Person

Judge Humes

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Jan 29, 1891The $5,000 Price of a Farmer’s FreedomIn January 1891, Seattle Judge Humes upheld an excessive bail for George Watkins, sparking a legal debate over whether justice should be measured by wealth rather than guilt.Front Street, Seattle, WA
Feb 17, 1891Arson Trial Reveals a West Seattle Cover-UpA grocery store owner on trial for burning his own shop admits to paying 'hush money' to witnesses after becoming 'confused and crushed' by his losses.Seattle, WA
Feb 18, 1891The 'Artillery Insanity' Defense Wins Arson AcquittalA man accused of burning his own store to collect insurance walks free after his lawyer claims a war-era head injury rendered him mentally incapable of controlling his actions.Seattle, WA
Feb 25, 1891Seattle's Justice System Ruled IllegalA state Supreme Court decision against Tacoma’s police court has triggered a legal crisis in Seattle, leaving local officials scrambling to save the city’s ability to prosecute crime.Seattle, WA
Jan 10, 1892The Boot That Didn't Fit: A Murder Trial at the Turn of the CenturyIn a dramatic courtroom scene, an accused man attempts to clear his name by proving his feet were simply too large for the evidence that supposedly convicted him.Gilman, Issaquah, WA
Jan 16, 1892The Cow War of Duwamish ValleyA petty dispute over a farm animal escalated into a year of false accusations, forgery claims, and midnight police raids in pioneer Seattle.Seattle, WA
Mar 4, 1892The Siege of FranklinIn a courtroom packed with spectators, a Black miner defends his decision to open fire during a violent anti-Black labor riot at the Franklin coal mines.Franklin, Black Diamond, WA
Apr 14, 1892The Unstoppable Snorer of Judge Humes' CourtA man’s remarkably musical snoring brings the wheels of justice to a screeching halt, leading to a physical showdown with a bailiff and deputy.Seattle, WA
May 1, 1892The Strange Leniency of a Supreme Court Murder VerdictAfter two trials and two death sentences, the Washington State Supreme Court abruptly commuted Albert Friedrich’s murder conviction to second-degree, sparking legal confusion and outrage from the defendant himself.Seattle, WA
Jun 9, 1892The Loophole ArsonistA man accused of burning down his own house escapes conviction because the law failed to define arson as a crime when committed against one's own property.Seattle, WA
Jun 11, 1892The Unraveling of a GrifterA well-connected drifter faces consequences after passing bad checks in local saloons.Washington Street, Seattle, WA
Jun 28, 1892The Legal Battle Over Seattle's Courtroom SeatsA local attorney argues that all three Superior Court seats in King County must be contested in the upcoming election, challenging current term limits.Seattle, WA
Jul 21, 1892A Mental Health Crisis on the WaterfrontJudge Humes committed Charles W. Burton to the state insane asylum after he brandished an axe on the waterfront.Seattle, WA
Jul 22, 1892A Lawyer's Alleged Abuse Spills into Public CourtA local dressmaker sues for divorce, claiming her husband—a lawyer addicted to drugs and alcohol—threatened her with violence and neglected their children.Seattle, WA
Oct 27, 1892The Ballard Marshal’s TrialA former Ballard policeman stands trial for the killing of a man during an arrest gone wrong.Ballard, Seattle, WA
Dec 2, 1892Phil Dawe's Killing at Copper Chief Goes to TrialA witness takes the stand to describe the fatal shooting of Phil Dawe on Washington Street.Washington Street, Seattle, WA
Dec 3, 1892The Self-Defense Trial of James MurphyA Seattle murder trial hinges on claims of a 'dangerous man,' witness bribery, and a life-or-death confrontation in a saloon.Seattle, WA
Dec 7, 1892A Candlelit Verdict in the Murphy Homicide TrialElectric lights failed in the King County courthouse during instructions, casting a long shadow over the trial of James Murphy.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
Dec 9, 1892The Shortest Divorce Case on RecordFollowing a tragic loss in the family, a quarreling couple returns to court to finalize their separation with surprising speed.Seattle, WA
Dec 14, 1892The Mercer Island Cabin KillingA man is on trial for the murder of his cabin-mate, claiming self-defense after a violent confrontation over driftwood collection.Mercer Island, WA
