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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 3 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 3 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 3 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1872 | 4 |
| 1876 | 20 |
| 1877 | 21 |
| 1878 | 12 |
| 1880 | 6 |
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 22 |
| 1884 | 11 |
| 1885 | 32 |
| 1886 | 19 |
| 1887 | 17 |
| 1888 | 15 |
| 1889 | 50 |
| 1890 | 5 |
| 1891 | 27 |
| 1892 | 93 |
| 1893 | 89 |
| 1894 | 95 |
| 1895 | 71 |
| 1898 | 8 |
| 1899 | 13 |
| 1900 | 5 |
| 1903 | 46 |
| 1904 | 39 |
| 1905 | 4 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 6 |
| 1909 | 43 |
| 1910 | 4 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1912 | 3 |
| 1914 | 5 |
| 1915 | 3 |
| 1916 | 5 |
| 1917 | 1 |
| 1923 | 3 |
| 1925 | 1 |
| 1928 | 1 |
| 1929 | 1 |
401 stories matching commit
- The Tragedy of the State Asylum
A grim tally of patient deaths at the Washington State asylum sparks questions about the treatment of vulnerable populations committed from King County.
- A Final Request for Mercy
A desperate railroad worker took his own life in a Second Street hotel, leaving behind a note confessing he was struggling to suppress a violent urge to kill.
- A Mental Health Crisis on the Waterfront
Judge Humes committed Charles W. Burton to the state insane asylum after he brandished an axe on the waterfront.
- A Ghastly Discovery in Spokane
An unidentified man is found brutally murdered in a barn loft, sparking a grim investigation.
- Tragedy in Marysville
A mother is committed to the state asylum after an attempted murder-suicide in a woodshed.
- The Vicious Old Man of the Jail
After a history of petty crime and violence, a troubled elderly man is committed to the state asylum due to worsening mental illness caused by years of dissipation.
- The Millionaire in the Asylum: Thomas Keeler's Chinese Indemnity Delusion
A Seattle man convinced the government owed him $1,000,000 was committed to Steilacoom after seeking payment at banks and law offices.
- The Tragedy of a Lonely Laborer
A Norwegian laborer, recently arrived in Port Townsend with a large sum of money, commits a desperate act of self-strangulation while in city jail.
- The Sad Delusions of John Watson
A trainman found living in squalor is committed to Steilacoom Asylum after declaring himself the owner of Victoria’s townsite.
- The Troubled Life of a 17-Year-Old
A Seattle teenager with a history of employment instability and violent outbursts is committed to the Steilacoom asylum.
- The Burglar Who Walked Out
A Seattle convict who claimed he was 'railroaded' into prison for a crime he didn't commit has escaped the state penitentiary.
- A Close Call for a Young Girl
A man is held for trial after attempting to assault a girl at his cabin near the foot of Pike Street.
- The Delusions of Martin Krop
A young laborer's unrequited obsession with a stranger leads to his commitment at the insane asylum.
- Jailed for a Malicious Complaint, Freed by the State Supreme Court
A Pierce County jury found George Locke not guilty and decided his accuser, Leonard Permstick, had complained maliciously. The court ordered Permstick to pay $275.85 in costs or stay in jail—until the Washington Supreme Court ruled the commitment void.
- The Tragedy Behind the Milk Wagon
A young farmer ends his life in Jefferson County after leaving a note detailing his isolation and perceived social prejudice.
- A Heated Dispute Over the Treatment of the Mentally Ill
A Superior Court Judge and an asylum superintendent trade sharp insults in the press over the quality of care provided to a committed patient.
- A Lodging House Dispute Turns Criminal
A domestic fallout at a Third Street boarding house leads to accusations of furniture theft and violent harassment.
- The Statehouse Heist
A political mob forcibly seizes company records from a government official in a Spokane hotel room.
- A Vengeful Pursuit of a Debtor
A woman travels from Denver to Washington to confront the man who allegedly swindled her out of her life savings, only to be thrown in jail.
- A Machinist Committed to the Asylum
A perfectly rational machinist is sent to Steilacoom despite his protests, leaving behind a wife and child.
- The Struggle for Liquor Licensing in the Municipal Court
Mrs. Graham challenges the court's fines, claiming discrimination in the enforcement of liquor laws.
- The Local Press and the Mob
A critique of Washington newspapers that refused to take a hard moral stand against lynch law.
- The Special Agent's Unlucky Streak
A United States land office agent fears a streak of bad luck after encountering three suicides in three weeks of travel across Washington.
- The King of California: An Institutionalized Dreamer
A laborer from Enumclaw with grand delusions of immense wealth and heavenly status is committed to the asylum at Steilacoom.
- The Porch Gold Delusion
A man is committed to an asylum after terrorizing a South Seattle family over a phantom treasure he believed was buried under their porch.