1578 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 934

respects such election was free from corrupt practice on the
part of such candidate and of his political agent, then the
election of such candidate shall not be void, nor shall the can-
didate be subject to any ineligibility therefor.

159. The Courts in which such petition shall be filed shall
have authority to tax the costs as in equity cases, and also to
subpoena witnesses and require them to testify as in other civil
cases, and to compel by subpoena duces tecum the production
for examination of any books or papers of any kind, or of any
other thing which may be required or desirable in the conduct of
such inquiry. In any proceeding held under the provisions of
this or the preceding section, no witness shall be excused from
answering any question or producing any book, paper or other
thing on the ground or claim that Ms answer or the thing
produced, or to be produced by him, may tend to incriminate
or degrade him, or render him liable to a penalty, but his
answer, or the thing produced by him shall not be used in any
proceeding against him, except in a prosecution for perjury in
so testifying.

160. It shall be the duty of the State's Attorney of Balti-
more City to prosecute, by the regular course of criminal pro-
cedure, any person whom he may believe to be guilty of having
violated any of the provisions of this sub-title within the
said city, or any resident of said city, who may have violated
any provisions of this sub-title within said city or in any other
part of the State. And it shall be the duty of the State's
Attorney -of each county of this State to prosecute, by the regu-
lar course of criminal procedure, any person whom he may
believe to be guilty of having violated any of the provisions of
this sub-title within the county for which said State's Attorney
may be acting as such, or any resident of such county who may
have violated any provisions of this sub-title in such county
or in any other part of the State. And in any criminal prose-
cution under this sub-title or for violation of any of the pro-
visions thereof, no witness, except the person who is accused
and on trial, shall be excused from answering any question or
producing any book, paper or other thing on the ground or
claim that his answer, or the thing produced or to be pro-
duced, by him may tend to incriminate or degrade him, or ren-
der him liable to a penalty, but his answer, or the thing pro-
duced by him, shall not be used in any proceeding against him,,
except in a prosecution for perjury in so testifying.

OFFENSES.

161. If at any registration of voters or at any meeting of a
Board of Registry held for such purpose or for revision there-