Jan 20, 1893The Whistleblower Who WonA Seattle man is acquitted of criminal libel for writing a letter warning labor organizers against a corrupt local official.Seattle, WA
Jan 24, 1893The Nurse Girl and the Rat PoisonA thirteen-year-old girl stands trial for the poisoning of an infant in a case shrouded in domestic mystery.Seattle, WA
Jan 25, 1893The Trial of Hilda RundbergA young Swedish immigrant stands accused of poisoning her employer’s infant, but her testimony paints a portrait of a confusing household.Seattle, WA
Jan 28, 1893Acquitted in Five Minutes: The Girl Accused of Poisoning a ChildA packed Seattle courtroom erupts when Hildegard Rundberg is cleared of murdering little Richard Parker with 'Death to Rats' rat poison — the jury needing barely five minutes to set her free.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
Feb 11, 1893The Deadly Gilman Saloon BrawlAfter a brief trial, a local man is found guilty in a fatal shooting sparked by a dispute at a Gilman establishment.Issaquah, WA
Feb 13, 1893The Senatorial Deadlock in OlympiaPartisan maneuvering and 'dark horse' schemes stall the election of Senator John B. Allen.Olympia, WA
Feb 25, 1893A Child’s Fall into a City ExcavationA young girl’s tumble into a construction pit sparks a damages lawsuit against an investment firm.Seattle, WA
Feb 28, 1893The 83-Ballot Deadlock: 'Either Allen or No One'In Olympia, John B. Allen’s Republican caucus held the line while Judge Humes and Levi Ankeny saw their candidacies frostbitten—and the ballots kept piling up.Olympia, WA
Mar 15, 1893The Minister and the SaloonkeepersA traveling revivalist successfully riles up the town of Renton, resulting in the first Sunday-closing arrests in three years.Renton, WA
Mar 28, 1893The Italian Immigrants vs. The Employment AgentAfter Italian laborers were fired from Great Northern Railroad jobs, a fraud suit against their recruiter ends in a whimper when the prosecution's witness goes missing.Seattle, WA
Apr 10, 1893Thomas Dolan Tried Soap and Knives to Escape JailA desperate inmate’s attempt to saw through the county jail's steel bars with repurposed table knives ends in a dark cell.King County Jail, Seattle, WA
Apr 18, 1893The Philosophy of a Drunk-RollerA notorious criminal known for robbing intoxicated men in the basement of the Albion block receives a harsh sentence after a blunt admission in court.Seattle, WA
Apr 23, 1893The Saw and the JailerA petty thief's daring attempt to escape the county jail ends in a swift, unsuccessful pursuit.Seattle, WA
Apr 27, 1893Hop Field Knife Fight Ends in AcquittalA dispute over work performance in a Green River hop field leads to a court appearance and a surprising verdict for an accused man.Kent, WA
May 9, 1893The White River Potato SwindleA Tacoma produce buyer exploits a legal loophole to walk free after tricking local farmers out of their harvest.Kent, WA
Jun 1, 1893The Tide Flat Tug-of-WarA complex, multi-year legal battle over a Ballard sawmill exposes the murky nature of land titles on Seattle's waterfront.Ballard, Seattle, WA
Jun 9, 1893The Lineman and the Trolley LineA worker's damage suit against a telephone company is thrown out after the court decides infrastructure shouldn't have to withstand streetcar accidents.Seattle, WA
Jun 13, 1893A Thief’s Failed Defense in SeattleA young man attempted to claim he bought stolen goods from a second-hand shop, but the shopkeeper was called to court to prove him a liar.Main Street, Seattle, WA
Jun 21, 1893Olympia Editor's Fatal Shooting Goes to TrialA high-stakes murder trial begins in Seattle as the prosecution argues a jilted lover's cold-blooded premeditation against the defense's plea of emotional insanity.310 James Street, Seattle, WA
Jun 23, 1893The Trial of Ursula Boyd: A Labyrinth of CoercionA woman stands trial for the murder of the man who, according to her testimony and a cache of intimate letters, forced her into prostitution and systematic blackmail.Seattle, WA
Jun 24, 1893The Final Verdict in the Boyd CaseA courtroom packed to suffocation erupts in cheers as a jury acquits Mrs. Boyd, concluding a high-profile trial followed closely by the public.Seattle, WA
Jun 30, 1893The Jailer's Warning: A Courthouse AnecdoteA lawyer recounts his early, struggling days at the Seattle courthouse and the amusingly grim reality of defending clients who were clearly destined for Walla Walla.Seattle, WA
