Case Summary

William O'Mara was sent to the St. Louis City Workhouse due to his inability to pay a $100 fine assessed on a misdemeanor conviction. He filed a writ of habeas corpus challenging his detention as well as that of a woman named Margaret O'Mara, which was granted. The petition was ultimately withdrawn--perhaps because, according to workhouse superintendent, William Lingo, Margaret O'Mara was never sent to the workhouse.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• Refusal or inability to pay fine

Sites of significance

• City Workhouse (St. Louis, Missouri)

Outcome

Petition withdrawn

Fate of bound party

Unknown

Case Citation

St. Louis Law Commissioners' Court, June Term 1855, No. 141

Source material(s)

Case File

Length of case file

Between 6 and 10 pages

Repository(s)

• Missouri State Archives-St. Louis (St. Louis, Missouri)

State

• Missouri

People

• O'Mara, William (bound party)
• O'Mara, William (petitioner)
• O'Mara, Margaret (bound party)
• Lingo, William (respondent)
• Lingo, William (responding party)
• Lingo, William (holding party)
• Colvin, John W. (judge)
• Cady, Charles F. (authority ordering detention)
• McLean, M. N. (petitioner attorney)

• Additional parties

  Molair, Francis (city marshal)

  Blackburn, Mr. (referenced)