Austin's Prisoner Probe and Taxi Permits
- City officials launched an investigation into allegations of a city prisoner being mistreated, hearing sworn testimony from multiple witnesses.
- The probe into the alleged prisoner mistreatment continued, with all witness testimonies ordered to be transcribed for review by the city's leadership.
- Licenses were approved for six individuals to operate "service cars," which likely functioned as early taxis or shared-ride public transportation.
Full Transcript
356 The Council then recessed.
Alleged Mistreatment of a City Prisoner. SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL: Austin, Texas, July 02, 1920. The Council was called to order by the Mayor. Roll call showed the following members present: Mayor Yett, Councilmen Alford, Graham, Haynes and Ward, 5; absent, none. Mayor Yett stated the purpose of the meeting was to hear evidence in the matter of the alleged mistreatment of a city prisoner. The witnesses in the case were called in and after being duly sworn, were placed under the rule. The Council then called official court stenographer, T. G. Eisenlohr, to take stenographic notes of all testimony offered, and after examining a number of witnesses, the Council recessed to meet at 9 o'clock, Saturday morning, July 3, 1920.
Grants of Licenses for Service Cars. SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL: Austin, Texas, July 3, 1920. The Council was called to order by the Mayor. Roll call showed the following members present: Mayor Yett, Councilmen Alford, Graham, Haynes and Ward, 5; absent, none. After hearing further evidence in the case of the alleged mistreatment of a city prisoner, the Council instructed Court Stenographer, T. G. Eisenlohr, to transcribe his notes of all the evidence submitted and to furnish a copy of same to each member of the City Council. The applications of S. B. Cox, Joe Herbert, Henry Jones, John L. Harbert, Walter J. Jones and J. E. Norwood to operate service cars were granted by the following vote: Ayes, Mayor Yett, Councilmen Alford, Graham, Haynes and Ward, 5; nayes, none. The Council then recessed until 9 o'clock Wednesday morning, July 7, 1920.
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL: Austin, Texas, July 7, 1920. The Council was called to order by the Mayor. Roll call showed