Research the archive
Narrow 27,002 newspaper stories by words, years, place, newspaper and subject. See when and where they ran, then download what you find.
Put a phrase in quotes ("rent strike") or leave a word out with a minus (strike -baseball). Old scans misspell names, so when little is found, near-spellings are offered.
Refine1 on
Show the numbers
| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1883 | 2 |
| 1884 | 1 |
| 1885 | 7 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1887 | 2 |
20 stories matching writ
- The Marriage License Court Battle
A young couple defeats parental interference in the local courts.
- A Mutiny of the Seas at Port Blakely
When sailors on the ship 'Carrie E. Davenport' refused to sail, a local legal battle over labor rights and ship contracts ignited in the courts.
- The Saloon at the Race Track
A legal battle over liquor licenses in the Duwamish precinct reveals the limits of civic power when faced with the relentless machinery of the law.
- Martial Law Prisoners Released
Following the cessation of martial law in Seattle, three men previously jailed for seditious language are released without bail.
- The Street Hawker's Stand Against Discriminatory Laws
When a Chinese produce seller was arrested for violating city peddling ordinances, he challenged the legality of a law targeting his livelihood all the way to the Chief Justice's chambers.
- The Colonel, The Schoolmaster, and the Writ of Mandamus
When a Seattle teacher enforced a strict attendance policy, a local parent sued to force the school to readmit his son. The Chief Justice’s ruling settled a tug-of-war over authority that echoes in modern classrooms.
- The Mirror in the Half-Dollar: A Gambling Cheat's Downfall
A man arrested for theft in Seattle was found carrying a doctored coin designed to help him win at cards.
- The Sheriff and the Slip-Up at the Border
A two-year-old political scandal re-emerges regarding the escape of two fugitives from Sheriff McGraw's custody in British Columbia.
- The Unpaid Players of the Casino Opera Company
When an acting troupe failed to pay its stars in 1886, the performers fought back by seizing the entire production—including the costumes and luggage—to cover their lost wages.
- The Constitutional Question of Local Option
A landmark court ruling in Dayton challenged the constitutionality of Washington's local option liquor laws, sparking a debate on police power and contracts.
- Territorial Supreme Court Paralyzed by Missing Law
A confusion of jurisdiction leaves the highest court in the territory unable to convene, forcing an adjournment until September.
- The Birth of Seattle's Classical Music Scene in 1885
High-society music lovers gathered at S.G. Young’s office to launch the Oratorio Society, setting the stage for the city's cultural maturation.
- The Seattle Liquor Board's Battle for Moral Standing
A landmark 1886 legal challenge in King County forces a judge to define the limits of civic power when local officials refuse to grant a liquor license based on a claimant’s character.
- The City with Two Police Chiefs
While a legal battle over the city charter rages in court, Seattle finds itself in the absurd position of having two men claiming to lead the police force at once.
- The Woman Who Refused the Judge
A Seattle woman stands her ground in municipal court, calling out a judge's election fraud and choosing jail over a fine.
- A Mother’s Fight for Her Stolen Child
After allegedly losing her daughter to a charitable mission years prior, a Tacoma woman turns to the district court to force a Seattle couple to surrender the child.
- The Cattle Swindle of Tacoma
A failed business partnership descends into a courtroom brawl, a fake arrest, and a high-stakes search for a missing team of horses.
- The Mob, The Military, and the Riot at the Seattle Wharf
In February 1886, a citizen-led campaign of forced expulsion against Seattle’s Chinese residents spiraled into a violent confrontation, triggering a week of martial law and armed conflict in the streets.
- The Railway Hotel Trap
A scathing critique of a Northern Pacific Railroad ticket that forced passengers to stay at a specific Tacoma hotel to validate their travel.
- The Sheriff’s Mercy in Union
A coal miner facing eviction due to a grocery debt is granted a reprieve by an empathetic sheriff.