Jul 11, 1893Trapped by the Law's DelayAntonio Bojar remains imprisoned longer than his sentence because of a stalled appeal process.Seattle, WA
Jul 28, 1893The Teenager Who Enlisted HimselfA young man with no family and no means travels from Skagit County to Seattle to find a legal guardian, simply so he can join the U.S. Army.Seattle, WA
Aug 20, 1893The Old Farmer and the Child BrideA 50-year-old farmer and a 12-year-old girl enter a marriage that ends in a messy, litigious divorce in the Seattle courts.Lake Union, Seattle, WA
Sep 6, 1893The Second Murder Trial of J.W. BaileyA miner stands trial for the shooting death of a rival in a domestic dispute that exposed the volatility of camp life.Newcastle, WA
Sep 12, 1893The Bookkeeper Who Played LawyerA former insurance company clerk, accused of forgery, stunned the King County courtroom by ditching his defense counsel to argue his own case.Superior Court of Washington for King County, Seattle, WA
Sep 15, 1893The Scandal of the Police Commissioner and the Hotel RoomA sensational trial unfolds in Judge Humes' court where a husband and wife face blackmail charges against a Seattle Police Commissioner.Seattle, WA
Sep 27, 1893The Shadow Over the County Poor FarmA newly impaneled grand jury is tasked with investigating grave charges of corruption and misconduct at the King County almshouse.Seattle, WA
Oct 18, 1893The Almshouse Grand Jury Faces a Conflict of InterestJurors with business ties to the contractor under investigation are allowed to remain on the case after an unusual courtroom scene.Seattle, WA
Oct 24, 1893Two Women Seek Freedom from Marital AbuseIn an era of restrictive legal options, two Seattle women successfully sue for divorce on grounds of cruelty and abandonment.Seattle, WA
Oct 31, 1893The Treasury Scandal: Thirty-Three IndictmentsFormer City Treasurer Adolph Krug and several prominent associates are indicted in a massive public money corruption scandal.Seattle, WA
Nov 24, 1893The Divorce of a CapitalistA bitter court battle over community property in 1893 Seattle reveals the fragility of marital assets and the legal weight of the 'community property' distinction.Seattle, WA
Nov 29, 1893The Lawyer Who Shaved His Beard for a ThiefIn a dramatic courtroom gamble, a defense attorney shaved his own beard to demonstrate how easily witnesses might be mistaken in identifying an accused horse thief.Seattle, WA
Nov 30, 1893The Embezzling 'Sport' Walks FreeA technical error in the wording of an indictment leads to the dismissal of charges against Elmer Mayberry, a well-known local gambler.Superior Court of Washington for King County, Seattle, WA
Dec 16, 1893The Divorce of the 'Pretty Little Cripple'A husband’s suit for divorce against his wife, whom he accused of erratic behavior and opium use, reveals a harrowing counter-claim of domestic abuse in 1893 Seattle.Seattle, WA
Dec 19, 1893The Rich Man and the Guardianship FightA wealthy pioneer's children seek to control his estate, alleging he squanders money on 'wine and women.'Columbia City, Seattle, WA
Dec 20, 1893The Kangaroo Court’s Cruel JokeJ.J. Sander, acquitted by insanity, was mocked by jailhouse 'kangaroo court' with forged love letters.King County Jail, Seattle, WA
Dec 21, 1893A Child’s Testimony Ends a Rape CaseA young boy accused of an assault near Lake Union is exonerated after the judge personally interviews the girl involved.Lake Union, Seattle, WA
Dec 22, 1893The Constable Who Shot a BoyA Newcastle constable is convicted of assault with a deadly weapon for shooting a runaway teen he was attempting to detain.Newcastle, WA
Jan 6, 1894The Price of a Non-CompeteA Seattle restaurateur is legally banned from the restaurant business after selling his previous establishment.213 Columbia Street, Seattle, WA
Jan 20, 1894A Case of Juror Misconduct at the WaterfrontA legal battle over wharf rent turns chaotic as jurors are accused of conducting their own unauthorized inspection of the premises.Seattle, WA
Jan 24, 1894City Hall Wins Fight to Shutter Immoral Dance HallsA Superior Court judge confirms the city's authority to declare dance halls a public nuisance, citing the corruption of public morals.Seattle, WA
Jan 25, 1894The Constable Who Shot an Innocent BoyA case of mistaken identity and an assault charge reveal the chaotic nature of frontier justice in late 19th-century Washington.Newcastle, WA
