Barber v. Moss

I dissent. Appellant was detained for 6 months in jail as a material witness because through no fault of his own he was unable to obtain a bond for his appearance. Under such circumstances the following expressed by the Maryland Court of Appeals in Hall v. Commissioners of Somerset County, 82 Md. 618, 34 A. 771, 773, 32 L.R.A. 449, on page 450 in my opinion expresses the justice, humanity and logic inherent in our system of government:

“ * * * For an honest, law-abid-' ing, but poor and friendless individual to be confined in a common jail, and there forcibly made the companion of criminals…