ART. 59] LUNATIC OH INSANE PAUPERS. 1473

visors of city charities of the department of charities and
corrections of the city of Baltimore (if such person resides
in the city of Baltimore), shall, upon the. written certificates
of two qualified physicians made in accordance with the pro-
visions of section 31, cause such person to be sent to the
almshouse of the county or city to which he or she belongs, or
to a hospital or some other place better suited to his or her
condition, there to be confined at the expense of the county or
city until he or she shall have recovered and be discharged in
due course of law; but if demanded by the alleged lunatic or
insane person or any of his or her relatives or friends, or if
requested by the board of county commissioners of the county
in which the alleged lunatic or insane person resides, or by
the supervisors of the city charities of the department of
charities and corrections of the city of Baltimore, if said person
resides therein, the circuit court for the county in which such
person may reside, or the criminal court of Baltimore, (if such
person resides in the city of Baltimore) shall cause a jury of
twelve good and lawful men to be empanelled forthwith and
shall charge the said jury to inquire whether such person is
insane or lunatic, and if found so it shall be the duty of the
county commissioners or the supervisors of city charities of
the department of charities and corrections of Baltimore city
to cause such person to be sent to the almshouse of the county
or city to which he or she belongs, or to a hospital, or to some
other place better suited to his or her condition, there to be
confined at the expense of the county or city, until he or she
shall have recovered and be discharged in due course of law.
It shall be the duty of any board of county commissioners or
the supervisors of the city charities of the department of chari-
ties and corrections of the city of Baltimore, before whom any
such alleged lunatic or insane person is brought for commit-
ment under this section, if not satisfied that such person is
lunatic or insane, as defined in section 3, to notify the State's
attorney of said county or city, and he shall immediately
thereupon bring the said question before the circuit court for
the said county or the criminal court of Baltimore for determi-
nation in accordance with the provisions of this section.
Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the friends or
relatives of such lunatic or insane person from confining him
or her or providing for his or her comfort.

Spencer v. State, 69 Md. 41. Devilbiss v. Bennett, 70 Md. 556. Hadda-
way v. Smith, 71 Md. 321. M. & C. C. v. Keeley Ins., 81 Md. 114.