Feb 2, 1894The Forged Deed of FairhavenA landmark land title dispute is settled in court after the discovery of a printing date discrepancy.Fairhaven, Bellingham, WA
Feb 3, 1894The Judge Takes the StandA trial in the superior court becomes heated when a Seattle judge takes over the cross-examination of a land agent.Bellingham, WA
Feb 7, 1894The bloody evidence in the Wilcox murder trialA courtroom drama unfolds as prosecutors reveal gruesome relics while the defense challenges the integrity of the police investigation.Seattle, WA
Feb 8, 1894The Murder Trial That Gripped the SoundA high-stakes murder trial in Seattle descends into a technical battle over pharmacy labels and the identity of a 'Washington oval' bottle.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
Feb 10, 1894The Trial of William A. WilcoxA high-stakes murder trial reaches a breaking point as a defendant awaiting a verdict breaks down in the courtroom.Tacoma, WA
Feb 11, 1894The Trial of A. WilcoxA jury reaches a verdict of manslaughter in the 1883 murder of Mrs. Charlotte Felting, ending a seventeen-hour deliberation.Tacoma, WA
Feb 14, 1894At 99, She Goes Back to Court: The Rent Is Hers, and the Agents Are at Her DoorMary Steele already won a decree and the income from a $45,000 property portfolio stretching from Yesler Avenue to Kansas City. Now she says her husband's agents are pocketing the rents, selling her furniture and trying to put her out of her own house.Yesler Avenue, Seattle, WA
Feb 24, 1894The Cable Car That Dodged a Runaway Electric—and the Lawsuit That FollowedA Madison Street cable car narrowly avoided a speeding Third Street electric car in 1893; passenger E. K. Marvin won $1,000 after a second trial over his sprained ankle.Seattle, WA
Mar 3, 1894The 'Beastly Indian Country' DivorceA fresco painter’s suit for divorce reveals the profound fear and racial anxieties of an immigrant wife refusing to join her husband in the American West.Seattle, WA
Mar 29, 1894The Price of a Manslaughter VerdictA convicted man sentenced to twenty years after a jury trial that Judge Humes believed was lenient.Seattle, WA
Apr 5, 1894The Banker Caught in the City's Money MessAs the corruption trial of Henry Fuhrman unfolds, his defense argues that his private financial dealings with the city treasurer were not criminal, but essential maneuvers to keep city payroll running.Seattle, WA
Apr 14, 1894The Defendant as a Plaything of the StateA legal battle over repeated arrests for the same charge highlights the arbitrary power of local prosecutors in 1890s Seattle.Seattle, WA
Apr 17, 1894The 'Blasher' Walks: A Razor Fight in a Seattle Saloon Ends in AcquittalWilliam Robinson, known to police for carrying two or three razors, was cleared of slashing Alander Strom outside the Mint saloon—after witnesses convinced a jury he was the one being thrown out.Seattle, WA
Apr 17, 1894A Sloop, a Mill Heist, and a Dump in the BayEugene Kelly and Charles Amos were convicted in minutes after stolen iron and machinery from Vashon Island was traced to Seattle's waterfront and pulled from the bay.Seattle, WA
Apr 19, 1894No Honor Among GamblersA Seattle judge dismisses a lawsuit between two gambling house partners, ruling that the courts have no jurisdiction over crooked dealings.Seattle, WA
Apr 25, 1894The Penalty for a Paper CrimeA man's attempt to exercise his right to vote leads to a felony conviction over his status as a former convict, testing the limits of the law.Seattle, WA
Apr 26, 1894The Legal Definition of Animal AbuseA jury acquits a man who killed a 'balky' horse, raising questions about the threshold for animal cruelty in the 1890s.Seattle, WA
May 6, 1894The Vashon Machinery HeistTwo men receive three-year sentences for stealing a scow-load of machinery from a Vashon Island brickyard.Vashon Island, Vashon, WA
May 8, 1894Judge Intervenes to Save Boys from Reform SchoolA Seattle judge issued a last-minute stay to keep two boys from being sent to the state reformatory, instead using them as witnesses against the man accused of training them in crime.Seattle, WA
May 12, 1894The Strange Case of the Disputed HorsesA local market company and a private buyer clash in court over the rightful ownership of two horses, proving that even a simple livestock dispute requires a judge's intervention.Seattle, WA
