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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1858 | 1 |
| 1864 | 3 |
| 1865 | 1 |
| 1876 | 5 |
| 1877 | 5 |
| 1878 | 2 |
| 1879 | 1 |
| 1880 | 1 |
| 1883 | 7 |
| 1884 | 1 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 5 |
| 1887 | 10 |
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1889 | 12 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 7 |
| 1892 | 24 |
| 1893 | 26 |
| 1894 | 17 |
| 1895 | 29 |
| 1899 | 2 |
| 1900 | 2 |
| 1902 | 2 |
| 1903 | 10 |
| 1904 | 8 |
| 1905 | 2 |
| 1908 | 4 |
| 1909 | 24 |
| 1910 | 2 |
| 1914 | 1 |
| 1915 | 1 |
| 1916 | 1 |
| 1917 | 1 |
229 stories matching cell
- Jailbreak in Walla Walla
Emil Bordeneuf escapes county jail, leaving behind a bizarre, rambling farewell letter.
- The Jailhouse Scuffle
A drunken brawl in a jail cell turns into a messy confrontation between a prisoner and the jailer.
- Dynamite Found in Tacoma Jail Cell
Under Sheriff Paulhamus discovered a two-pound dynamite cartridge hidden in a window ledge, thwarting a suspected jailbreak attempt.
- Delirium Tremens in the City Jail
A man suffering from severe alcohol withdrawal sparks a violent disturbance at the city jail.
- The Brutality of the Walla Walla Penitentiary
A critical look at the failing 'cell system' and the questionable state industries in Washington’s state prison.
- 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.
- The Jailhouse Recognition: A Killer Unmasked in Seattle
While awaiting his own release, a prisoner in the Seattle city jail spots a familiar face in the next cell and realizes he is sharing space with a notorious fugitive wanted for murder.
- Locked Away for Being a Stranger
A Seattle man traveling to meet his brother in Tacoma finds himself swept up in a case of mistaken identity, thrown into a filthy, unventilated jail cell, and ignored by officials despite his pleas for evidence.
- 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.
- Locksmiths Needed for Failed Jailbreak
Six inmates in Whatcom were so eager to escape they jammed their own cell locks shut, requiring a blacksmith to cut them loose for breakfast.
- The Midnight Escape from the King County Jail
When four inmates mysteriously vanished from their cells, the local authorities were left baffled and scrambling to track them down along the muddy roads of old Seattle.
- Marshal Narrowly Survives Jailhouse Shootout
A prisoner in Colfax, suspected of being a relative of the James brothers, opens fire on the police chief while being locked in a cell.
- The Jailer and the Cell: A Brutal Scuffle in 1891
A repeat offender turns the city jail into a ring for a violent, bloody showdown with his longtime adversary, the jailer.
- The Jailhouse Gas Leak Incident
A young woman suffering from a mental health crisis dismantles jail plumbing in a desperate attempt to end her life.
- The Great Jailhouse Swap
A bungling jailer manages to swap a suspected burglar with a drunk man, allowing the suspect to pay a fine and walk free while the wrong man sits behind bars.
- An Eccentric Prisoner's Optimistic Dance
A man awaiting sentencing in a local court baffles reporters by dancing a jig and promising a champagne celebration upon his release.
- The Jailer’s Blunder and a Quick Escape
Three prisoners in the Yakima county jail staged a daring, if temporary, breakout after a jailer accidentally left their cell door unlocked.
- The Condemned Murderer Who Ran the Jailhouse Court
Thomas Blanck, awaiting execution for murder, was unanimously elected to preside over the county jail's prisoner-run tribunal—complete with fines, lashes, and a Bible in his cell.
- The Unmarked Death of Bi Lee
A Chinese man, imprisoned in Seattle, is found dead in his jail cell, leaving behind only questions and a community left to claim his remains.
- Thomas Dolan Tried Soap and Knives to Escape Jail
A desperate inmate’s attempt to saw through the county jail's steel bars with repurposed table knives ends in a dark cell.
- The Great Escape Attempt at the King County Jail
A desperate dig through the ceiling of a Seattle jail cell ends with the sheriff turning fire hoses on the inmates to quell the chaos.
- The Fractured Philosophy of Josua Klein
Once a confident leader of a 'radio-active philosophy' retreat, Josua Klein sits in a Tacoma jail cell, broken and waiting for deportation.
- Walla Walla's Grand Jury Slams Local Jail Conditions
1864 grand jurors call the county jail 'bad' and 'insecure,' demanding iron cells and high walls to keep prisoners from escaping.
- Locked in the Slammer
A Seattle lawyer gets a rude awakening after being accidentally locked in the city jail while visiting his client.
- Deputy Lincoln Dilley Survives Jail Escape Attack
Deputy-Sheriff Lincoln Dilley survived severe head cuts after two prisoners attacked him during an escape attempt at the county jail, then drew his revolver and locked them in their cell.