, shall have served, in any one or more of said capacities, twenty-
five years and shall have attained the age of sixty years when in office or
having served as aforesaid twenty-five years and thereafter upon attaining
the age of sixty years, he or she shall be eligible for retirement, and may
upon his or her application be retired, and thereafter shall be entitled to,
and shall be paid, an annual retirement allowance equal to the result
obtained by multiplying the average salary paid to him or her for the five
years next preceding his or her retirement or discontinuance in office by
the number of years of his or her service, ascertained as aforesaid, and
divided by the number seventy.

And whenever any of said parties in this section shall break down
physically, or because of any illness or casualty become permanently dis-
abled or disqualified for the further proper performance of the duties of
his or her position, while in the service of any such Clerk of the Court or
Register of Wills, as aforesaid, after having served a total of fifteen years
iii one or more of said capacities, as aforesaid, he or she shall likewise be
eligible for retirement, and may upon his or her application, be retired,
and shall thereafter likewise be entitled to, and shall be paid an annual
retirement allowance equal to the result obtained by multiplying the
average salary paid to him or her for the five years next preceding his or
her retirement by the number of years of his or her service, ascertained as
aforesaid and dividing by the number seventy.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 77. 1929, ch. 351, sec. 77.

86. Upon receipt of any application from any party claiming to be
eligible for a retirement allowance under this sub-title, it shall be the duty
of said Retirement Board forthwith to make a prompt and impartial in-
vestigation, (and upon the request of the applicant to give him or her a
hearing) as to the merits of such application and the facts justifying the
same, and in connection therewith to call, swear, examine and hear such
witnesses, and to call for and examine such records or documents, or