126

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

of Baltimore County, except treason, misprision of treason,

Offences

arson, burglary, larceny, manslaughter, mayhem, murder,

to be
prosecuted

a rape, robbery, sodomy, and all other felonies, may be prose-

on Infor-
mation

cuted, upon order of the Circuit Court for Baltimore County

on information, on behalf of the State filed by the State's

attorney for said county in said court.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the clerk of said court

shall, upon order of the State's attorney for said county,

Clerk

issue summons for witnesses to appear at the time and

to issue

place to be designated in said order and the said court shall

summons

have the same power as provided by section seven and

eight of article thirty -five of the Code of Public General

Laws of this state to secure and compel the attendance and

testimony of said witnesses, and all witnesses so summoned

and appearing and taking the oath provided in the fifth

section of this act shall receive the same compensation

allowed to witnesses summoned and attending before the

grand inquest for said county.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That the State's attorney shall

investigate with all reasonable dispatch and thoroughness

all cases whi ch may be referred to him under this act and

in all cases which in his judgment should not proceed to

State's
Attorney,

trial he shall promptly file in said court an order dismissing

duty or

any such case referred to him as aforesaid, with a statement

in writing of 'his reasons therefor, and shall return to said

court all papers and documents relating to said case in his

possession, a,nd such dismissal of a case so referred to him

shall be a final and conclusive termination of the same, but

the court may, for sufficient reason shown in a reasonable

time, strike out the said order and dismissal of a case made

by the State's attorney and refer said case to the grand jury.

SEC. 4. Be it enacted, That the same pleading and prac-

Pleading

tice and all provisions of law now applicable to indictments,

and

and governing the trial of issues thereon shall be applicable

practice

so far as practicable to information filed under this act by

the State's attorney.

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That the clerk of said court,

or the crier thereof, shall administer to every witness, prior

Oath to

to his or her appearing before the State's attorney, the

witnesses

following oath, viz : The evidence which you shall give

before the State's attorney for Baltimore County in the

matter depending before him shall be the truth, the whole

truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God ; and all

wilful aud corrupt false swearing by any witness in any

material point of inquiry before said State's attorney in any

case referred to him under this act shall be deemed perjury,