May 15, 1894Technicality Saves Alleged ThiefA grand larceny case against Nellie Blanchard was dismissed after her attorney exposed a critical flaw in the legal filing.Downtown, Seattle, WA
Jun 13, 1894The City’s Costly Theatrical BlunderA Seattle judge rules that the city cannot revoke a theater's license without refunding the operator's $1,000 fee.Seattle, WA
Jun 15, 1894The Burglar Who Asked for Prison, Then Fought to Stay OutEugene Kelly and Charles Amos were convicted of stealing machinery from a Vashon Island brickyard. Amos had plotted to kill a jailer; when put in irons, he begged to begin his sentence—then changed his mind and appealed.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
Jun 17, 1894The Serial Defendant's Last ActA repeat offender who boasted of forty trials finally runs out of luck in a Seattle courtroom.Seattle, WA
Jun 20, 1894The Bunko Men, the Norwegian Sisters, and the Saloonkeeper's RevengeA shell-game gang swindles two Norwegian sisters out of $300 on the Seattle waterfront; Frank Hart is convicted in three minutes, then a saloonkeeper assaults one of his accusers outside court.Seattle, WA
Jun 21, 1894The Bunko Man's Five-Minute TrialA grifter who terrorized two Norwegian women is convicted in record time after a failed attempt to discard incriminating evidence.Seattle, WA
Jun 23, 1894The Unhappy Home of a Board of Public Works OfficialAfter years of alleged cruelty, infidelity, and bitter public strife, Candace Van Brocklin secures a divorce and a significant property settlement from her husband, J. W. Van Brocklin.Seattle, WA
Jun 24, 1894Three and a Half Years in a Cell, Then a Date With the RopeCharles Nordstrom crept up to William Mason's cabin at Cedar Mountain and shot him dead at supper over an old grudge. This week a Seattle judge named August 31 as the day the state will hang him — unless the U.S. Supreme Court steps in.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
Jun 28, 1894The Brother-Against-Brother Killing on James StreetA trial begins in Seattle for Frank Minsch, charged with murdering his own brother, Edward, following a tense confrontation in the street.James Street, Seattle, WA
Jun 29, 1894The Brother vs. Brother TragedyA Seattle jury delivers a verdict in a fatal downtown shooting between two brothers.James Street, Seattle, WA
Jun 30, 1894The Divorce Mill: Three Women Escape Their Marriages in SeattleA single day in Judge Humes’ court saw three women granted divorces on grounds of desertion, cruelty, and financial abandonment.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
Jul 12, 1894The Clerk Who Refused to Leave Office—and the Books That Wouldn't BalanceKing County and former clerk W. B. Spencer submit a long-running dispute over fees, continuances and a disputed shortage to Judge Humes for a final ruling.Superior Court of Washington for King County, Seattle, WA
Jul 15, 1894The Capitalist, the Runaway Wife, and the Chicago SportA wealthy New Whatcom man won a Seattle divorce after his wife fled to Europe with another man—and his lawyer chose desertion over adultery to spare her.Superior Court of Washington for King County, Seattle, WA
Aug 9, 1894The Drunkard, the Mortgage, and the Burial MoneyHelen Tracy told a Seattle judge how her husband gambled away their Green Lake property and even the neighbors’ burial fund for their child.Green Lake, Seattle, WA
Aug 22, 1894A Divorce Suit With Dynamite in the DetailsCora Heaton accuses her husband of jealousy, vile language, and threats; he does not answer the complaint.Superior Court of Washington for King County, Seattle, WA
Aug 28, 1894A Seattle Courtroom Packs for a Murder ArraignmentHenry Craemer, charged with killing Mrs. Philippine Miller and her baby Frieda, faced a crowded courtroom without counsel—and without a flicker.Seattle, WA
Aug 29, 1894A South Seattle Murder Case Becomes a Constitutional TestHenry Craemer’s court-appointed lawyer argued that Washington could not try a capital case on a prosecutor’s information. Judge Humes said it could; Craemer pleaded not guilty and began hunting for an alibi witness lost in the Cascades.South Seattle College, Seattle, WA
Sep 6, 1894A Daughter's Testimony Sends Her Father to JailPaul R. Nelson, a Swedish M.E. church janitor, was convicted of incest after his 14-year-old daughter told a neighbor she was pregnant and named him as responsible.Seattle, WA
