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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 8 |
| 1889 | 45 |
| 1891 | 11 |
| 1892 | 33 |
| 1893 | 59 |
| 1894 | 53 |
| 1895 | 78 |
287 stories matching common
- The Architect and the Common Law Wife
A breach-of-promise suit spills messy details of a hidden life, with a prominent architect claiming his former partner was merely a paid mistress.
- Court Examines Morality and 'Common Women' Charges
In a case drawing heavy public interest, two women face accusations of being 'common women' while the defense argues they are simply working-class laborers.
- Mary Fisher Sues Architect Jasper Fisher Over Marriage Vow
A woman sues a prominent Seattle architect for $10,000, alleging he kept her in a common-law marriage for years before abandoning her for a new bride.
- The Landmark Case of an Indigenous Heir
A court ruling recognizes a marriage between a white pioneer and a niece of Chief Seattle, potentially shifting land title laws across the region.
- The $100,000 Estate and the Indian Marriage That Seattle Forgot
A daughter claiming the estate of pioneer Franklin Mathias says her parents were married by Indian custom in 1867. A federal judge must decide whether that marriage—and her legitimacy—counts.
- The Trial of a Man Known Only as a 'Pimp'
A Seattle lawyer challenges a city ordinance that allows for arrests based on reputation rather than criminal acts.
- The Wharfinger's Narrow Escape
A jury rules that a dock owner isn't a common carrier, leaving an injured woman without recourse.
- Two Widows Claim One Miner’s Relief
A Roslyn explosion reveals a double life, pitting a common-law partner against a returning spouse.
- The Cruelty of a Mock Marriage
A young woman is left destitute in Seattle after a man used a fake marriage ceremony to steal her savings and abandon her.
- Ministers Defend the High School
Seattle clergy take to their pulpits to advocate for the continuation of high school education amidst a budget and legal crisis.
- The Tax Reformer of Tacoma
A scathing 1888 editorial argues that tax exemptions for the wealthy create a 'system of injustice' that the state must dismantle for the sake of the common good.
- Quarantine Declared Against Victoria Over Smallpox Outbreak
Seattle and Puget Sound cities join forces to prevent the spread of a deadly smallpox epidemic crossing the border from Canada.
- School Board Rejects Secret Society Interference
A Seattle school board attorney ruled that secret societies like the A.P.A. have no legal standing to bring charges against educators.
- The Unruly Bleachers of Madison Street
A Seattle fan calls for an end to the jeering, hissing, and systematic roasting of players that has plagued local baseball games.
- The Global Hop Crisis of 1893
An Auburn grower reports that 'red spiders' and extreme heat are devastating hop crops from Washington to England, threatening massive yield shortages.
- A Seattle Wife Sued Her Husband for Beating Her. The Court Said She Couldn't.
Judge Osborne ruled that a married woman could not maintain a damages action against her husband for assault—even after testimony of a fist to the eye and kicks with heavy boots—sending the case to the state Supreme Court.
- The Skagit Farm Courtroom Battle
A landmark inheritance case hinged on the validity of an 1880s marriage between a white settler and a Swinomish woman.
- Northern Pacific Slashes Freight Rates in a Coast-to-Coast War
Seattle shippers get word that commodity rates from Chicago and the river cities will drop to match the Southern Pacific’s Sunset route.
- The Passing of Chief Tacanum
A venerable Puyallup leader dies, prompting a debate between his modest final wishes and the elaborate plans of his community.
- The Lonely Death of 'Mike the Rooster'
A once-prominent figure in the city's sporting fraternity dies in a lodging house on Washington Street from a morphine collapse.
- The Diamond Ring Dispute
A local woman and her acquaintance face off in court over a $1,000 diamond ring, debating whether it was a gift or a loan.
- The $1,000 Diamond Ring, the Saloonkeeper and 'Camille'
A wealthy Seattle courtesan says she bankrolled her young lover's saloons and had her diamond earrings reset for him to wear behind the bar. Now he's charged with stealing the ring — and she's destroyed the will she wrote in his favor.
- Ezra Meeker’s Golden Rules for Hop Success
The legendary pioneer shares his controversial methods for baling hops hot to secure the crucial foreign market.
- The Great Seattle Carting Crisis
When the city moved to clear the streets of horse-drawn carriages, teamsters organized, setting a precedent for Seattle’s long-standing tug-of-war over public space.
- A Mastodon Discovery in the Washington Countryside
A young boy scraping at the bottom of a spring unearths a relic from a lost era, shedding light on the ancient history buried beneath the ranch lands of Washington.