ART. 69.  An officer charged with crime or with a serious offense under these articles shall be placed in arrest by the commanding officer, and in exceptional cases an officer so charged may be placed in confinement by the same authority.  A soldier charged with crime or with a serious offense under these articles shall be placed in confinement, and when charged with a minor offense he may be placed in arrest.  Any other person subject to military law charged with crime or with a serious offense under these articles shall be placed in confinement or in arrest, as circumstances may require; and when charged with a minor offense such person may be placed in arrest.  Any person placed in arrest under the provisions of this article shall thereby be restricted to his barracks, quarters, or tent, unless such limits shall be enlarged by proper authority.  Any officer who breaks his arrest or who escapes from confinement before he is set at liberty by proper authority shall be dismissed from the service or suffer such other punishment as a court-martial may direct; and any other person subject to military law who escapes from confinement or who breaks his arrest before he is set at liberty by proper authority shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

INVESTIGATION OF AND ACTION UPON CHARGES.

ART. 70.  No person put in arrest shall be continued in confinement more than eight days, or until such time as a court-martial can be assembled.  When any person is put in arrest for the purpose of trial, except at remote military posts or stations, the officer by whose order he is arrested shall see that a copy of the charges on which he is to be tried is served upon him within eight days after his arrest, and that he is brought to trial within 10 days thereafter, unless the necessities of the service prevent such trial; and then he shall be brought to trial within 30 days after the expiration of said 10 days.  If a copy of the charges be not served, or the arrested person be not brought to trial, as herein required, the arrest shall cease.  But persons released from arrest, under the provisions of this article, may be tried, whenever the exigencies of the service shall permit, within 12 months after such release from arrest:  Provided, That in time of peace no person shall, against his objection, be brought to trial before a general court-martial within a period of five days subsequent to the service of charles upon him.

REFUSAL TO RECEIVE AND KEEP PRISONERS.

ART. 71.  No provost marshal or commander of a guard shall refute to receive or keep any prisoner committed to his charge by an officer belonging to the forces of the United States, provided the officer committing shall, at the time, deliver an account in writing, signed by himself, of the crime or offense charged against the prisoner.  Any officer or soldier so refusing shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.