In District Court holding terms at Seattle Washington Territory before Hon R.S. Greene Judge, In the matter of the application of Ah Ken for writ of Habeas Corpus} Petition for writ
Territory of Washington
County of King} SS.
To the Hon R.S. Greene Judge of the above named Court
Your petitioner Ah Ken comes now and respectfully represents and alleges.
1st That he the said Ah Ken Your Petitioner is restrained of his liberty in the City of Seattle County of King and Territory of Washington by WH Pinkney one of the Policemen in said city
2nd That the cause or pretense of his said restraint according as your petitioner is informed and believes is by reason of a certain pretended conviction and sentence of your petitioner to pay a fine of $1.00 and costs for the alleged crime of assault in violation of section 1 of Provision 1 of Ordinance no 800 of the said City of Seattle passed by the Common Council of said City and approved by the Mayor thereof on the 7th day of January 1887 by one G.A. Hill Justice of the Peace of said City on the 1 day of Feb 1887.
3rd That said pretense restraint is illegal for the reason that said sentence of said Justice of the Peace is void he having no power or authority to inflict the same under the ordinances of said City in that the said Section one of said Ordinance under which your petitioner was tried and sentenced provides that any one guilty of the crime of assault shall be punished by a fine of not less than five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment not more than thirty days or by both such fine and imprisonment. Whereas
said Justice of the Peace fined your Petitioners the sum of one dollars after being found guilty on said pretended charge of assault contrary to said ordinance
Wherefore your petitioner pray that the writ of Habeas Corpus issue him. that the cause of his said restraint be enquired into and upon such hearing he be discharged from custody for which your petitioner will ever pray
Ah Ken his X mark
