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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1888 | 15 |
| 1889 | 33 |
| 1891 | 25 |
| 1892 | 65 |
| 1893 | 76 |
| 1894 | 97 |
| 1895 | 97 |
408 stories matching prison
- A Violent Prison Break in Early Seattle
A brutal struggle erupts in the King County jail as desperate inmates ambush the jailer in a failed escape attempt.
- The Dungeon Behind the Standard Theater: Inside Seattle’s Terrifying Jail
A reporter’s inspection of Marshal Hamilton’s holding cells reveals prisoners sleeping on straw in a damp basement, fed by a restaurant manager who claims their diet is 'wholesome' and identical to his paying customers'.
- Ten Inmates Crawl Through City Jail Roof
A dozen prisoners rip the roof off the city jail, leading to a night of escapes, returns for more whiskey, and public mockery of the facility.
- The Great Jailbreak of 1889
In 1889, fifteen of 31 prisoners escaped a city jail through a sawed hole in the wall; none were recaptured.
- The Governor’s Dilemma: The Hand-Me-Down Prison
When Washington became a state, the federal government tried to offload the McNeil Island Penitentiary and its prisoners to state control—but Governor Elisha Ferry wasn't having it.
- Jailer Accused of Aiding Prisoner’s Escape in Tacoma
A jail cook alleges that a jailer pressured him to flee during an administrative transition, raising questions about a recent high-profile escape.
- The Bishop, the Convicts, and the Sparring Match
Bishop Wells insists a prisoner-run entertainment at the penitentiary was decorous and proper—not the prizefight rumor made it out to be.
- The Acid Plot in the Tacoma Jail
Prisoners used acid to soften steel bars in a desperate attempt to break out, but were thwarted by a suspicious jailer.
- The Unlucky Look-Alike
A case of mistaken identity in a Seattle courtroom saw an innocent man nearly extradited for a Pennsylvania forgery because he looked exactly like his cousin.
- Marshal Narrowly Survives Jailhouse Shootout
A prisoner in Colfax, suspected of being a relative of the James brothers, opens fire on the police chief while being locked in a cell.
- Quarantine at McNeil Island Penitentiary
An attending physician clarifies the status of a smallpox outbreak at the McNeil Island federal prison.
- A Desperate Dash for Freedom in Walla Walla
A prisoner working in the Walla Walla courthouse yard made a bold break for liberty, resulting in a dramatic street chase.
- The Jailer’s Mysterious Absence
A police inquiry into the escape of a prisoner who slipped away while his guard was supposedly busy with locksmiths.
- The Great Escape: Two Prisoners Vanish from Seattle’s Basement Jail
In a display of audacity and desperation, two men held on smuggling and liquor charges crawled through a torn-off board in a water closet to flee the U.S. Marshal’s improvised prison beneath the Clancy Building.
- Smallpox Outbreak Hits McNeil Island Penitentiary
An outbreak of smallpox has reached the federal penitentiary at McNeil Island, sparking a vaccination drive and fears of wider contagion.
- A Walla Walla Pastor Defends the Prison's Sunday 'Boxing Bouts'
Rector W. Law writes to defend Warden Coblenz and the penitentiary's Sunday programs, insisting the glove contests that scandalized critics were gentler than a schoolyard game.
- A Desperate Dash from the Marshal
A United States prisoner attempts a daring escape from a carriage in Spokane, leading to a high-stakes chase.
- The Great Train Escape
A federal prisoner leaps through a train window at 30 miles per hour while handcuffed, sparking a desperate manhunt in the woods near Pasco.
- A Certificate, a Prison Term, and a One-Way Ticket Out of Spokane
Federal Judge Hanford ordered Jim Slick deported after ruling that the Chinese laborer's revenue certificate was void because he had already served time at McNeil's Island.
- The Great Jailbreak Attempt of 1888
A desperate group of prisoners, including a local forger and a pair of Vancouver burglars, came within thirty minutes of freedom before being thwarted by a vigilant guard.
- A Breakfast Ambush: Tacoma Prisoners Nearly Break Free
Smuggled tools, a sprung lock and a rush on the jailer — the county prisoners at Tacoma came within a door of liberty before a deputy with a pail of slops stopped them.
- Notorious Land Swindler Gets Prison Sentence
Federal judge sentences N. H. McLean to one year in prison for subornation of perjury in a major land fraud case.
- City Declines Responsibility for Injured Man in Saloon Brawl
A man with a broken leg from a tavern brawl was left in limbo after the City Health Officer ruled the city was not responsible for the hospital care of indigent non-prisoners.
- The Desperate Train Break to Walla Walla
A convicted prisoner attempts to escape his guards while being transported to the state penitentiary, triggering a tense standoff on a moving train.
- The Jailbreak That Almost Was: A Struggle for Freedom in Port Townsend
In a dramatic afternoon at the Clallam County jail, five prisoners attempted to overpower the keeper with an axe and a garrote-style choke. Jailer Furlong’s quick draw saved the day.
Also about this, in other words
- The Sad State of McNeil Island
A former inmate calls for books to replace the monotony of prison life.
- The Brutality of the Walla Walla Penitentiary
A critical look at the failing 'cell system' and the questionable state industries in Washington’s state prison.