In Re Blois

The petitioner applied for a writ of habeas corpus, setting forth his conviction in the police court of the city of Palo Alto for the alleged violation of the provisions of an ordinance of said city entitled, “An ordinance for the protection of the health of the people of the City of Palo Alto, providing for the inspection by the health officer of the City of Palo Alto of laundries and other establishments of like character.” The petitioner, whose laundry establishment is in the city of San Jose, undertook to solicit laundry work in Palo Alto without first procuring a license so to do, as required by the terms of said ordinance, and his arrest and conviction followed. He seeks his release by this writ upon the ground that said ordinance is invalid, for the reason that the charges therein provided to be paid to the health officer of Palo Alto for inspection and for mileage in going to and coming from1 the place or places where such inspection is to be made are unreasonable, harsh, discriminatory, oppressive, and prohibitory, and hence in violation of the personal and property rights of the petitioner • as guaranteed by the constitution of the United States and of the state of…