Illness sufficient cause for nonappearance

Confinement under arrest for contempt. Whenever, by the provisions of this Chapter, an officer is required to keep a person arrested on a warrant of attachment in custody, and to bring him before a court or judge, the inability, from illness or otherwise, of the person to attend, is a sufficient excuse for not bringing him up; and the officer must not confine a person arrested upon the warrant in a prison or otherwise restrain him of personal liberty, except so far as may be necessary to assure his personal attendance.