88 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 41

shall, by means of threats or coercion, induce or attempt to
induce any person holding a position in the classified service
to resign his position or to take leave of absence from duty or
to waive any of his rights under this Article. No person about
to be appointed to any position classified shall sign or execute
a resignation dated or undated in advance of such appoint-
ment. Any such resignation shall be of no effect.

24. Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of
this Article or of the rules of the Commissioner, shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction thereof, be
punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) and
not more than three thousand ($3.000.00) or by. imprison-
ment for a term not exceeding six months or by both such tine
and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

25. Whenever the State's Attorney for the City of Balti-
more or the county in which an offense under this Article is
alleged to have been committed shall refuse to prosecute any
person alleged to have committed such an offense, or shall
fail to prosecute such person after the alleged offense is
brought to his attention, then any citizen may apply to any
judge of a NISI PRTUS court of such city or county for the ap-
pointment of a special attorney to conduct a prosecution of
such person or persons, and upon such application the court
may appoint some competent attorney to prosecute the person
or persons alleged to have committed the offense, and the spe-
cial attorney so appointed shall have the same power and au-
thority in relation to any such prosecution as the State's
Attorney would or might have had if such special attorney
had not been appointed.

26. It shall be the duty of the Commissioner to begin and
conduct all civil suits which may be necessary for the proper
enforcement of this Article and of the rules of the Commis-
sioner and to defend all civil suits which may be brought
against the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall be repre-
sented in such suits and in all legal matters by the Attorney-
General of the State. Any citizen of the State may maintain
an action in any court of record or before any justice of the
peace to recover, for the use of the State, any sums paid con-
trary to the provisions of this Article or of the rules of the
Commissioner from the person or persons authorizing or
making such payment to enjoin such person or persons from
making such authorization, or to enjoin the Commissioner