166 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 113

examination or inquiry. The State's Attorney may also
administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses and
receive evidence. In case of disobedience to a subpoena
or summons, or the contumacy of a witness appearing
before him, the State's Attorney may invoke the aid of
the Circuit Court of the County or the Criminal Court of
the City of Baltimore, as the case may be; and the Court
may thereupon issue an order requiring the person, firm,
corporation or association, to obey the subpoena or sum-
mons and to give testimony and to produce any and all
documentary matter deemed necessary by said Court for
such investigation or inquiry. In case any person, firm,
corporation or association refuse to obey such an order of
the Court after the same has been served on the witness,
such person, firm, corporation or association shall be
deemed in contempt of Court and shall be punished there-
for, subject to the right to appeal as now provided or
hereafter regulated.

97D. The parent accused or about to be accused of
non-support by an information filed by a State's Attorney
shall be notified by the State's Attorney in writing of: (1)
the time and place of hearing in the examination or in-
quiry, (2) the right of such parent to appear at such hear-
ings and to produce such evidence or information touch-
ing upon said investigation as he may desire, and (3) the
right of such parent to testify in his own behalf before
the State's Attorney, provided he notifies the State's At-
torney of his desire to do so and signs a written waiver
to the effect that any testimony which he may give may
be used against him in the event that he is tried on any
information or indictment that may be brought against
him.

97E. Whenever a parent accused of non-support, after
proceedings before a State's Attorney, shall consent there-
to in writing, or whenever upon failure to give such con-
sent such parent shall be found guilty, the Court shall
issue an order directing such parent:

(1) to pay for the maintenance and support of said
child, or to pay an equal sum to the County or to the City
of Baltimore, as the case may be, if said child be a public
charge, during the life of said child or until the child is
possessed of other means of adequate support. The sum
to be paid may be agreed upon, if consent proceedings be
had, or in the absence of agreement, such sum as the
court may fix, with due regard to the circumstances of
the accused parent, and