Any person, who, with intent to injure or defraud any company, corporation, copartnership or individual, authorized to manufacture, generate, sell or use illuminating or inflammable gas for lighting, heating or power purposes, shall injure, alter, obstruct or prevent the action of any meter, provided for the purpose of measuring the quantity of gas consumed by, or at, any burner, orifice or place, or supplied to any lamp, stove, range, furnace, machine, motor, appliance or contrivance, or who shall cause, or procure, or aid, the injuring or altering of any such meter or the obstruction or prevention of its action, or who shall make or cause to be made, with any pipe, tube, or any appliance, any connection, so as to conduct or supply illuminating or inflammable gas to any burner, or orifice, or lamp, or stove, or range or furnace, or motor, or other machine or appliance from which such gas may be consumed or utilized without passing through, or being registered by such meter, without the permission, consent, or acquiescence of the company, corporation, copartnership, or individual, furnishing or transmitting such gas, or who shall knowingly use or utilize any such gas which has not passed through the meter provided for the registration of the consumption thereof, or who shall by any means, device, appliance or contrivance, knowingly use or utilize such gas for his own use, or for the use of another, with intent to evade payment thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars ($300.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding six (6) months or by both such fine and imprisonment.