Judge Lewis
Named in 26 stories. Back to all names
- Jan 13, 1876The Editor, The Gambler, and The Incorruptible JudgeA fiery editorial from 1876 exposes a local feud between the press and the judiciary, revealing a landscape of 'dance houses,' gambling hells, and political bitterness.Commercial Street, Seattle, WA
- Mar 25, 18761876 Snohomish Court Targets Indigenous Gatherings and BrothelsIn March 1876, Judge Lewis charged the first Snohomish County District Court grand jury to address public nuisances, including Indigenous gatherings and brothels, while also holding county officials accountable for fee books.Snohomish, WA
- Jun 27, 1876Seattle Invites the Whole Territory to Its Centennial FourthAs the United States turned 100 in 1876, Seattle's civic leaders mobilized an elaborate city-wide committee to prove the frontier outpost was a modern, patriotic city.Seattle, WA
- Jun 29, 1876Seattle’s First Independence Day Mega-FestivalAs the United States approached its 1876 Centennial, Seattle organizers launched an ambitious, city-wide effort to host a monumental July 4th celebration that would signal the town's arrival on the map.Seattle, WA
- Jun 30, 1876Seattle’s 1876 Fourth of July ExtravaganzaAs the United States approached its first centennial, Seattle civic leaders mobilized to prove the frontier outpost was a city of substance, dignity, and unity.Seattle, WA
- Jul 3, 1876Seattle Invites the Territory to a Centennial FourthAs the United States turned 100 in 1876, Seattle's civic leaders mobilized an ambitious, city-wide organizing committee to prove the frontier outpost was a proper American town.Seattle, WA
- Jul 14, 1876The Hatch Left Open: How a Passenger's Injury Put a Steamship Under ArrestMary Phelps was permanently maimed when a crew removed a hatch aboard the City of Panama. When the vessel reached Port Townsend, U.S. Marshal Hopkins seized it—prompting citizens to raise a $100,000 bond.Port Townsend harbor, Port Townsend, WA
- Sep 15, 1876The Judge's Warning: Stop Selling Whiskey to IndiansA Port Townsend grand jury was told that federal law treated every Native person as under an Indian agent's charge—and that local liquor sellers were profiting from open violation.Port Townsend, WA
- Nov 18, 1876The Saloonkeeper’s Open Letter to Seattle’s 'Hounds of Malice'A local business owner fires back at the city’s political elite, accusing them of using moral grandstanding and the threat of liquor laws to dismantle his livelihood.Seattle, WA
- Dec 23, 1876The Crew That Wouldn't Sail: A Mutiny on the War HawkSeattle's shipyard workers and legal system clash as the crew of the brig War Hawk refuses to depart, citing safety concerns, while the city watches a habeas corpus battle unfold.Seattle, WA
- Feb 3, 1877The Juror Who Ate Himself into JailA Seattle juror’s hunger at the Occidental Hotel led to an invalidated trial, a stern rebuke from the bench, and three months in the county jail.Seattle, WA
- Feb 21, 1877The Midnight Death of Seattle’s CharterWhen a judge declared the city’s incorporation invalid in 1877, the local newspaper editor went on the warpath to save the municipality from 'gratuitous anarchy.'Front Street, Seattle, WA
- Feb 24, 1877The Hangman's Verdict: John Thompson Convicted of Murder in SnohomishA trial that captivated the entire Territory ends with a death sentence for a man accused of killing his friend during a drunken brawl over a card game.Snohomish Jail, Snohomish, WA
- Mar 12, 1877The Judge Who Scratched Out His Own EyesA Seattle judge’s legal flip-flop on municipal taxation sparks a fiery editorial showdown and accusations of corrupt land speculation.Seattle, WA
- Mar 17, 1877After the Bankruptcy, a Mill Town Bets on a Bonanza: Utsalady's 1877 ReboundIn a single March week, the Camano Island mill town of Utsalady snapped back from bankruptcy: a $30,000 mill sale, workmen arriving by steamer, plans for a new wharf — and a showman who decided to stay.Utsalady, WA
- Apr 21, 1877The Mill That Built a Town: Inside Port Discovery’s Industrial HeartA rare look inside the massive lumber operation on Port Discovery Bay, where 60 men worked around the clock to feed the timber boom of the Pacific Northwest.Port Townsend, WA
- Sep 8, 1877Judge Lewis Seeks Revocation of Snohomish Liquor LicensesAfter a grand jury report, Judge Lewis urged revoking liquor licenses from tavern owners operating brothels and corrupt establishments in Snohomish.Snohomish, WA
- Jan 12, 1878The Political Gossip That Almost Toppled a JudgeIn an era of vicious party-line journalism, a Seattle editor defends his local officials against accusations of being 'copper-heads' and 'carpet-baggers,' echoing today’s heated partisan discourse.Seattle, WA
- Apr 19, 1882The Real Estate Boom of 1881A local column notes the rapidly inflating property values in Seattle, documenting how land changed hands for thousands in gold coin within a single year.Main Street, Seattle, WA
- Feb 13, 1883The Passing of a Seattle KingpinJohn Pinnell, the former proprietor of a notorious 'squaw-dancing' saloon in the city's early days, has died in Ellensburg.Ellensburg, WA
- Apr 24, 1885An Ambassador for the Northwest: Judge Lewis Returns from the EastA Seattle judge’s 1885 journey reveals a Pacific Northwest eager to prove itself to the skeptical East, complete with butter-churning Quakers and coal-scam lawsuits.Seattle, WA
- Jun 5, 1885The Mayor vs. The Chief of PoliceA high-stakes power struggle unfolds in 1885 Seattle as the Mayor moves to impeach his Chief of Police for refusing to crack down on unlicensed saloons.Seattle, WA
- Feb 6, 1886The Riotous Mock Legislature of 1886A railroad-backed lobby, frustrated by their political losses at the Olympia legislative session, staged a rowdy mock government to harass and demean King County representatives.Olympia, WA
- Mar 2, 1886Seattle’s Chamber of Commerce Grapples with Anti-Chinese RiotsIn the wake of the 1886 anti-Chinese expulsion, the city's commercial leadership convened to discuss the city's reputation and its stance on 'law and order.'Seattle, WA
- Apr 25, 1886When Seattle Tried to Break the Railroad's GripBefore the city was a tech hub, it was a battleground for political autonomy against the suffocating influence of the Northern Pacific Railroad.Seattle, WA
- Jun 16, 1888The Million-Dollar Protest: Front Street Owners vs. The Cable CarPioneers and property magnates rallied against a proposed cable railway on Seattle’s main thoroughfare, arguing that the city council was ignoring the will of taxpayers in favor of outside capital.Front Street, Seattle, WA