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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1882 | 3 |
| 1883 | 14 |
| 1884 | 15 |
| 1885 | 19 |
| 1886 | 14 |
| 1887 | 9 |
74 stories matching execution
- The City Charter of 1886
A legislative blueprint defining the duties of Seattle's mayor, council, and police as the growing territory formalizes its municipal rule.
- The Farmer’s Cabinet: Why Seattle’s Papers Are Fighting a War in Washington
An editorial in the *Seattle Daily Post-Intelligencer* argues against elevating the Department of Agriculture to Cabinet status, warning that it would create bureaucratic chaos and ignore the true role of federal oversight.
- The Great Railway Truce of 1886
A high-stakes standoff between the Knights of Labor and the Northern Pacific Railroad reaches a tentative peace in Seattle.
- The Anarchist’s Pamphleteer
While the nation held its breath over the Haymarket executions in Chicago, a woman faced down Seattle police to distribute radical literature on Government Square.
- A Split in the Young Men's Political Club
A political observer analyzes the rift between two factions of Seattle's young voters over alleged 'back-room' ticket manipulation.
- The Senator vs. The Railroad Barons
A fierce Senate debate erupts over the Northern Pacific’s attempt to claim land through a 'coal branch' built years earlier.
- The Sentencing of James McPherson
A somber day in court as a defendant is sentenced to death despite his final protestations of innocence.
- The Gallows Awaits a Pullman Murderer
A jury in Colfax has returned a guilty verdict for the cold-blooded murder of William T. Higgins, leading to a stark final judgment from the bench.
- The Seattle Daily Post-Intelligencer's 1886 Protest Against Executive Overreach
A fiery editorial argues that the Cabinet, led by Secretary Bayard, is systematically ignoring acts of Congress and undermining democracy itself.
- A Lynching in Dayton: When Neighbors Decided the Law Was Too Slow
After James McPherson, one of the Cummins murderers, won a new trial and a reprieve, a Dayton mob hanged him—prompting the Post-Intelligencer to ask why vigilante justice was reviving in Washington Territory.
- Yakima Signal Denounces 50-Million-Acre Northern Pacific Land Grant
A scathing editorial accuses President Arthur of abusing executive authority to grant fifty million acres of public land to a powerful railroad monopoly before the road was actually finished.
- The Mayor vs. The Chief of Police
A high-stakes power struggle unfolds in 1885 Seattle as the Mayor moves to impeach his Chief of Police for refusing to crack down on unlicensed saloons.
- When the Titans of Industry Came to Seattle
In 1885, as Seattle clamored for growth, a high-society banquet for Senator John Sherman and railroad executives signaled the dawn of the city's obsession with 'big industry'—and the blunt, profit-driven advice they offered to the locals.
- Chief Moses and the Stolen Reservation
A Spokane Indian leader bypasses federal agents to protest a land grab in Washington Territory.
- Railroad Agent Hanged in Effigy
Public anger against the Northern Pacific Railroad boils over in Yakima County, leading to the symbolic execution of a company agent.
- The Bank Exchange Saloon Robbery
Thieves executed a precise break-in at a Seattle saloon, vanishing with $400 in cash and valuables despite the saloon's central location.
- The Struggle for an American Canal
A 1885 editorial dissecting the political tensions of the era and the push for an American-controlled interoceanic waterway.
- The Brutal Reality of the Cigar Factory
The Cigar Makers' Union uncovers the exploitation of children and girl laborers working grueling hours in Seattle.
- The Sham Inspection of the Northern Pacific
A whistleblower account of how railroad executives entertained government officials with champagne to secure unearned land grants.
- The Mercer Island Tragedy
A brutal murder on the shores of Lake Washington leaves a community shaken, as the legal defense mounts a case against circumstantial evidence.
- The Iron Road Reaches the Pacific
Seattle prepares to welcome Henry Villard, the man behind the Northern Pacific Railroad's completion.
- The Northern Pacific Railroad Plans Tacoma's Expansion
Railroad executives visit to strategize the massive redevelopment of Tacoma's waterfront and terminal infrastructure.
- Seattle's Local Musicians Sidelined for Outside Talent
The Seattle Cornet Band expresses public indignation after being passed over for a local celebration contract in favor of an expensive imported band.
- The Battle for the Council Floor
A legislative standoff in Olympia over petty offices and party control highlights the raw political maneuvering of the late Washington Territory era.
- Tiny Performers Wow at Yesler’s Hall
A kindergarten concert by the Baptist Sunday School brings down the house to fund a new library.
Also about this, in other words
- ‘You Are Hanging an Innocent Man’: A Condemned Killer’s Last Words Before 4,000 Witnesses
Ezra Snoderly, one of the Cummins murderers, is hanged in Dayton’s courthouse square — insisting to the very end that he dies for another man’s crime, while the crowd judges him ‘game.’