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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1903 | 2 |
| 1904 | 21 |
| 1909 | 12 |
35 stories matching testifi
- A Confession Withdrawn, a Wife Dead: The Smokalem Mystery
Jack Smokalem pleads guilty, then takes it back, as his daughter and coroners give conflicting accounts of his wife's violent death.
- Coroner's Jury Clears Elevator Operator in City Hall Fatality
A janitor's death in the elevator shaft was ruled an accident, as the operator testified he believed the path was clear.
- The Trial of the Mysterious Spiritual Adviser
A defendant accused of attempted murder is charged by prosecutors with using hypnotic powers to influence court witnesses.
- Testimony Unfolds in Local Murder Trial
A witness claims the defendant expressed intent to kill over a financial dispute in the Northern Pacific freight yards.
- The Great Telephone Bribery Scandal
Tacoma councilmen testify before an investigative committee regarding allegations that a telephone franchise promoter offered cash and stock to secure their votes.
- The Slot Machine King's Secret Life
A brutal divorce trial exposes the illicit gambling empire and domestic violence hidden behind a Tacoma marriage.
- The Tragic Decline of Annie Rooney
A woman long known to the streets and saloons of Tacoma is returned to the state asylum, casting a light on the era’s brutal handling of addiction.
- Fatal Shooting in the Auburn Woods Ruled Justifiable
A jury exonerates John North for the killing of Charles Paulson after hearing testimony that the act was carried out under the direction of the city marshal.
- The Lawyer and the Asylum
A young Tacoma attorney faces a harsh public trial of his mental health as his own father testifies against him in court.
- Milton School Principal Faces Trial for Brutal Whipping
A fifteen-year-old student was reportedly struck with an iron stove poker, leading her father to press charges against the school administrator.
- The Tragic Sinking of the SS Clallam
A maritime disaster in the Straits claims the lives of dozens, including prominent Tacoma residents, sparking a federal investigation.
- Grand Jury Digs Into the Restricted District
A secret investigation into local vice and government corruption begins, with former inhabitants of Tacoma's restricted district called to testify.
- The False Slander of Captain Mulcay
A shipping captain's reputation was nearly destroyed by a malicious, unverified rumor sent to San Francisco agents during a difficult labor shortage.
- The Shadowy Cartel Squeezing Tacoma's Grocers
A former independent grocer testifies before a grand jury, exposing how industry boycotts forced small business owners into insolvency.
- A Whale Surfaces in Commencement Bay and Soaks a Tacoma Couple's Launch
Mr. and Mrs. M. Sutter were ten feet from a spouting whale while crossing the bay in their launch Comet — and came ashore soaked.
- Fireman Fired After 'Incompatibility' Dispute
A local firefighter is dismissed by the council following a series of conflicts with his department leadership.
- A Fourteen-Year-Old’s Ordeal Highlights Urban Dangers
After Bessie Cook leaves home, she tells a harrowing account to police that leads to the arrest of a Tacoma bartender.
- A Judge’s Weary View on the Divorce Boom
Tacoma’s divorce courts see a steady stream of domestic disputes, leading one judge to question the rising frequency of these legal filings.
- The Shadowy Business of the Slot Machine King
A divorce trial involving a Tacoma slot machine operator reveals a hidden world of illicit gambling and domestic abuse.
- The Druggist and the Masked Robber
A Tacoma druggist’s assailant is sentenced to 14 years after pleading guilty, closing a violent chapter on Tacoma Avenue.
- The Disappearing Developer
A local real estate operator vanishes, leaving behind a trail of dishonored checks, uncompleted houses, and angry creditors across Tacoma.
- Domestic Abuse in the Care System
A Tacoma widow seeking work finds the woman paid to watch her children was beating them with a leather strap.
- The Price of Progress: Who Should Pay for City Streets?
Tacoma’s City Council debates whether property owners or the general public should shoulder the cost of local infrastructure improvements.
- The Solomon-esque Battle for a Child's Custody
A heated court case in Superior Court challenges guardianship rights, pitting adoptive parents against previous foster care arrangements.
- The Child Acrobat's Ordeal
A young performer rescued from a traveling act bears the brutal marks of a stove poker and a buckled strap, sparking a court battle over his custody.