City of Seattle Records

REPORT OF Judiciary COMMITEE ON Petition of E. A. Stetson and others

1884

L. E. Ackley

To the Honorable the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Seattle:

The petition of the undersigned respectfully represents:

That on the 26th day of May 1884 L. E. Ackley was arrested and fined by City Justice Cann in the sum of $15.75 having been charged with riding his horse on the side walk on Washington Street on the preceeding morning.

The facts as alleged by Mr. Ackley, and which he states can be conclusively shown, are as follows: On the morning of May 25th, Mr. Ackley was bringing his horse through Washington Street, (at about 6 o'clock) on his way to John Langston's Livery Stable intending to join two other horsemen who were to accompany him on a trip up White River. When he got to Second Street, he found that the excavations for the new sewer had rendered Washington Street, from Second to Commercial, utterly impassible. Being in a hurry to join his companions he slowly rode his horse on the sidewalk a distance of about 120 feet, doing no damage to the walk, and doing as many others had done about that time. Mr. Ackley claims that he had no intention of violating any city ordinance and was only convicted on a technicality, the justice holding that as long as a policeman had arrested him, he could not go behind the plain letter of the ordinance.

We think this was not of the "graver offences of the law," and if the facts are as stated by Mr. Ackley, of which we have no doubt, we would respectfully pray that said fine be remitted.

And we will ever pray to John Langston

A. E. Stetson R. H. Calligan Chas F O'Hara J. Miller M. Keiger L. W. Stetson Robt Abrams

PETITION OF A. E. Stetson et al For remitting fine imposed upon L. E. Ackley

By Common Council. 188 Clerk.

FILED, JUN 6 1884

Clerk City of Seattle