Ex parte Bowler

The petition alleges that Bowler is unlawfully restrained of his liberty by the chief of police of the city of St. Louis, *15at the St. Louis jail, and that the illegality of the restraint consists in the fact that this is being done by virtue of city ordinance 12,473, the only accusation against the petitioner being, that on June 3, 1883, he engaged in the business of a solicitor or canvasser of sewing machines in said city without a license, in violation of the fifteenth sub-division of section-of said ordinance, which requires every such solicitor to pay a city license of $25.00. The…