1286                             Laws of Maryland                       [Ch. 739

political treasurer or political agent, as herein defined, either di-
rectly or indirectly, to aid, promote or influence the success or defeat
of any political party or principle, or of any measure or proposition
submitted to a vote at a general election or primary election in this
State, or to aid, promote or influence in any manner the election or
defeat of a candidate therein, or to be used, applied or expended in
any way whatever for political purposes. Any corporation, which
shall violate any of the provisions of this section, and the president or
director, or other officer, or agent of such corporation, who shall
personally violate any of the provisions of this section, shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine of not more
than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) for each offense, and imprison-
ment for not more than three years in jail or in the House of Cor-
rection.

230. Procedure on Petition. (a) Petition. At any time within
thirty days after any election or primary election held under the
laws of this State, any defeated candidate at such election, or any
ten duly qualified voters at such election, may present to the Circuit
Court of any county, or to the Superior Court of Baltimore City, a
petition setting forth under oath that corrupt practices, contrary
to the provisions of a specified section or sections of this Article,
were committed by the successful candidate or candidates or in the
person or his or their agent or agents at or preliminary to such
election, within the county or city in which said petition was filed,
naming the successful candidate or candidates as defendants, and
praying that the facts alleged may be inquired into.

(b)  Answer. The Court, upon the giving by the petitioners of
such security for costs as the court shall deem reasonable and upon
such petition and the affidavit or affidavits filed therewith, shall
promptly order such reasonable notice of such petition to be given
to the defendant or defendants, and require him or them, within as
short a time as may be reasonable, to answer, show cause, or other-
wise defend as the Court may deem just and reasonable.

(c)  Trial. Such petition shall be tried without a jury, unless any
of the parties thereto shall elect to have the same tried by a jury.
The case shall be tried not later than fifteen days after such petition
has been filed if possible, and shall be given priority over other
Court business, and when a jury trial is demanded by any of the
parties to such petition, the jury for said term shall try it; and if
the jury for said term shall have been dismissed, the Court shall re-
call said jury for the purpose of trying said case. In every case in
which a jury trial shall be demanded, the judge shall frame and
submit to the jury for its decision and verdict all appropriate and
necessary issues of fact presented by the pleadings in such case. The
Court shall bring said cause to determination and judgment as
speedily as a just regard for the rights of the parties concerned
may permit and shall expeditiously inquire into, or, when a jury is
demanded, cause the jury to inquire into all the facts and circum-
stances and into such violations of or failure to comply with the
provisions of this Article, as may be alleged in any such petition.

(d)  Decision of Court. In case such petition relates to the elec-
tion of electors of President and Vice-President of the United States,
a Senator of the United States, a Representative in Congress, or the
Governor or Attorney General, or a Senator or Delegate to the Gen-