Holman v. Mayor of Austin

The applicant, Holman, obtained a writ of habeas corpus from the Hon. J. P. Bichardson, judge of the twenty-seventh judicial district, upon which the following return was made by the city marshal: “Held in custody by order of the mayor of the city of Austin, until payment of fifty dollars, fine for contempt of court, and subject to imprisonment for twenty-four hours for the same.”

The record further discloses the fact that the mayor called the applicant, Holman, as a witness, and propounded to him the following question: “ What occurred between you and any one of the inmates of Fanny Kelly’s…