Sep 7, 1894Bertha Jarvis Wants OutA widow who remarried in Renton in 1885 asks a Seattle court for divorce and a share of the property, cataloguing years of abuse, thrown food and threats against her children.Seattle, WA
Sep 8, 1894The Meller Murder Trial: A Widower’s Sobs and a Defendant’s Blank StareGeorge Craemer goes on trial for the murder of Mrs. Meller, as her husband and two young daughters watch the jury chosen and the prosecutor promises to tie a hammer to the defendant.Superior Court of Washington for King County, Seattle, WA
Sep 12, 1894The Hammer in the Woodshed: Henry Creamer's Death SentenceA Seattle jury convicted a foreign-born laborer of Mrs. Meller's murder on circumstantial evidence, while his lawyer insisted the real killer—or at least a missing witness—was in the room.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
Sep 14, 1894Guilty in Two Minutes: The Bunko Man With a Revolver in His PastKnowlton, alias 'Robert George,' was convicted of swindling an Aberdeen banker with two copper bars sold as gold—then prosecutors unpacked a record that included a murdered minister and a courtroom shooting.Seattle, WA
Sep 16, 1894A Judge Called Unpaid Hotel Work 'Mild Larceny'—and Freed the Bellboy Who Stole $1.15Nathan Sanguinetti, a West Indian bellboy at Seattle's Rainier Hotel, was convicted of stealing a planted purse. When Judge Humes learned the hotel had made him work 18 months without pay, he called that the real crime—and a pardon followed.Seattle, WA
Sep 16, 1894He Swindled a Banker Out of $5,000. Now He Says the Newspapers Poisoned His Jury.Harvey W. Knowlton, convicted of swindling an Aberdeen banker, files for a new trial claiming jurors read prejudicial news accounts and that a missing sheriff would have testified the money went to another man.Seattle, WA
Sep 18, 1894The Silver Fight Waiting Inside Spokane’s Republican ConventionNine Supreme Court hopefuls, three congressional candidates, and a free-silver bloc turn Washington’s 1894 state convention into a backroom brawl before it even opens.Auditorium, Spokane, WA
Jan 10, 1895The Convicted Murderer’s German Fortune and the Lawyer’s $5,000 NotesHenry Craemer, jailed for killing a mother and child, says a rumored inheritance turned his appeal into a fight over legal fees and control of his case.King County Jail, Seattle, WA
Jan 26, 1895The Four-Year-Old at the Heart of a Custody WarAfter a day of dueling accusations, Judge Humes rules that little Chester Stewart stays with his mother — and has a word for anyone who would take a child over bad language.Superior Court of Washington for King County, Seattle, WA
Jan 27, 1895A 'Beast' in the Courtroom Says Only 'Not a Word'McGee, convicted of assaulting his wife with intent to murder, drew ten years in Walla Walla—but his appeal kept him in the King County jail while Seattle read about his courtroom act.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
Jan 29, 1895A Libel Trial Among Ministers Promises a Scandal in Open CourtRev. M. H. Nichols faces a criminal libel charge over accusations against Rev. T. B. Ford, and a California witness has arrived to testify about old “irregularities” in Arkansas.Superior Court of Washington for King County, Seattle, WA
Jan 31, 1895The Pastor, the Missing Husband, and the Seattle Libel TrialA church feud goes to court as Rev. M. H. Nichols is tried for circulating scandalous charges against Dr. T. B. Ford—whose testimony reveals a broken engagement, a vanished first husband, and a dramatic courtroom kiss.Seattle, WA
Feb 1, 1895A Church Scandal Erupts in a Seattle Libel TrialM. H. Nichols stood accused of criminally libeling Presiding Elder T. B. Ford. The defense spent the day trading rumors, old grudges, and one complaint about the prosecutor's booming voice.Seattle, WA
Feb 2, 1895The Pastor, the Circular, and the Hung JuryFor three days a Seattle courtroom heard accusations of adultery, an illegitimate son, and a pastor’s libelous circular. At 12:35 a.m., the jury was still deadlocked.Seattle, WA
Feb 3, 1895The City Could Still Take the LandJudge Humes ruled that Seattle’s constitutional debt limit does not interfere with eminent domain, clearing the way for the Howell Street extension through the Ivey property.Howell Street, Seattle, WA