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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 62 |
| 1858 | 29 |
| 1859 | 52 |
| 1860 | 27 |
| 1861 | 101 |
| 1862 | 87 |
| 1863 | 69 |
| 1864 | 32 |
| 1865 | 11 |
| 1871 | 11 |
| 1872 | 140 |
| 1876 | 812 |
| 1877 | 678 |
| 1878 | 526 |
| 1879 | 64 |
| 1880 | 180 |
| 1882 | 130 |
| 1883 | 911 |
| 1884 | 499 |
| 1885 | 838 |
| 1886 | 492 |
| 1887 | 484 |
| 1888 | 440 |
| 1889 | 1,324 |
| 1890 | 287 |
| 1891 | 1,115 |
| 1892 | 2,855 |
| 1893 | 2,829 |
| 1894 | 2,116 |
| 1895 | 1,830 |
| 1896 | 2 |
| 1897 | 62 |
| 1898 | 196 |
| 1899 | 446 |
| 1900 | 114 |
| 1902 | 34 |
| 1903 | 1,332 |
| 1904 | 1,126 |
| 1905 | 124 |
| 1907 | 53 |
| 1908 | 351 |
| 1909 | 1,545 |
| 1910 | 413 |
| 1911 | 160 |
| 1912 | 73 |
| 1914 | 261 |
| 1915 | 300 |
| 1916 | 545 |
| 1917 | 332 |
| 1918 | 45 |
| 1919 | 5 |
| 1920 | 1 |
| 1922 | 18 |
| 1923 | 185 |
| 1924 | 151 |
| 1925 | 64 |
| 1928 | 14 |
| 1929 | 19 |
2,116 stories
- A Seattle Editor's Jail Sentence—and His Gallows Joke
C. H. Lugrin of the Telegram got three months and a $500 fine for criminal libel against Police Chief Bolton Rogers. He appealed—and joked that the judge couldn't hang him.
- Queen Anne Families Went to Court to Fix a Crumbling Schoolhouse
In 1894, residents sued to freeze old school-fund warrants, arguing that 225 Queen Anne children were crammed into a dangerous wooden building.
- A Spokane Farmer Vanished, and His Bloodied Hat Was All They Found
Gloystein was the last Republican in his neighborhood, warned in an anonymous 'Populist' letter to change his tune. Then he walked out into the night with callers and never came back — and the governor put up money for a body and a conviction.
- The Sheriff's Deadline: 'I Will Be Compelled to Hang Him'
C. W. Nordstrom has until August 31 to appeal his murder conviction, but with no money for lawyers, the King County sheriff is already building a portable gallows outside the jail.
- The Fight to Save Nordstrom: Money, Friends, and a Legal Race Against the Noose
Convicted of murder and sentenced to hang, C. Nordstrom finds a network of supporters—including the Swedish consul—raising funds for a last-ditch appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
- A Farmer Vanished Near Mica, and His Neighbors Blamed a Populist 'Shotgun Club'
Charles F. Glovstein disappeared from his Spokane County farm on July 28, 1894. Republicans called it political murder; the governor could offer only $1,000 for answers, and a secret 'protective association' was said to hold its members for life.
- A Gambler's Murder, and the Widow in the Web
North Yakima detectives arrest five alleged accessories and a suspected triggerman in the killing of 'Tex' Bagwell, with a confession said to be in hand.
- The Railroad That Went Broke Twice in Seven Years
A federal judge appoints W. D. Tyler receiver for the Washington & Columbia River line after $300,000 in missed interest payments.
- King County Auditor Accused of Padding His Salary with Extra Jobs
A letter to the editor details how Auditor Frank Twichell drew extra pay as purchasing agent, building-fund agent, and legislative lobbyist—all while collecting his regular salary.
- The Chinook Chief's Grandson Who Was Shipwrecked in Japan
Ranald McDonald — son of a Hudson's Bay trader and Chief Comcomly's daughter — died on the Colville reservation after a life that carried him from Astoria to a Japanese prison and back to the mouth of the Columbia.
- A False Hotel Job and a 15-Year-Old's Narrow Escape
Ida Embertson came from Snohomish expecting work at the Northern Hotel. Police said U. Morton met her and took her to a lodging in a low district; both were arrested.
- The Mayor Fires a Police Commissioner to Save His Chief
Seattle's mayor removes John G. Niggle from the police board, accusing him of protecting prostitution and conspiring to oust Chief Rogers — then demands that two more commissioners resign on the spot.
- Railroads Battle for Seattle's Tide Flats
Multiple railroad companies propose a sweeping reconfiguration of Seattle's waterfront, including a union terminal and the removal of Railroad Avenue, as the city's tide lands become the prize of a growing transportation war.
- The Mayor Fired Him; He Took City Hall to Court
Police Commissioner John O. Niggle challenged Mayor Phelps's removal power—and his fellow commissioner Cheasty refused even to shake the mayor's hand.
- The Warden Fights Back: Grain-Sack Graft and Cruelty Charges at the State Penitentiary
Accused of skimming from grain-sack sales and mistreating prisoners, Walla Walla's warden dares the state to investigate — and the Post-Intelligencer says it should.
- Everett’s Sweetheart Printing Deal: The Supreme Court Said No
In 1894, Everett’s city council awarded its official printing contract to a bid nearly four times higher than a rival’s. The Washington Supreme Court reversed course, warning that public money was not the council’s to give away.
- Canoe Overturns on Chehalis; Father and Son Drown
A family canoe outing ends in a desperate struggle for survival and a tragic drowning near Oakville.
- A Fatal Mistake on North River
A settler dies a slow, agonizing death after a horse-riding accident miles from help.
- Aberdeen's Bold Rail Gamble
Citizens rally to secure the Northern Pacific connection by donating land, lumber, and labor to bypass rail delays.
- Aberdeen Citizens Hustle to Secure a Rail Line
Facing economic stagnation, locals offer labor and materials to force the Northern Pacific to extend their track to the Wishkah River.
- County Finances in Shambles
A scathing report reveals Chehalis County is $105,000 in debt while local officials draw high salaries.
- A Close Call with Fire
A young boy suffers life-altering burns in a tragic domestic accident involving matches.
- Shipwreck at Peterson's Point
The schooner Nora Harkins runs aground at the mouth of Grays Harbor after a mechanical failure leaves her helpless against the surf.
- Who Counts as a Merchant?
Judge Hanford rules that a Chinese restaurant owner is not a 'merchant' under the law, preventing his re-entry into the United States.
- The Trial of Severus Ratten
A murder trial proceeds in Kitsap County despite defense arguments that local prejudice makes a fair hearing impossible.