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81 stories matching arson
- The Baltimore Oyster House Fire
A suspected arson and double tragedy at a Second Street hotel leaves the community in shock as the accused points a finger at his own wife.
- 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.
- Street Shooting Over a Libel Allegation
A legislative-era street fight in Olympia leaves one man dying after an accusation of arson.
- Arson Attempt Targets Chinese Business District
A deliberate fire set in the basement of Wah Chong's store nearly triggers a catastrophe for the city's business sector.
- Arson Attempt Targets Ballard Hotel
A suspicious fire at the Ballard Hotel was thwarted by a night watchman, raising alarms about safety in the burgeoning mill town.
- The Night Cheney Burned to the Ground
A pre-dawn fire decimated half of Cheney’s business district, leaving city officials to suspect arson as the town vowed to rise again from the ashes.
- The Burning of Oakville
A deliberate act of arson leveled the Grays Harbor town of Oakville, sparking rumors of a wider conspiracy against the mill district.
- Garfield County Town Devastated by Early Morning Blaze
A suspected act of arson leveled the business district of Pataha City, leaving residents to flee for their lives as a fierce wind carried the flames.
- Tekoa Business District Destroyed by Incendiary Fire
A fire suspected to be arson wiped out the central business district of Tekoa, resulting in thousands of dollars of damage.
- The Hilltop Inferno: Arson Claims a Seattle Landmark
When the residence of J.P. Robbins burned in 1877, the city’s lack of water infrastructure and public apathy turned a potential save into a total loss.
- The Narrow Escape of Mr. Browne
A prominent Seattleite faces a targeted arson attempt at his residence, marking the second such attack in a wave of local intimidation.
- The Grave Robbery Insurance Scam
A Seattle man faked his own death using a stolen corpse to collect a massive insurance payout, but a lover's confession blew the lid off the plot.
- Vigilante Justice Looms in Asotin
A town sits on the edge of a riot following a deadly fire and accusations of arson.
- The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Stealing
A young Seattle serial runaway and horse thief, described as having the face of an 'innocent Sunday School' student, leaves a trail of abandoned farms and confused sheriffs across the White and Duwamish rivers.
- Arson Attack at Snohomish Mercantile
An incendiary device was discovered burning in the floorboards of a Chinese-owned store, nearly igniting the heart of the business district.
- The Hotel Arson Scandal
A bitter divorce case in Gilman turns into a criminal conspiracy mystery after a wife testifies her husband plotted to burn down their own hotel for insurance money.
- A Burglary and Arson on Tenth Street
A homeowner discovers her house filled with smoke after burglars ransack her residence and leave a lit match on the mantel.
- A Failed Arson Attempt in Everett
A mysterious fuse and a kerosene-soaked room threatened a downtown business block.
- A Rope of Rags, a Jar of Coal Oil, and a Tacoma Arson Plot
Fire Chief Bruemmer found a carefully laid fuse running through a mortgaged tenement—just before the owner left town for Neah Bay.
- The Murderer Who Bought His Freedom: Angus McClain Bailed Out in Shelton
After three years of legal maneuvering for the murder of hotel keeper Harry Conner and arson at Shelton’s Grand Hotel, the convicted killer is finally released on $1,000 bail.
- The Hotel Oriental Arson Mystery
An inquest reveals that a fatal Seattle hotel fire was deliberately set with coal oil, as a grieving city searches for the culprit behind the death of Erie Johnson.
- The Systematic Exclusion of Chinese Labor
Seattle mill owners collectively fire all Chinese employees, signaling a dark turn in regional labor policy and social climate.
- Brutal Murder and Arson in Spangle
A prosperous bachelor farmer is found dead after a suspected robbery leads to the destruction of his home and barn.
- The Desperate Flight of Charles E. Myers
Accused of a fatal arson in Asotin, a man is moved from jail to jail across the state to escape an angry lynch mob.
- The Messenger Burned at Tacoma—and It Was No Accident
A pioneer Puget Sound steamer was destroyed by a suspected arson fire; its engineer nearly chose a razor over burning alive.