96 CORPORATIONS. [ART. 23

sworn statement, duly executed as required herein, together with
the deposit fee of twenty-five dollars, the Secretary of State shall
issue to such corporation his certificate, under his hand and the
seal of his office, setting forth that said corporation has complied
with the requirements of the preceding section, that its business
is such as may be lawfully carried on by a corporation incorpo-
rated under the general laws of this State, and that it is entitled
to continue or to commence business in this State, as the case
may be.

1898, ch. 270.

109 C. Any person or any officer of such corporation who
shall presume to act as agent or employe of any such foreign
corporation, or to open or continue an office for the transaction of
the business of any such foreign corporation, before the provisions
of section 109 A have been fully complied with, and before said
corporation shall have procured the aforesaid certificate from the
Secretary of State, shall forfeit and pay to the State of Maryland
the sum of one hundred dollars for each and every day he may
act as such agent or employe, or may occupy such office for the
transaction of such business, and it shall be the duty of the
State's attorney for the city or county in which such business is
transacted, or is proposed to be transacted, to prosecute for and
recover such penalty; provided, that agents or officers of foreign
corporations doing business in this State on the 9th day of April,
1898, shall not be held liable to the penalties herein prescribed
until on and after the first day of July, 1898.

Ibid.

109 D. No such foreign corporation shall be permitted to
maintain any action, either at law or in equity in the courts of
this State, until the provisions of section 109 A shall have been
complied with; provided, that in the case of such corporations
doing business in this State on the 9th day of April, 1898, this
section shall not apply until on and after the first day of July,
1898.

Ibid.

109E. Upon the application of any person interested, it shall
be the duty of the Secretary of State to furnish copies of such
charters, certificates or acts of incorporation and sworn state-