In case legal process against a corporation cannot by due diligence be served upon any person authorized to receive it, such process, including the complaint, may be served in duplicate upon the Lieutenant Governor, which service shall be effectual for all purposes of law. Within two days after service upon the Lieutenant Governor, he shall notify the corporation thereof by letter directed to the corporation at its last registered office, in which letter shall be enclosed a copy of the process, the complaint or other papers served. In any action in which the process shall be so served the plaintiff shall pay to the Lieutenant Governor the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), which sum shall be taxed as a part of the costs in the action if the plaintiff shall prevail therein. The Lieutenant Governor shall enter alphabetically in a process book, kept for that purpose, the name of plaintiff and defendant, the title and number, if any, of the cause in which process has been served upon him, and day and hour when the service was made.