704                         LAWS OF MARYLAND.                  [CH. 271

necessary, and for the purposes of this Act the Attorney Gen-
eral, or an Assistant Attorney General duly authorized by him,
shall have power to require by subpoena or summons, the at-
tendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of any
books, accounts, records, papers and correspondence relating
to any matter which the Attorney General is authorized by this
Act to consider or investigate. The Attorney General or his
duly authorized assistant, may sign subpoenas, administer oaths
and affirmations, examine witnesses and receive evidence. In
case of disobedience to a subpoena or of the contumacy of any
witness appearing before the Attorney General or his duly au-
thorized Assistant Attorney General, the Attorney General may
invoke the aid of the Circuit Court of any of the counties of
the State of Maryland, or of the Superior Court of Baltimore
City. Such court may thereupon issue an order requiring the
person subpoenaed to obey the subpoena or to give evidence or
produce books, accounts, records, papers and correspondence
touching the matter in question. Any failure to obey such order
of the court may be punished by such court as a contempt
thereof. In the case of a failure or refusal of any person, part-
nership or corporation concerned in the issuance, sale, offer for
sale, promotion, advertisement or distribution of any stocks,
bonds, notes, shares, profit sharing agreements, service agree-
ments, membership certificates and trustees certificates, or other
securities within the State of Maryland, to file any statement
or to furnish any information, books, papers or records required
by the Attorney General, or his duly authorized assistant, to
be filed or furnished in connection with such investigation under
this Act, the Attorney General may issue his order under Sec-
tion 12 of this Act.

12. The Attorney General may, upon evidence satisfactory
to him, that in the issue, sale, promotion, negotiation, advertise-
ment of, or distribution of any stock, bonds, notes, shares, profit
sharing agreements, service agreements, membership certificates
and trustees certificates, or other securities within the State of
Maryland, any person, partnership or corporation is employing
or is about to employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud,
or for obtaining money or property by means of any false or
fraudulent pretense, representation or promise, issue and cause
to be served upon such person, partnership or corporation an
order requiring the party guilty thereof to cease and desist there-
from. If it shall appear to the Attorney General that an irre-
parable public injury is imminent, unless such order is issued
before a full investigation can be made pending such investiga-
tion, he may issue such order, but the same shall be accompanied
with a request for information as to the facts relied on in issu-
ing the order, and such temporary order shall only remain in
force until such information is furnished and two days there-