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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 2 |
| 1889 | 14 |
| 1891 | 9 |
| 1892 | 15 |
| 1893 | 21 |
| 1894 | 15 |
| 1895 | 14 |
90 stories matching draft
- Banker Charged in Fraud Scandal
The former cashier of the wrecked Merchants' National Bank is accused of selling worthless drafts to unsuspecting customers.
- A Nurse, Three Drafts, and a Mother's Outburst in Court
Nat Young Jr. is bound over for trial on charges he drained a sick man's bank drafts — but the star of the preliminary hearing is his mother, who leapt up in Justice Caldwell's courtroom and shouted, 'That is a lie.'
- A Hard Lesson in Friendship
A local clerk is swindled out of $200 by a former employer who promised a return on a worthless bank draft.
- The Collapse of the Orting Bank
A small-town financial institution fails after a dubious draft and questionable loans, leaving local depositors to face the consequences of 'loose management.'
- Sawmill Boiler Explosion Kills Assistant Engineer William Welch
A boiler explosion at the Weatherwax Lumber Company claims a life and leaves the community reeling.
- The Confidence Man of Madison Street
A charismatic stranger built a house in Seattle, charmed local investors, and pulled off a sophisticated bank fraud that left the city stunned.
- The City’s Botched Annexation Plan
Seattle’s attempt to annex surrounding lands hits a legal wall after a drafting error excludes parts of Ballard by mistake.
- A High-Stakes Legal Battle Over Character and Credit
A bitter defamation suit against a bank and its officers ends in a settlement after years of legal wrangling.
- Seattle Tries to Close the Side Doors on Its Saloons
City officials drafted a new liquor ordinance to repeal the old “wide entrance” law and force every saloon to have a single street entrance, banning “ladies’ entrances” and other side-door workarounds.
- Embezzlement Charges Close Port Angeles Bank
A local developer triggers a dramatic arrest of a bank president over a missing draft, leading to a day-long court battle and a shuttered bank.
- The Con Man Who Taught the City a Lesson
A prolific swindler who posed as a businessman and senator-associate leaves a trail of bounced checks and broken promises across Seattle, Tacoma, and Fairhaven.
- The Dream of a Gateway to the Lakes
In 1892, Senator Watson Squire made a bold pitch to Congress for a ship canal connecting Puget Sound to Lakes Union and Washington, arguing it would be a strategic marvel for the U.S. Navy and the region’s commercial might.
- The Real Estate Swindler Who Fooled Seattle
A smooth-talking con artist masquerading as an 'Eastern capitalist' swindled multiple Seattle banks by weaving himself into the city's booming real estate market.
- The Tacoma Check-Kite Who Vanished Into Thin Air
A mysterious stranger from San Francisco duped local merchants out of hundreds of dollars with worthless drafts before disappearing, leaving a trail of broken trust in the heart of downtown Tacoma.
- The Struggle to Draft Washington’s Constitution
Delegates at the 1889 convention in Olympia face intense debate over corporate regulation and public warehouse oversight.
- The Elusive 'Seattle Swindler' Disappears Again
A young attorney leaves a trail of bad checks across the Pacific Coast, sparking confusion in the San Francisco police force.
- Drafting the Constitution
As the constitutional convention meets in Olympia, delegates navigate high-stakes debates over statehood, judicial reform, and the volatile question of woman suffrage.
- 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 Tallest Man in the Charter Committee
A political power struggle at City Hall concludes with the appointment of a local pile driver to the Charter Revision Committee, largely because of his stature.
- The Fight for Washington’s State Constitution
As Washington teetered on the brink of statehood in 1889, local committees scrambled to organize the conventions that would draft the framework for the future state’s government.
- The Formosa Runs Aground in Bellingham Bay
A lumber-laden ship bound for Peru is stuck in the mud off Deadman's Point after a tug takes the wrong line—and her captain says the tug will pay.
- The Swindler Who Stole More Than Just Cash
A prolific con artist wreaking havoc across the Pacific Coast has taken a final, strange step: assuming the identity of the very man he swindled.
- City Council Passes 1893 Tax Levy Amid Financial Strain
Seattle's municipal government sets the millage rate while reporting over $2.5 million in bonded debt.
- Seattle's German Community Calls for Reform
A new non-partisan organization aims to challenge 'existing evils' in city hall ahead of the upcoming election.
- The Gottstein Block Construction Dispute
A St. Louis iron manufacturer sues a Seattle developer over unpaid bills for the construction of the Gottstein building.
Also about this, in other words
- Drafting Washington’s State Constitution
As the Constitutional Convention approaches its one-month mark, delegates race to finalize the blueprint for the future state, balancing high-minded debate with emotional politicking.