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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1876 | 5 |
| 1877 | 5 |
| 1878 | 1 |
| 1880 | 7 |
| 1882 | 2 |
| 1883 | 11 |
| 1884 | 6 |
| 1885 | 8 |
| 1886 | 4 |
| 1887 | 4 |
| 1888 | 8 |
| 1889 | 23 |
| 1890 | 1 |
| 1891 | 4 |
| 1892 | 18 |
| 1893 | 23 |
| 1894 | 23 |
| 1895 | 21 |
| 1897 | 1 |
| 1899 | 2 |
| 1903 | 6 |
| 1904 | 4 |
| 1909 | 6 |
| 1910 | 3 |
| 1915 | 1 |
| 1923 | 4 |
| 1924 | 2 |
203 stories matching burk
- A Church Scandal Erupts in a Seattle Libel Trial
M. H. Nichols stood accused of criminally libeling Presiding Elder T. B. Ford. The defense spent the day trading rumors, old grudges, and one complaint about the prosecutor's booming voice.
- The Pastor, the Missing Husband, and the Seattle Libel Trial
A church feud goes to court as Rev. M. H. Nichols is tried for circulating scandalous charges against Dr. T. B. Ford—whose testimony reveals a broken engagement, a vanished first husband, and a dramatic courtroom kiss.
- The Tragedy at Yesler Way: A Lawyer’s Death and a Woman’s Despair
In May 1904, prominent Seattle lawyer J. Wile was fatally shot by Miss Burke, who then took her own life in a rooming house near the waterfront.
- Dance Hall Rivalry Turns Violent
Jealousy over a courtesan leads to a public shooting outside a downtown boarding house.
- The Pastor, the Circular, and the Hung Jury
For three days a Seattle courtroom heard accusations of adultery, an illegitimate son, and a pastor’s libelous circular. At 12:35 a.m., the jury was still deadlocked.
- The Great Terminal Feud
Judge Thomas Burke slams the Oregon Improvement Company for its long history of blocking Seattle’s progress and rail development.
- The Shovel Duel on the Race Track
A simmering debt leads to a violent, rock-and-shovel confrontation between two local men.
- The Ghost of the Seattle Riots
A labor organizer confronts senatorial candidate Thomas Burke over his role in the 1886 anti-Chinese expulsions, challenging the sanitized historical narratives of his political campaign.
- The Criminal Past of an Accused Hold-up Man
John Burke, arrested for the fatal shooting of a local druggist, revealed to have a history of brushes with the law across the state.
- The Ghost Deed: How a Secret Land Grab Stole Seattle’s Future
A legal battle erupts over Burke’s Second Addition after it is revealed that W.H. Bourn Sr. used a dying partner to hold title to prime land, leaving his estate vulnerable to fraud.
- The Gambler’s Shield: How Seattle Saloon Keepers Dodged Mayor Moras’ Purge
When Chief Justice Burke urged the city to revoke liquor licenses from gambling dens, the Common Council refused—citing legal technicalities and protecting the very establishments the mayor wanted shut down.
- The State Germ Lab in the Burke Block
Seattle's new bacteriological laboratory tested city water, hunted typhoid and tried to make diphtheria antitoxin—while its doctors covered the rent.
- 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 Torch That Saved the Train: How a Fireman’s Light Scared Off Bandits in South Tacoma
In a dark stretch of rail near Lakeview, engineer H.W. Burke faced down armed robbers until his fireman charged them with nothing but a lit torch.
- Labor Organizer Accuses Judge Burke in 1886 Seattle Anti-Chinese Riots
A labor organizer confronts a political candidate over his role in the 1886 Seattle riots and the killing of a protester.
- The War of the Waterfront: Port Angeles' Battle for Its Soul
As the town fights to incorporate, two factions clash over who owns the shore—leading to a chaotic 'jumping' spree where men pile claims on top of each other in a desperate grab for Pacific real estate.
- The Funeral Pyre of Justice: Seattle Burns Its Gambling Den
As the Territorial Grand Jury demands a sewer system and a new jail, Sheriff Cochrane immolates tons of gambling paraphernalia on a public bonfire, while Judge Burke condemns saloon keepers to revoke their licenses.
- The Scandal at Walla Walla Schools
A school board member resigns in protest after the superintendent is re-elected despite allegations of financial misconduct.
- The Phantom Title: How a Dead Man’s Land Became Seattle’s Newest Addition
A bizarre chain of custody involving a deceased San Francisco capitalist, a paralyzed attorney, and a speculator reveals the chaotic legal origins of Burke's Second Addition.
- A Ballard Tragedy
A three-year-old child dies after his dress catches fire from matches while his mother is away.
- The Political Stump in Old Seattle
A skeptical local editor critiques a 1880 Democratic congressional candidate’s visit to Seattle, dissecting his oratory, his 'Solid South' rhetoric, and the harsh realities of campaigning in a territory without a vote.
- The Judge Who Declared Unions Illegal
In a landmark charge to the grand jury in 1893, Chief Justice Thomas Burke declared that any combination of workers preventing employment was a 'conspiracy against the law of the land,' effectively criminalizing the labor movement before Washington even became a state.
- The Judge Who Was Both Defendant and Accused
In a stunning legal double-header, Judge Wickersham is convicted of seduction in one court, then immediately indicted for perjury by the federal grand jury in the very same day.
- Fatal Shootout at the Pacific Hotel
A notorious horse thief is killed in a violent struggle after attempting to free his son-in-law from custody.
- The Wickersham Scandal: A Judge’s Honor on Trial
In a Tacoma courtroom that captivated the Pacific Northwest, Miss Brantner takes the stand for days, detailing alleged improprieties with Probate Judge Wickersham. The trial exposes a web of land fraud, cocaine use, and social climbing, culminating in a judge’s furious rebuke of a laughing crowd.
Also about this, in other words
- Burbank Loses Its Only Trading Post
A general merchandise store is completely destroyed by fire, leaving a small community without a local shop.
- A Close Call for a Young Girl
A man is held for trial after attempting to assault a girl at his cabin near the foot of Pike Street.
- The Great Burbank Rabbit Drive
Nearly 300 hunters organized a massive cull to clear local agricultural lands, with the bounty destined for charity.
- A Burglar's Calling Card: Saloon Robbed, With a Polite Note Left on the Bar
Thieves pry open the iron shutters of John J. Madigan's Bodega saloon on Front Street, empty his secret cash stash and leave behind three empty glasses and an apology — of sorts.
- Carpenter Nearly Killed by Falling Lumber
A routine day at a harbor mill turns into a life-threatening accident for a local carpenter.
- A Burglary and Arson on Tenth Street
A homeowner discovers her house filled with smoke after burglars ransack her residence and leave a lit match on the mantel.
- The Front Street Beer Hall Break-in
A burglar gained entry to a local establishment through a transom window, netting only small change and wine.
- A Burglary Charge Thrown Out
After being held on a $2,000 bond, a man accused of burglary is released when the court realizes the case against him is meritless.