Confinement of civil prisoner

§ 514. Confinement of civil prisoner. A civil prisoner, committed to\njail upon process for contempt, or committed for misconduct in a case\nprescribed by law, must be actually confined and detained within the\njail, until he is discharged by due course of law, or is removed to\nanother jail or place of confinement, in a case prescribed by law. A\nsheriff or keeper of a jail, who suffers such a prisoner to go or be at\nlarge out of his jail; except by virtue of a writ of habeas corpus, or\nby the special direction of the court committing him, or in a case\nspecially prescribed by law; is liable to the party aggrieved, for his\ndamages sustained thereby, and is guilty of a misdemeanor. If the\ncommitment was for the nonpayment of a sum of money, the amount thereof,\nwith interest, is the measure of damages.\n