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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1858 | 1 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1876 | 1 |
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| 1888 | 1 |
| 1889 | 2 |
| 1892 | 1 |
| 1895 | 3 |
| 1903 | 10 |
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25 stories matching murder
- Twenty-Two Minutes on the Rope: The Slow Death of Richard Quinn
The Everett wife-murderer was hanged at Walla Walla and strangled for more than twenty minutes before he died, begging to be dropped again. From the scaffold he insisted the shooting was an accident.
- Was a Prisoner Murdered in Custody?
A Walla Walla coroner suspects a jail prisoner died not from his wounds, but from an intentional, unnecessary surgical procedure designed to silence him.
- First Execution Under New State Law
C.K. Champoux is executed at the state penitentiary for the murder of a Seattle variety singer.
- The Marriage Defense
A lawyer attempts to delay a murder trial by arguing that the defendant is still legally married to the state's star witness.
- The Tragedy on Abler Street
A domestic dispute in Walla Walla ended in a gruesome murder-suicide, revealing a hidden history of deception and a community left in shock.
- Bloody Jailbreak at Walla Walla
Two prisoners pull off a brutal escape, leaving a sheriff and jailer wounded as a citizens' committee takes up the hunt.
- A Convict Killed a Fellow Prisoner. Could He Be Tried While Already Serving Twenty Years?
The killing of Reif by convict Hoyt at Walla Walla set off a legal puzzle: whether a prisoner already serving a murder term could face another trial — and whether the governor could suspend his sentence to allow it.
- The Ax in the Brick Yard
A convict who had waited years for the man who testified against him finally gets his chance at Walla Walla — and takes it with an ax.
- Supreme Court Upholds Rights of Black Jurors
A landmark federal ruling confirms that excluding Black citizens from criminal juries is an unconstitutional violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
- The Pendulum Swings to the Gallows
Angus McPhail, convicted of murdering a Darrington saloonkeeper, is sentenced to death at the state penitentiary.
- Jailbreak in Walla Walla
Emil Bordeneuf escapes county jail, leaving behind a bizarre, rambling farewell letter.
- A Violent Cutting Affray
A preliminary hearing reveals the brutal details of a knife attack at a North Fourth Street restaurant.
- The Absinthe Defense: How a 'Swissess' and a Headache Saved a Murderer's Life
In the high-profile Spencer trial in Spokane, witnesses testified that Edward Spencer drank absinthe to sober up before killing Ella Mundt. The court heard he was 'jolly' until the end.
- The Uncertain Fate of a Convicted Killer
Edward Spencer awaits transfer to the Walla Walla penitentiary, sparking speculation about his potential work assignment behind bars.
- A Courtroom Gunfire Mishap in Walla Walla
A sheriff's demonstration of a murder weapon goes awry, nearly striking a spectator in the courtroom.
- A Violent Encounter Ends in a Courtroom Technicality
After stabbing a man multiple times, Fagan Scott dodges a serious felony conviction through a judicial error.
- A Guard Called It an Escape. A Witness Called It Murder.
In a letter to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Thomas Hayden described the shooting of convict Thomas Dryden at Walla Walla and accused prison officials of covering it up.
- Local Legal Troubles and a Broken Marriage
Superior Court handles a flurry of forgery, arson, and assault charges, while a divorce is granted for failure to provide.
- The Jailhouse Docket
Four local residents, including a man accused of arson at the Hotel Dacres, enter pleas of not guilty as court proceedings begin in Walla Walla.
- Tragedy in a Walla Walla Hotel
The bodies of a mining investor and a teenage academy student were discovered in a hotel room, sparking a mystery over their final hours.
- The Jailbreak That Almost Toppled the Penitentiary
A clever prisoner uses his talent for locksmithing to craft duplicate keys, nearly sparking a mass escape at the Walla Walla prison.
- The Firebug of North Walla Walla
A vigilante guard in the northern district botched a midnight stakeout for a suspected arsonist, leaving neighbors on edge.
- The Last Breath in Walla Walla: A Mother’s Collapse as Her Son Faces the Gallows
In May 1888, John Ham was sentenced to death for murder in Washington Territory. His mother, Mrs. Pyle, broke down in court, while their co-conspirator fled the state, leaving the family to face the ultimate penalty.
- The Bullet That Ended a Bully: A Seattle Man’s Deadly Stand on the Walla Walla
Michael Emerick, a former Seattle job wagon driver, faces murder charges after killing Joe Gordon in self-defense during a long-simmering land dispute.
- A Yakama Chief Falls as the Territory's Indian War Ends
Col. Wright's campaign is declared over; Owhi is shot near the Snake River, and the Herald celebrates executions and hostages as peace.