§ 156. Unauthorized soliciting in behalf of civil service employees. Any person, not at the time a salaried officer or employee of a department, bureau or office of the state, or of any of the counties or cities thereof, or of any of the courts of the state, or any of the counties or cities thereof, who shall distribute, circulate or display any ticket, credentials, letter, letterhead, contract, agreement, application or other written or printed matter which bears, either in full or in part, the name, seal or insignia of any state, county or city department, bureau, office or court, or any person not an active member of the uniformed force, who shall wear or display the uniform or part of the uniform thereof, or any badge, shield, medal, button, decoration, or other insignia relating to or identified with any state, county or city department, bureau, office or court, for the purpose of selling or attempting to sell any ticket, book or privilege in connection with a dinner, reception, dance, entertainment, concert, athletic exhibition, contest or lecture, proposed to be conducted by and under the auspices of any group or association of active or retired employees of any department, bureau, office or court of the state or any of the counties or cities thereof, or for the purpose of soliciting paid advertisements or greetings for any book, pamphlet or program to be published by any such groups or associations, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment for six months or by a fine of five hundred dollars or both.