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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1889 | 1 |
| 1891 | 2 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1893 | 4 |
| 1894 | 6 |
| 1895 | 3 |
23 stories
- The Forgotten Prisoners of McNeil Island
Thirteen men held in limbo for years, caught between a nation that didn't want them and a border that refused their return.
- The Battle for Steilacoom Lake
A landmark lawsuit reveals the vanished history of Washington's oldest grist mill and the early water wars of Pierce County.
- The Mysterious Death at Steilacoom Asylum
Did a state representative die of natural causes, or was he poisoned by a lover?
- The Whatcom Widow Who Bought the Coffin Before the Death
A five-times-married former Whatcom County first lady is back in the news—and old suspicions about her commissioner husband’s death at Steilacoom have followed her east.
- Smallpox Outbreak Hits McNeil Island Penitentiary
An outbreak of smallpox has reached the federal penitentiary at McNeil Island, sparking a vaccination drive and fears of wider contagion.
- Tales of Torture at McNeil Island Penitentiary
A newly released prisoner brings harrowing allegations of medical neglect, forced labor, and death to the attention of Seattle officials.
- The Asylum Poisoning Scandal
A state mental hospital is rocked by accusations that a patient was murdered, triggering a battle between local officials and an Eastern chemist.
- Quarantine at McNeil Island Penitentiary
An attending physician clarifies the status of a smallpox outbreak at the McNeil Island federal prison.
- Inside the State Asylum at Steilacoom
A rare, firsthand look at the daily operations, patient care, and humanitarian philosophy of the Washington State Asylum for the Insane.
- Suspicion After a Politician's Sudden Death
A state representative dies in an asylum, and his father suspects poisoning by atropine.
- Inside the Western Washington Asylum
A biennial report reveals the harsh realities and overcrowding at the state facility for the insane in Steilacoom.
- The End of the Territory's First Hotel
The historic Eight House in Steilacoom, which once hosted Grant and Sheridan, has been destroyed by fire.
- A Tragic End at the Asylum
The harrowing death of a former Stanford student at the Steilacoom asylum.
- Tragedy at McNeil Island: Guard and Prisoners Lost in Sound
A routine transport between the island and Steilacoom turns fatal after a sudden squall capsizes the boat.
- Tales from the First Newspaper on the Sound
Looking back at 1855, when a Steilacoom weekly became the voice of a territory under siege.
- Death of John Flett, Pioneer Interpreter and Adventurer
A witness to the evolution of the Pacific Northwest, Flett served as a crucial bridge between settlers and Indigenous nations.
- A Convict Hangs Himself at McNeil's Island — and No One Comes for Him
Charles Carlson, forty, serving eight months for selling whisky to Indians at North Yakima, is found hanging in a water-closet at the federal penitentiary. The warden cuts him down minutes too late.
- Forced Removal to Steilacoom Asylum
A young mother of five is ordered to the state hospital after suffering a mental health crisis involving her family.
- The Governor’s Dilemma: The Hand-Me-Down Prison
When Washington became a state, the federal government tried to offload the McNeil Island Penitentiary and its prisoners to state control—but Governor Elisha Ferry wasn't having it.
- The Unsafe Penitentiary at McNeil Island
Repeated escapes from the government facility lead to complaints that the island's prison buildings are dangerously insecure.
- The Hidden Land Grab
While searching for a college site, a young Edmund Meany uncovers a forgotten piece of state-owned land near Tacoma.
- Three Masked Men Knew Where the Grocer Kept His Money
A Steilacoom storekeeper is robbed of $137 at closing time, and police first look to twenty men just released from McNeil’s Island.
- The Sad State of McNeil Island
A former inmate calls for books to replace the monotony of prison life.