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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 1 |
| 1858 | 2 |
| 1859 | 2 |
| 1860 | 1 |
| 1861 | 4 |
| 1862 | 3 |
| 1864 | 5 |
| 1865 | 3 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 4 |
| 1876 | 44 |
| 1877 | 33 |
| 1878 | 28 |
| 1879 | 2 |
| 1880 | 6 |
| 1882 | 6 |
| 1883 | 54 |
| 1884 | 23 |
| 1885 | 27 |
| 1886 | 30 |
| 1887 | 35 |
| 1888 | 15 |
| 1889 | 71 |
| 1890 | 14 |
| 1891 | 40 |
| 1892 | 156 |
| 1893 | 174 |
| 1894 | 105 |
| 1895 | 132 |
| 1897 | 3 |
| 1898 | 6 |
| 1899 | 25 |
| 1900 | 9 |
| 1902 | 1 |
| 1903 | 66 |
| 1904 | 62 |
| 1905 | 4 |
| 1907 | 1 |
| 1908 | 16 |
| 1909 | 68 |
| 1910 | 18 |
| 1911 | 1 |
| 1914 | 11 |
| 1915 | 14 |
| 1916 | 22 |
| 1917 | 12 |
| 1919 | 1 |
| 1923 | 9 |
| 1924 | 6 |
| 1925 | 3 |
| 1929 | 1 |
1,380 stories matching escap
- Sheriff Offers $250 After Five Escape King County Jail
When five prisoners escaped from the King County jail in 1878, the local sheriff issued a bounty for their capture—a high-stakes display of frontier justice.
- Tragedy at the Seattle Penitentiary
A desperate escape attempt by three prisoners at the Seattle jail ends in a bloody shootout, leaving one dead and others wounded.
- The Violent End of a Seattle Jailbreaker
A notorious criminal known for his daring escapes from the Seattle city jail was shot dead while attempting a breakout at the state penitentiary.
- Trains Plunging into the Sound
A coal train narrowly escapes total destruction as landslides continue to ravage the Great Northern line north of Everett.
- 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.
- The Brutal End of a Winter Manhunt
After escaping custody, two fugitives are recaptured on the Walla Walla River, suffering from frostbite and starvation.
- 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.
- A Fire, a Locked Door, and a Daring Escape
A local reverend barely survived the blaze that destroyed his home in Black Diamond by shattering a window to escape the flames.
- The Mercer Slough Fugitive
After escaping Steilacoom asylum by turning blankets into a rope, William Miller—a man once acquitted of a high-profile Lake Washington murder—is on the loose, sparking terror in the homes near Mercer Slough.
- The Unlikely Hero of the Fire Escape
When a local doctor patented a new fire escape in 1878, he had to prove it could survive the ultimate test: a 'timid' gentleman from the New England Hotel climbing down from a third-story window.
- The Walla Walla Jailbreak That Surprised Nobody
Two inmates sawed their way out of their cells, but one prisoner decided he was done with jailbreaks and went back to sleep in a stable.
- A Daring Jailbreak in Prosser
A robbery suspect awaiting trial in Kennewick makes a brazen roof-top escape from the Prosser jail while ostensibly doing his laundry.
- Midnight Intruder at the Milton House
A miner returns to his room to find a man under his bed, leading to a violent struggle that ends with a bit finger and an escape.
- A Runaway from the Olympia Jail
A man named Simmons, recently confined in the Olympia jail, has been spotted in Steilacoom.
- A Frozen Narrow Escape on the Columbia
A young man breaks through the ice while crossing the river.
- The Great Vaughn’s Stage Mystery
A stage performer’s escape act at the Acme theater creates a local stir, prompting a skeptical investigation.
- A Local Pastor’s Miraculous Escape from a Train Disaster
Rev. Oliver T. Mather, arriving in Tacoma to lead the Bethany Presbyterian Church, survives a catastrophic Canadian Pacific derailment.
- The Foggy Breakout
Convict John H. Toy escaped the penitentiary Saturday under heavy fog while working on a new barn.
- The Bank Bandit Who Stayed Behind
After twice being convicted of attempting to rob the First Bank of White Bluffs, C. L. Potter remains at large after a daring escape from the Walla Walla jail.
- Duo Escapes Ellensburg Jail
Two men, one accused of murder and another of a stabbing, broke out of the local jail, triggering a $200 reward for their capture.
- Fire Destroys Howell Street Home and Shop
A family escapes narrow death in a blaze caused by an overturned lamp.
- Locking Down the County Jail
Walla Walla’s City Council moves to secure the jail with a high fence to stop well-meaning citizens from helping prisoners escape.
- A Runaway Team at the Satsop Line
Escaping steam from a locomotive sends a team of horses bolting, leading to a nasty accident for a local driver.
- Five Dangerous Prisoners Escape King County Jail
A jailer was overpowered and robbed in a brazen Sunday night escape by inmates facing charges ranging from life sentences for murder to bank robbery.
- Trapped by the Mountain’s Fury
A terrifying narrow escape as a winter slide nearly claims a mountain boarding house.