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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 1 |
| 1877 | 2 |
| 1880 | 2 |
| 1883 | 3 |
| 1884 | 1 |
| 1885 | 2 |
| 1886 | 1 |
| 1887 | 3 |
| 1888 | 1 |
| 1889 | 10 |
| 1891 | 2 |
| 1892 | 3 |
| 1893 | 7 |
| 1894 | 8 |
| 1895 | 6 |
| 1916 | 1 |
53 stories matching code
- The Loophole Arsonist
A 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.
- A Lawyer Outwits the Law
After sitting in jail for sixty days without a trial, an enterprising young attorney secures his own release by quoting the state code.
- The Great Jury Debate: When Washington Women Fought for the Bench
A landmark 1888 legal dispute threatened to strip women of their newly won right to vote and serve as jurors in Washington Territory.
- The Great Seattle Tent-Roof Controversy
Facing a winter housing shortage, Seattle officials were forced to choose between strict fire safety codes and allowing residents to shelter themselves under makeshift canvas roofs.
- The Corpse in the Chicken Yard
A bungled insurance swindle in 1890s Seattle turns grisly when an amateur conspiracy, a stolen body, and a coded German letter unravel in a courtroom inquest.
- The Shanty That Refused to Die
A year after the grand Yeager Building rose on Front Street, a flimsy wooden shack still blocks the sidewalk—proof that Seattle’s building codes are mere suggestions.
- A Grandmother’s Protest Against Modern Medicine
An 88-year-old Seattle resident challenges the medical establishment's use of grease and drugs to treat scarlet fever, advocating for a return to water-based remedies.
- Who Gets to Vote in the Primaries?
Seattle's corporation counsel says registration is not optional—even for party primaries—and that election judges cannot waive it.
- Lawyers Descend on Seattle to Fix a 'Deplorable' Legal Code
The State Bar Association opens its convention at the Seattle National Bank building, with judges and attorneys pushing nonpartisan courts, a permanent code commission, and better pay for judges.
- Congress Enacts the Eight-Hour Day
A national rail strike is narrowly avoided as federal law mandates an eight-hour basis for railroad workers' pay.
- The 'Habitual Drunkard' List
A proposed law would have forced Seattle barkeepers to publicly post a list of 'habitual drunkards' in their establishments, effectively blacklisting them from purchasing alcohol.
- The Unlucky Dreamer’s Club
A satirical club meeting in Seattle warns members against the dangers of interpreting dreams and reporting ghost sightings.
- City Hall Targets Gambling Rings
A proposed municipal ordinance seeks to criminalize everything from card games to 'bunko' schemes.
- The Cop and the Stag Saloon
A police officer is suspended for entering a saloon while on duty, triggering a debate about the force's code of conduct and 'trapping crooks.'
- The Prosecutor vs. the All-Male Jury
King County Prosecuting Attorney John R. Bradshaw demands the inclusion of women on jury lists, citing Washington Territory’s progressive suffrage laws.
- The House-Worker's Manual
As police struggle with a crime wave, residents discover that daylight burglars are using coded notebooks to track their movements.
- The Fire Limit Fiasco: How Seattle’s Elite Dodged Safety Codes
While the city arrested drunks and fined sailors for minor infractions, two prominent developers built a frame house right inside the fire zone—and got away with it.
- The Steam Jet Visionaries
Two inventors believe they have cracked the code to high-speed maritime travel using hydraulic water jets.
- The Notorious Haytian Republic Seized in Seattle
A federal investigation into a sophisticated smuggling ring leads to the sudden impounding of a steamship at the Seattle waterfront.
- The Circus at Ballard City Hall
A local council meeting descends into a chaotic brawl of accusations, slurs, and political grandstanding.
- The Trial of City Treasurer Adolph Krug
A Seattle judge rejects the defense's motion to dismiss embezzlement charges, invoking the history of the law against modern corporate corruption.
- The Retired Colonel and the County Treasurer
A judge instructs a Grand Jury on whether a retired U.S. Army officer is legally permitted to hold the civilian office of King County Treasurer.
- The Exodus Story Retold in Seattle
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Melvin G. Winstock delivers a sermon on Moses and the birth of a nation during Passover services.
- After the Fire, A New Blueprint for Seattle
When the flames destroyed the commercial district, city leaders fought to enforce strict building codes to prevent a repeat of the disaster.
- County Surveyor Pocketed $2 a Day From Subordinates
A Seattle newspaper exposes how the local county surveyor was illegally skimming off the wages of his subordinates for his own personal profit.